Sweden fines Roar Vegas and Glitnor Services
Sweden’s Regulator Spelinspektionen Penalizes Glitnor Services and LeoVegas’ Roar Vegas for Breaches in Duty of Care
In a significant enforcement action, Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has levied a fine of SEK8 million (approximately £617,044/€737,234/$795,303) against LeoVegas’ Roar Vegas, citing violations of customer duty of care regulations.
Following a comprehensive supervisory check, Spelinspektionen determined that Roar Vegas neglected to intervene adequately to mitigate excessive gambling behaviors exhibited by three customers, two of whom fell within the vulnerable 18-24 age demographic.
While Roar Vegas did implement “effective measures” to address these behaviors, the regulator deemed that intervention should have occurred sooner, in line with best practices for responsible gaming and player protection.
Roar Vegas Challenges the Sanction
In response to the fine, Roar Vegas has strongly contested the regulator’s findings. The operator maintains that it acted in accordance with its duty of care obligations, asserting that the intervention processes in all three instances functioned effectively, ultimately leading to the cessation of excessive gambling behaviors.
The company highlighted the ambiguity surrounding regulatory expectations, emphasizing a lack of clarity regarding the timing of when more assertive measures should be enacted in response to player activity.
Nonetheless, Spelinspektionen’s investigation flagged red flags such as multiple consecutive login days, prolonged engagement metrics, and rapid loss of deposits by the affected customers—red flags traditionally associated with problem gambling. The regulator noted that the presence of younger players in this assessment underscored the need for a heightened risk profile and earlier intervention measures.
Since the regulatory review, Roar Vegas has taken proactive steps to enhance its customer protection initiatives. These measures include:
- Implementation of pop-up warnings regarding high deposit limits
- Establishment of clear protocols for managing high-risk customers
- Introduction of caps on deposit limits
- Fixed limits on individual bets and total losses
Despite these improvements, Roar Vegas has been publicly admonished and mandated to fulfill the financial penalty of SEK8 million.
Glitnor Services Faces Similar Consequences
In a parallel case, Stockholm-based Glitnor Services has also been penalized for duty of care failures, receiving a substantial fine of $2.7 million.
Spelinspektionen’s supervisory audit revealed that Glitnor Services failed to intervene with 10 out of 12 gamblers scrutinized during their operation review. Among these individuals, three collectively deposited a staggering $218,831 per month, indicative of potential gambling-related harm.
The findings highlighted that these customers were engaging in gambling activities several times a week, sometimes for prolonged durations, including an alarming instance of continuous play lasting eleven hours. The regulator criticized Glitnor Services for insufficiently monitoring these accounts and for the ineffective measures taken in response to early warning signs of dangerous gambling behavior.
Glitnor Services asserted that it did not breach its duty of care, claiming it had taken appropriate actions in each identified case.
Controversial Stance on Required Inquiry Actions
Echoing Roar Vegas, Glitnor Services has expressed its belief that the current regulatory framework does not mandate additional intrusive measures beyond those already implemented. The operator contends that reducing a player’s gambling activity should suffice without necessitating account suspension.
In defense of its ruling, Spelinspektionen referred to judicial interpretations that establish a licensee’s obligation to implement necessary measures promptly to counteract excessive gambling on an individualized basis. This includes various restriction forms aimed at safeguarding vulnerable players.
As a result of the violations, Glitnor Services has not only faced a fine of $2.7 million but has also received a formal warning from the regulator.
Looking ahead, the regulatory landscape appears dynamic, as shown by Spelinspektionen’s recent reporting of a 2.65% year-on-year increase in gambling revenue for Sweden in 2024. Total gambling revenues reached SEK27.85 billion, surpassing the previous year’s figure of SEK27.13 billion. This highlights a robust market despite ongoing regulatory scrutiny and the pressing need for compliance among operators.
