BOS general secretary defends gambling advertising on public transport
Gustaf Hoffstedt claims potential ban could give rise to black market and increased travel fares
Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) general secretary Gustaf Hoffstedt has defended the presence of gambling advertising on Stockholm’s public transport system.
Stockholm’s public transport political board has announced plans to ban gambling advertising across the network, something which Hoffstedt has argued would be detrimental to the licensed market.
As it stands, only Swedish-licensed operators are allowed to advertise on public transport, with the BOS chief adding that this acts as a regulated portal to engage gamblers in a safer framework.
Pointing out that gambling advertising currently brings in SEK20m, he added that the loss in revenue could lead to an increase in travel fares as well as bordering on the abolishment of freedom of expression.
In an op-ed in Swedish paper Expressen, Hoffstedt defended the advertising of igaming and highlighted that its an activity that “three out of four adult Swedes engage in”.
He wrote: “Gambling is not just any product, and it needs to be heavily regulated, as well as its marketing. Such regulation has been in place for a few years now. The Riksdag reregulated the gambling market in 2019 and introduced, among other things, new, stricter legislation for the gambling marketing.
“The new system proved to work well, and gambling companies that violated these limits were severely punished.
“From an unfortunately overly aggressive tone in gambling marketing when the gambling licensing market was new in 2019, the tonality in the public space decreased as the market matured.
“Gambling advertising in public transport also fulfils another important function in that it helps the gambling consumer in his/her choice of gambling company.
“It is important to choose a gambling company that is regulated and licensed in Sweden. Gambling for money, especially online, is unfortunately exposed to fierce unfair competition from unregulated and unlicensed gambling companies in Sweden.”
Elsewhere in Sweden, the government are hoping to bring in a four percentage point raise in tax to 22% and have moved to improve its ability to detect and prevent match-fixing in the market.