Swedish gambling industry dodges daytime advertising ban

The Swedish government has released its final version of a major gaming reform bill which has been in the works since the beginning of 2022. The new bill avoids three major adjustments to the legislation which firms licensed in the country feared would impact operations. The government has elected for “adjusted moderation” when it comes to marketing, easing fears that initial legislation would have put gambling in the same bracket as alcohol in terms of advertising. Alcohol marketing in Sweden must not be intrusive and must not encourage people to drink. The new bills removes the proposed daylight hours ad ban which would have run 6am and 9pm, as well as risk classifications on gambling products. The initial daylight hours ad ban was similar to that of Spain’s horario de madrugada advertising window of 1am to 5am imposed across television, radio and online. One of the initial proposals to make it into the bill is the requirement for B2B suppliers to obtain a licence to offer services in the market. A previous consultation in March noted these licences would last up to five years and cost SEK120,000 (£9,682). B2B licensees will also need to have a HQ based in the European Economic Area or have an office in Sweden. Speaking to EGR, Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general for industry trade body BOS, said: “We are pleased that the government has listened to stakeholders in the gambling industry as well as several publishers who have pointed out the disadvantages of such proposals.”