Kanon Gaming Facing Fine in Sweden Over Gaming Act Violations

Article by : Erik Gibbs Jul 1, 2024

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The Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, has imposed a significant fine on Kanon Gaming Limited for violations of the country’s Gaming Act. The regulatory action included both a warning and a significant financial penalty that, Spelinspektionen hopes, will make Kanon more attentive to its responsibilities in the future.

Kanon Gaming Limited holds a license for commercial online gaming and operates several websites, namely casinoepic.se, casinogami.se, frejacasino.se, and lokecasino.se.

An audit conducted by the Swedish Gaming Authority revealed several deficiencies in Kanon Gaming’s operations. Specifically, the company was found to lack appropriate procedures to protect customers from the harms associated with excessive gambling.

The audit led to a requirement for Kanon Gaming to submit an action plan. However, the plan provided failed to clearly outline the company’s duty of care towards its customers.

The audit further requested customer data, particularly focusing on those who had incurred significant losses and young players aged 18-24, to verify whether measures like deposit limits were implemented effectively.

The findings highlighted that Kanon Gaming did not take proactive measures to assist customers showing signs of potential problem gambling. There were no clear protections in place for young customers who might be gambling excessively.

The company’s approach relied heavily on automated messages sent to affected customers, but these messages did not translate into substantial preventive actions.

These failures were deemed breaches of the Gaming Act, leading to regulatory consequences for Kanon Gaming Limited. The company received a formal warning and was fined SEK 7 million, equivalent to €622,772 or $668,495.

In a similar vein, the Swedish Gaming Authority conducted an audit on Folkspel. The audit found that Folkspel lacked adequate procedures to prevent minors from engaging in gambling activities. As a result, Folkspel was also issued a formal warning and fined SEK500,000 ($47,282.86).

The regulatory actions against both Kanon Gaming Limited and Folkspel underscore the Swedish Gambling Authority’s commitment to enforcing the Gaming Act and ensuring that licensed operators adhere to strict standards to protect consumers, particularly vulnerable groups such as minors and young adults, from the potential harms of gambling.