Betfair Exchange without tennis markets in Sweden amid under-18 betting concerns
Operator has been without tennis markets since the summer due to uncertainty around compliance
Betfair has been without tennis markets on its Sweden-facing exchange for several months due to concerns over accepting bets on events with under-18 participants, EGR understands.
Tennis markets were initially taken down in the summer to comply with Swedish regulation prohibiting betting on events where the majority of participants are under the age of 18.
The operator is forced to remove entire tournaments thanks to limitations in the Betfair Exchange technology that does let the firm remove just one event.
It is understood the operator is looking at technical solutions to the issue but it not a high priority on its technology roadmap. Similar issues do not apply to the Betfair Sportsbook platform.
Betfair is the latest firm to struggle with the Swedish law around offering betting on events where the majority of participants are under the age of 18, with ten firms having been fined to date and multiple operators appealing.
Four other firms, including Kindred Betsson and bet365, were cleared of wrongdoing in a separate case recently.
Gaming Innovation Group has also frozen its B2C sportsbooks in Sweden following uncertainty around compliance.
Operators have argued the rule is unmanageable in its current state thanks to changing make-up of teams as players above and below 18 are subbed in and out of events.
Swedish licensees also claim they have been fined when only one participant in an event is under 18.
Trade association BOS has called on the SGA to “establish clarity” by explaining its approach, asserting that the SGA is “reticent to engage in a dialogue” on the matter.