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Age Restrictions in Sweden

The Swedish government has faced severe criticism over the past several years because of the government’s decision to operate a strict monopoly in the country that protects national interests over EU policies that dictate that all EU member-states should have open borders in regards to the trading of goods and services. The European Commission has interpreted this EU policy to include the online casino gambling industry – but roughly a dozen EU member-states have continued to refuse compliance with this policy. Sweden in particular has an incredibly protected state monopoly that not only keeps foreign online casinos out of the market, but the state also prosecutes and betting and gambling companies that force themselves into the market.

In more recent months though Sweden has faced critiques and criticism beyond the operation of an online casino gambling monopoly; critics claim that Sweden’s current regulations do not protect underage gamblers from exploitation. To nullify those claims and further protect the state monopoly from unneeded criticisms the Swedish officials have announced new gambling regulations that add an age restriction to all gambling going through the state monopoly. All foreign online casinos operating in the international market adhere to the basic age restriction of prohibiting under 18s from gambling, and Sweden’s lack of regulation in this regard was alarming.

There is little doubt that Sweden will be forced to eventually cave to EU demands for an open and fair online casino gambling market, but for the time being Svenska Spel, the Swedish monopoly has implemented new policies that better comply with international standards for internet gambling companies.