A Swedish gaming firm, Svenska Spel, has vehemently opposed the Swedish Gambling Authority’s (Spelinspektionen) suggested actions to combat match-fixing. They contend that forbidding wagers on rule infractions still leaves ample opportunity for manipulation.

Svenska Spel has severely criticized Spelinspektionen’s proposed actions to combat match-fixing, arguing that prohibiting bets on rule violations still leaves a significant amount of space for manipulation.

Last month, Spelinspektionen proposed an amendment that would prohibit operators from offering odds on rule violations, such as yellow cards in football or fouls in tennis.

At the time, the regulatory body stated that the measure would aid in combating match-fixing and eliminating any potential incentive for athletes to commit rule violations for match-fixing purposes.

The consultation on these proposals concluded on February 14, and Svenska Spel seized this opportunity to express its opposition to the plans. CEO Patrick Hofbauer stated that the measures are insufficient to safeguard sports, combat gambling fraud, or enhance consumer protection.

“If we are to triumph over the battle against match-fixing, we must take more decisive action.”

A crucial metric is to prohibit all readily manipulated occurrences, highlighted Hofbauer. While this proposition appears to provide safeguarding, in actuality, it is quite restricted.

Thus, we advise bolstering regulations and trust that the Swedish Gaming Authority will thoughtfully examine our perspectives.

Hofbauer indicated that although regulators intend to ban wagering on specific match aspects, consumers can still place bets on other occurrences, such as corner kicks and throw-ins. He believes that these match events, like yellow cards, are easily controlled.

“Corner kicks and throw-ins are at least as easily manipulated, so the rationale behind this boundary is challenging to grasp,” stated Hofbauer. “Instead, we believe that wagering on all easily manipulated match occurrences should be forbidden.”

Hofbauer also expressed worry that the proposed prohibition would only apply to sporting events held within Sweden, while matches and competitions held elsewhere would not be subject to these measures.

Consequently, Hofbauer and the Swedish betting company have suggested alternative measures for the regulator to contemplate. Firstly, the operator proposes that the ban should apply to all easily manipulated events in a match or competition.

The operator also recommends that the ban be extended to all betting companies licensed in Sweden, rather than just those held in Sweden.

The Swedish gaming enterprise, Svenska Spel, asserts that wagering firms ought to restrict the available betting selections. They highlight that heightened competition makes it more challenging to influence the results.

Moreover, Svenska Spel proposes that authorized operators promptly report any dubious incidents to the regulatory body, instead of the annual reporting suggested by Spelinspektionen.

To accomplish this, Svenska Spel urges Sweden to join the Council of Europe’s Macolin Convention, which has been ratified by 27 nations.

Spelinspektionen’s proposal has also drawn criticism from the Swedish online gambling industry association, Branschföreningen för Onlinespel (BOS). They contend that removing betting on these events from the regulated market would hinder authorities’ capacity to monitor suspicious betting activities and effectively combat match manipulation.

Concurrently, Svenska Spel declared that it would indefinitely cease accepting wagers on the Swedish football team, Syrianska FC, due to concerns about potential match-fixing.

Dan Korhonen, Svenska Spel’s Head of Sports Betting and Game Safety, elaborated: “Svenska Spel, adhering to the precautionary principle, is dedicated to upholding the highest standards of safety and integrity within the betting market it provides. We have removed the team from our offerings due to various factors.”

We may decline wagers on a squad if we possess knowledge regarding their financial standing, legal matters, or athletic associations.”

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