Sweden further limits online betting to counter match-fixing

Sweden’s gambling regulator has further reduced the scope of its online betting licensees’ offering in what it claims is an effort to prevent match-fixing.

On Tuesday, the Spelinspektionen regulatory body announced that its board of directors had reached agreement the day before on new “regulations and general advice in order to counteract match-fixing.” The regulator claims the changes (viewable here, in Swedish) mean there will henceforth be “no reason to influence the outcome” of Swedish-based sport.

The changes include a prohibition on Swedish-licensed bookmakers taking bets on “violations of rules during matches, competitions and tournaments (for example, expulsions, penalties and yellow cards).” Operators will be required to file annual reports on “suspected manipulations of results in sports.”

The rules only apply to “sports that are practiced in Sweden,” so Spelinspektionen is apparently okay with its bookmakers providing opportunities to negatively influence international sports to their hearts’ content.