Swedish Regulators Ban Disrupt Entertainment Over License Fears
Disrupt Entertainment are to be banned from the Swedish online market after regulators discovered that they were operating for years without a valid license. It comes after the country’s lawmakers went about their regular checks, auditing every major company to check for any irregularities. Finances, employee management and license checks are the most common routes the regulators take to enforce a high standard of business practice. Disrupt have been caught red-handed, and the Swedish Gambling Association wasted no time in dismissing them for their non-compliance with the country’s policy. This is undoubtedly one of the darkest days in the company’s history.
The Swedish Gambling Authority is one of the toughest regulators in all of Europe, they consistently fine and apprehend firms who are breaking the rules, and it has become more common as the decades progress. Online gambling is one of the least transparent industries globally, and layers of corruption exist in every continent in the world. Sweden has made a stark effort to prevent any and all illegal activity, and while they can do little to prevent offshore operations, any platform that engages with their nation is prone to litigation and persecution.
The licensing process is the grudge of many betting companies around the world. It can often be extremely strenuous and difficult, especially during a pandemic. Many platforms tried for months to obtain an official gambling license, but European jurisdictions were reluctant to invite so many newcomers into the market at once. This then becomes an issue; betting firms need business, or they will fail, and many choose the darker path and operate without a license hoping they aren’t caught. While not sustainable, some sportsbooks view it as a worthwhile risk.
The Swedish industry is an especially difficult sector to enter. The gambling association, known as Spelinspektionen, are very strict with domestic and international firms, and they have set incredibly high standards for the rest of the world to follow. It’s impressive how the country’s regulators have managed to establish a culture of prosperity and honesty, encouraging sportsbooks to abide by a clear set of rules meant to protect users and the safety of their data. Disrupt Entertainment will be severely disappointed not to have a place at the table.
The Swedes Lay Down the Law
Disrupt Entertainment are one of Europe’s underdogs and have gone largely unnoticed by a large portion of the continental gambling scene. They aren’t anywhere near the level of sportsbooks such as Paddy Power and Bet365, but they have managed to carve out a generous market share in Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Finland, and Sweden. This begs the question, are they licensed in other countries, and there’s no doubt that the Norwegian gambling association will be running checks on Disrupt as you read this article.
On the whole, Disrupt Entertainment offer a very tidy service with a good variety of casino games and other forms of gaming to please their userbase. Entertainment isn’t just the brand; the main focus is to make the platform as engaging as possible and differentiate from the regular statistical and segmented betting site. Their users in Sweden will be mightily disappointed that they have been removed from the market and losing thousands of customers in one fell swoop is a large pill for them to swallow. Analysts predict them to bounce back, and they will now look to establish themselves in other markets.