The First Swedish Certification Body Ready for Control of Gaming Companies

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CERTIFICATION All gaming companies operating in the Swedish market must now be controlled by an accredited body in order to obtain a license from the Gaming Inspectorate. Swedac has now accredited the first Swedish certification body.

The Swedish gaming market has grown explosively and today there are about 100 gaming companies, of which some 70 have online games, operating in Sweden. In order to get order and find out the business, the legislation was tightened at the turn of the year, which means that all gaming companies now have to be licensed to offer commercial games.

The license is issued by the state authority Gaming Inspection and is required regardless of where the gaming company has its seat. The foreign internet-based gaming companies operating in Sweden are thus also subject to the same requirements.

The new legislation aims to secure tax revenue, but also to ensure that gaming companies follow certain ethical guidelines, such as having moderate marketing and providing support to those who think they are playing too much.

 

CONTROL DURING ACCREDITATION:

In order for the gaming company to be licensed, in turn, an accredited body checks that the business complies with the requirements of the Gaming Inspection’s regulation LIFS 2018: 8 and issues a compliance report attached to the license application.

Swedac has now accredited the first certification body in Sweden – Gaming Associates Europe AB – which thus has the right to audit gaming companies.

It is not the gaming companies that are accredited, but the bodies that control the gaming companies, clarifies Helena Calmén, assessment manager at Swedac.

  • Previously, the gaming companies had to find other solutions and turn to accredited bodies in other countries, such as the Netherlands. Now they can hire a Swedish player instead, she says.

The accreditation process means that the certification body is assessed from a holistic perspective and controlled in accordance with the requirements of both Swedac’s and the Gaming Inspection’s regulations.

  • We review many parameters, such as management systems and competence, explains Helena Calmén.