Satoshi Gaming banned in Sweden for unlicensed operations
Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s regulatory authority for gambling, has enacted an immediate ban on Satoshi Gaming Group, a decision stemming from the operator’s unauthorized online gambling activities within Swedish jurisdiction.
This enforcement action, announced on April 10, prohibits Satoshi Gaming from conducting any operations in Sweden. While the regulator has refrained from imposing financial penalties, the decision underscores a stringent approach to maintaining compliance within the gambling sector.
The intervention primarily concerns Trustdice.win, a platform launched and managed by Satoshi Gaming, which operates under a gambling license from Curaçao. The regulator’s investigation revealed that Trustdice.win was actively providing services to Swedish players, allowing account creation and participation in games, despite lacking the requisite local licensing.
Furthermore, Spelinspektionen established that Trustdice.win was specifically targeting the Swedish market. This determination is bolstered by the site’s use of Swedish language in its terms and conditions, coupled with marketing efforts by affiliates in Swedish aimed at local players.
Satoshi Gaming’s IP Blocking Claims Discredited
In response to earlier allegations, Satoshi Gaming asserted in February that they had implemented IP blocking measures for Swedish players. However, a follow-up probe by Spelinspektionen revealed that while the site was indeed inaccessible from their designated IP address, it remained accessible from alternate locations. This discrepancy prompted further scrutiny and a follow-up commitment from Satoshi Gaming in March to enforce stricter measures to prevent access by Swedish users. They pledged to eliminate any remaining Swedish-language content from the Trustdice.win site.
Despite these assurances, Spelinspektionen highlighted that no concrete timeline for these modifications was presented, raising concerns regarding the operator’s compliance intentions.
Regulatory Measures Against Satoshi Gaming
In its ruling, Spelinspektionen evaluated several critical factors aligned with Sweden’s Gambling Act to ascertain the necessary actions against Satoshi Gaming. The analysis focused on whether the Trustdice.win website was explicitly designed for the Swedish market. Key indicators included the presence of Swedish language options and the ability for players in Sweden to establish accounts on the platform.
Given that all applicable criterions were met concerning Trustdice.win’s operations, the regulator concluded that Satoshi Gaming had indeed violated the provisions of the Gambling Act. As of the announcement date, the operator had failed to halt its operations within Sweden, despite its previous promises to do so.
Consequently, Spelinspektionen deemed the immediate ban essential, stating, “In the interest of consumer protection and to ensure gaming safety, it is imperative that this decision be enforced without delay.”
This decisive enforcement action reflects the Swedish regulator’s commitment to mitigating unlicensed gambling activities and ensuring that operators adhere to national regulatory standards, thereby safeguarding Swedish consumers and the integrity of the gaming landscape.
