Spelinspektionen has urged the Swedish government to take a closer analysis at the potential consequences of terminating Casino Cosmopol.
Casino Cosmopol’s potential closure comes after a state memorandum, which is supported by members of Sweden’s Conservative Coalition government as they underlined a policy that the Swedish State should “no longer be involved in hard gambling.”
The political coalition also questioned whether Svenska Spel should be afforded the privilege to operate a loss-making casino unit.
Whilst Spelinspektionen raised no objection to the closure of Casino Cosmopol, it did highlight the warnings of the Swedish Police regarding certain land-based consumers becoming exposed to illegal gambling. Yet, the extent of exposure to illegal gambling remains uncertain.
The inspectorate detailed that additional resources will be essential if the casino is closed in order to continue combating the illegal market effectively.
It stated: “Spelinspektionen has acted as an expert in a handful of cases in recent years where prosecutions have been brought. Although the number of such cases is relatively few today, the authority believes that law enforcement authorities are increasingly paying attention to illegal gambling.”
In the first half of the year, Svenska Spel closed loss-making Casino Cosmopol venues in the cities of Malmö and Gothenburg, which together reported annual losses of SEK 35m (€3m).
Svenska Spel currently operates one Casino Cosmopol location in Stockholm. If the proposal is approved, Casino Cosmopol Stockholm would be required to close by 1 January 2026, affecting approximately 200 jobs.
The memorandum contained further proposals that state lotteries should no longer have any limitations with regards to jackpots and prizes offered.
Meanwhile, providing feedback on AML safeguards for gambling, Spelinspektionen hopes to enhance its role in anti-money laundering efforts, consistent with its past requests, stressing the need for regular data collection in line with future European Union and international reporting requirements.
