The Swedish Gaming Inspectorate (Spelinspektionen), the national gaming regulator, is rooting for an amendment to Sweden’s Gaming Act that would make financial institutions to disclose payment data related to gaming transactions.
The regular is legally entitled to block payments to illegal gaming sites as per the existing act, but it has not been able to use the power yet.
It is mainly because it is not able to to identify gaming-related payments going to offshore operators.
That is why Spelinspektionen is asking a rule change that would force banks to disclose information about payments made to and from gaming sites that do not have a Swedish license.
Robert Larsson, Unit Manager for Responsible Gambling and Money Laundering, said: “This type of case is generally difficult to investigate, it is difficult to obtain detailed and relevant information.
“In order for us to quickly and easily obtain the information we need, we have proposed a clearer regulation which means that we will have the right to receive this type of information without the hindrance of bank secrecy.”