Svenska Spel Rebuts Claims That Profits Trumped Player Safety
2026-07-23
Source: SBC News
Svenska Spel has rejected accusations that it downgraded responsible gambling in pursuit of record profits, defending its evidence-based player protections and significant investments in AI monitoring and deposit controls. The state-owned operator insists its commercial success funds, rather than undermines, its commitment to safer gambling.
Swedish state-owned gambling operator Svenska Spel has pushed back against media allegations that it has sidelined responsible gambling in favour of financial performance. In a response to daily newspaper Aftonbladet, the company insisted that customer protection remains a central pillar of its operations.
The rebuttal follows a 19 July report in Aftonbladet questioning whether Svenska Spel had prioritised profits over consumer safeguards, pointing to record betting revenue linked to the FIFA Women's World Cup. The operator’s second-quarter results showed gross gaming revenue rising 8% to SEK 1.963bn (€176m), with operating profit climbing 8% to SEK 1.276bn (€115m), driven by strong performances from its Oddset sportsbook and Casino divisions.
The newspaper’s investigation cited the National Association for Gambling Addiction (Spelberoendes Riksförbund), which argued that the operator’s commercial ambitions had begun to eclipse its responsible gambling commitments. Aftonbladet also questioned how Svenska Spel could distinguish itself from other online sportsbooks given the volume of gambling advertising during the tournament.
Annika Hjälm, Head of Responsible Gaming and AML at Svenska Spel, met the accusations head-on. “The image that responsible gaming has been downgraded is not correct,” she stated. “On the contrary, we have clarified and strengthened what applies to Svenska Spel’s customers.”
Hjälm described the operator’s approach as evidence-based, focusing on early detection of gambling-related risks before they escalate. “Our responsible gambling is evidence-based and is based on identifying risks early and acting before gambling risks becoming a problem,” she explained.
Svenska Spel enforces what it calls Sweden’s strictest deposit limits, including a cap of SEK 1,000 (€90) per month for customers aged 18 to 19 and stricter thresholds for all players under 25 compared to the general customer base.
The operator also highlighted significant investment in artificial intelligence and real-time behavioural monitoring to flag risky play patterns. “We have also invested in new technology and monitor gambling behaviour in real time to detect signs of risk,” Hjälm said. “When we identify risky gambling patterns, we take action through, for example, information, support efforts, customer contact or restrictions on gambling.”
AI has reduced the need for manual oversight, shifting staff resources toward technical development. Since April 2026, Svenska Spel has enforced Sweden’s ban on credit-funded gambling, preventing customers from using credit cards, overdrafts, or loans to gamble—a measure aimed at curbing debt-related harm.
Last year, Svenska Spel was the only licensee to submit a package of 18 proposals for smarter safer gambling to support the government’s review of player protections, led by Financial Markets Minister Niklas Wykman. Hjälm argued that strong commercial results actually enable greater investment in harm prevention: “A sustainable business also gives us the opportunity to continue investing in technical solutions that strengthen responsible gambling and develop society’s knowledge about gambling problems.”
Svenska Spel has invested over SEK 100m (€9m) in Swedish research into gambling harm over the past 15 years and maintains close ties with addiction support organisations. However, Hjälm stressed that the ultimate responsibility for funding problem-gambling treatment lies with the Swedish government and the Riksdag, not with individual operators.