Sweden’s gambling inspectorate, Spelinspektionen, has taken direct action against 23 unlicensed operators after they were found to have been operating illegally in the country’s regulated online gambling marketplace.

The inspectorate has informed its Swedish counterpart authorities and financial institutions of 23 Curacao-based businesses and their related websites that are undertaking illegal gambling activities.

The public disclosure of illegal businesses forms part of Spelinspektionen’s new strategy against black market actors encroaching on Sweden’s regulated marketplace.

It comes as the fight against unlicensed operators was ramped up last October, when the inspectorate was given new powers to launch direct investigations and enforcement actions against illegal or non compliant businesses.  

Furthermore, as part of the new remit, Spelinspektionen is able to directly collaborate with the national authorities of the Swedish Consumer Agency and Finansinspektionen (FCA), Sweden’s Tax Agency to bolster its enforcement actions and penalties.

Spelinspektionen has ordered Swedish authorities to impose direct IP bans and payment injunctions on the online properties of the 23 Curacao-based businesses.

The safeguarding and protection of Sweden’s regulated online gambling marketplace will be a key criteria for stage-2 amendments of Sweden’s reformed Gambling Law.