BOS wants new formula for Swedish AML fines

What’s new

In July, the Ministry of Finance put forward a proposal on how Sweden should adapt its laws to the EU’s new anti-money-laundering package. The Ministry of Finance published a memorandum in July setting out how Sweden should adapt its laws to the EU’s AML package. One of the proposals would let fines for a company’s Swedish operations be based on the turnover of its entire global group, not just its Swedish business.

BOS, which represents several Swedish-licensed operators, objects to that approach. The association said only Swedish turnover should be used when calculating sanctions concerning Sweden. According to BOS, group-wide figures risk punishing operators twice for the same breach, something it argues undermines both Swedish and EU law.

BOS secretary general Gustaf Hoffstedt has framed the criticism around proportionality and legal certainty, noting that the association backs the EU anti-money laundering package but says gambling fines should be based on Swedish gross gaming revenue.

The issue connects to an earlier debate. Weeks earlier, Sweden had considered raising penalties for breaches of its Money Laundering Act to match those under the Gambling Act. BOS has also pointed out that Swedish courts have already backed the principle that sanctions should be based on gross gaming revenue, meaning what operators actually earn in Sweden, rather than total turnover.

What it means for you as a player

If you play at a Swedish-licensed casino, you won’t notice this process directly in the app or on the website. It’s not about new games, bonuses or payment methods. But how strictly and fairly Spelinspektionen can fine operators ultimately affects how seriously anti-money-laundering work is taken on Swedish sites, which is part of why the licensing system exists in the first place.

Whatever the outcome of this debate, the basic rules for you as a player stay the same. Licensed casinos are connected to Spelpaus.se, where you can exclude yourself from all licensed gambling. If gambling starts to feel like a problem, help is available through Stödlinjen.se.

The bigger picture

This fight over how fines are calculated isn’t new. BOS has pushed the same line before, and Swedish courts have already sided with the association’s view that sanctions should be based on gross gaming revenue rather than total turnover. Several Swedish licence holders, including Betsson and Snabbare, have received sanctions of several million kronor over the past year for shortcomings in their anti-money-laundering work, showing that Spelinspektionen is already using its powers actively.

The ongoing process is part of a wider European effort, as the EU’s new anti-money-laundering authority, AMLA, works to make rules more consistent across member states. For Swedish operators, it’s about knowing which rules will apply going forward, both in principle and financially, in an area facing growing scrutiny as customer due diligence requirements tighten.

Sources

• iGaming Business – BOS warns AML fine plans risk ‘double punishment’ for operators
• EE Gaming – BOS urges EU to base AML gambling fines on Swedish GGR, not group turnover
• iGaming Expert – BOS urges shift of Sweden’s gambling fines under EU AML package