The Swedish government has proposed to extend the current emergency online gambling restrictions through June 2021. 

Originally introduced under the pretext of protecting players from developing gambling problems during the long hours stuck at home during the COVID-19 crisis, the restrictions have been repeatedly slammed by operators as cynical and politically motivated. 

Now, a memorandum, which has been submitted for consultation until 23 November 2020, proposes the extension of the “temporary measures”, including the SEK 5000 deposit limit, until the end of June 2021. 

Supporting the proposal, Minister of Social Insurance, Ardalan Shekarabi, said:

“We see that the development of covid-19 is going in the wrong direction in several parts of the country. The situation is very serious. In the wake of the pandemic, we see continued risks in the area of ​​gambling, which means that we need to act to reduce the risks for vulnerable consumers.”

AYO.NEWS says:

When Shekarabi and co pushed these measures through, we predicted they would turn out to be less “temporary” than advertised, and it looks like we were right. Given the fact that all the restrictions have done is push vulnerable gamblers into the arms of unlicensed offshore operators, where they are completely unprotected, it is difficult to see how the extension of these restrictions can be justified. 

Nevertheless, we expect they will be pushed through by zealots like Shekarabi, and furthermore, we wouldn’t be surprised if they are extended again when June comes.

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