SOURCE: www.thelocal.se

(Stockholm, Sweden) — The government is open to selling off parts of the Svenska Spel gaming monopoly to other actors in the market.

A potential sale would cover games considered less likely to lead to gambling addiction.

The government’s gaming commission has been given the additional task of deciding on the conditions that would govern the sale of certain parts of the gaming monopoly.

The commission is already working on modernizing and strengthening Sweden’s gaming regulations, as well as examining whether companies other than Svenska Spel can be allowed to participate in the market by seeking licenses to operate less harmful types of games.

Writing in the Göteborgs-Posten (GP) newspaper, Finance Minister Anders Borg explained that the question is whether Svenska Spel should continue to operate less harmful forms of gaming, or if those games should be handed over to other actors.

The gaming commission will judge whether such a sale is appropriate in light of the social protection aspects and Sweden's obligations under EU law.

The commission will also look into the importance of the gaming monopoly’s activities for various societal organizations.