According to various media reports, Sweden is exploring the possibility of implementing an 18% tax on internet gambling operators. In turn, the country’s gambling monopoly will be partially removed and a new tax and licensing regime put in place. Reuters reports that Hakan Hallstedt, a special investigator from Sweden, is set to recommend that the authorities slap the 18% tax on operators’ gross gaming revenue. An investigation into a new license based system in Sweden was first commissioned by the government two years ago.
Sweden is hoping to bring online gambling companies that are well-established in the country’s gambling market, but operate outside its borders, under its regulatory system. These including gaming groups such as Kindred Group (previously Unibet) and Betsson.
Kindred Group has not ruled out its entry into the regulated Swedish gambling market. “After the proposal has been put forward the political process picks up,” said a spokesperson for Kindred. “The strategy and default action by Kindred is to obtain local licenses in re-regulated markets. The final decision however can’t be made until we know what set of regulations the Parliament will actually adopt in 2018. So far though it seems to be a reasonable regime being proposed.”
Kindred Group added that it would continue for now to contribute to the market with “expertise and experience from other markets.”
At present, around 77% of Sweden’s market is made up of licensed and taxed companies, but the government wants to increase that amount to over 90%.
