Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen accused of taking a harsher line than other authorities

A legal review commissioned by BOS says Spelinspektionen is using a more punitive supervision style than other Swedish regulators, with AML cases often built around small account samples rather than broader systems reviews. For licensed operators, that matters because the difference between testing controls and ticketing files is the difference between a compliance conversation and a sanction.

1. The review, prepared by law firm Nordic Legal for the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS), says Spelinspektionen is significantly more punitive than the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority (FI), the Schools Inspectorate (SSI) and Stockholm County Administrative Board. BOS’s argument is straightforward: the regulator should be leaning more on dialogue and less on sanctions.
2. On anti-money laundering (AML), the report says FI and the Stockholm County Administrative Board usually take a risk-based, system-wide approach. In practice, that means looking at the operator’s overall risk framework, policies and internal controls first, then using customer-file samples to test whether the framework actually works.
3. Spelinspektionen, by contrast, is said to focus AML investigations on small samples of customer accounts. Of 12 AML enforcement decisions reviewed since 2021, 11 reportedly relied primarily on examinations of between five and 15 customer files. That is a very different evidentiary posture: sample first, system second.
4. The report also says enforcement is landing hard when sanctions are issued. Of nine AML sanctions between 2022 and 2025, seven were reportedly set at least 50% of the maximum available penalty. For operators, that points to a regulator that is not just active, but willing to move quickly toward the upper end of the penalty range.
5. BOS argues the licensed gambling market would benefit from a more collaborative supervisory model. The timing matters because the debate is unfolding while enforcement action against operators remains a live issue, so this is not just theory about regulatory style; it is about how Swedish gambling compliance will be judged in practice.