Sweden approves Gambling Act changes to strengthen data use in tackling illegal activities

Sweden’s Riksdag (parliament) has officially approved amendments to the Gambling Act of 2018, granting license holders the ability to process personal data related to legal offenses. The new provisions, which aim to enhance regulatory oversight and combat illegal activities, will take effect on February 1, 2025.

The changes, authorized on November 28, outline specific conditions under which gambling operators can handle sensitive data. These include detecting criminal activities, monitoring suspicious betting patterns, preventing match-fixing, and enforcing compliance with legal requirements.

Operators must, however, ensure that illegal activity, such as fraud or cheating, has been detected on a specific account before processing personal data. The revised regulations also empower license holders to scrutinize accounts for unusual betting behaviors, a move intended to assist Swedish authorities in addressing match-fixing and corruption in sports. This complements government measures introduced earlier this year to counter criminal activity in gambling. 

In May, Sweden’s Conservative Coalition government launched a multi-authority data-sharing platform designed to combat match-fixing and enhance collaboration among regulatory bodies. The newly approved amendments further solidify efforts to curb sports corruption by providing operators with a structured legal framework to manage and share data effectively.

Policy documents confirm that the changes comply with GDPR rules, specifically Article 6, which stipulates that data processing must be limited to purposes such as fraud detection or regulatory compliance. The Swedish government highlighted that the Gambling Act amendments align with these requirements, either as a legal obligation or under a legitimate interest clause.

Support for the proposal was reinforced during the Riksdag consultation process. The Culture Committee endorsed the amendments, and no objections were raised. Furthermore, the Legislative Council reviewed the proposal without additional remarks.