Sweden proposes stricter responsible gambling rules for all licensed operators, with comments due August 10

Spelinspektionen has published draft regulations that would replace Sweden’s current mix of binding rules and non-binding advice on gambling responsibility with a mandatory-only framework. For licensed operators, the important part is not the legal housekeeping; it is the new list of monitoring triggers, contact requirements, and hard stops that will shape how player protection is actually enforced.

1. The draft, published on June 16, would replace LIFS 2018:2 — the framework introduced by the former Lotteriinspektionen in 2018 — with new binding rules under the Swedish Gambling Act. Comments on the proposal must reach the Gambling Inspectorate no later than August 10.
2. Operators would be required to monitor specific behavioural, financial, psychological, and social indicators to detect excessive gambling. The behavioural list includes session length, activity between midnight and 6 am, and patterns of increasing deposits or stakes. Financial indicators include monthly deposit limits exceeding SEK10,000 (US$1,066) and payment rejections due to insufficient funds.
3. The draft also flags psychological and social signs, including efforts to recover losses, aggressive behaviour during contact with the operator, and visible signs of financial distress or mental health issues. Once those signals are identified, the operator must contact the player and make sure the information was actually received.
4. If the player does not respond or does not provide the requested details, the operator must apply access restrictions until contact is made. Players who express suicidal thoughts would trigger an immediate restriction of at least six months.
5. Other proposed measures include a ban on reverse withdrawals, mandatory action plans, staff training at least every two years, real-time Swedish-language support available for at least eight hours a day, automatic logout after one hour of inactivity, and a 60-round cap on autoplay in commercial online casino games.

The rules would apply to all operators licensed under the Swedish Gambling Act. For PSPs, acquirers, and banking partners serving Swedish gambling merchants, the practical question is how quickly merchant monitoring, support, and payment controls can be aligned with a framework that moves from guidance to enforceable obligations.