Sweden: no plans to end Svenska Spel monopoly

Despite the threat of impending European Commission legal action, it seems the Swedish government has no immediate plans to open its online gambling market end the long standing monopoly of Svenska Spel.

That’s the message from Sweden’s Minister for Public Administration Ardalan Shekarabi anyway.

Speaking via video hook-up at a conference in Stockholm this week, Shekarabi told delegates that opening the country’s gambling market  and taking the monopoly off Svenska Spel’s hands is not on the government’s agenda. His said his government will only consider loosening current regulations when the country’s budget allows.

It’s probably fair to take this to mean never, unless forced the ECJ.

Indeed commentators seem in agreement that in the  absence of ECJ intervention, it looks like the current government will not be looking to change online gambling regulations during their present term which takes us into 2018.

At least Svenksa Spel will be happy.