The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has requested that the Government lifts the temporary restrictions for online casinos. The plea - by letter - asked for this to become effective from 29 September instead of the later date of 14 November.

The letter was sent after the Government held a press conference on 7 September announcing all general pandemic-related restrictions would be lifted from 29 September, therefore the pauses on online casinos should also.

Gustaf Hoffstedt, Secretary General, The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, commented: "The main argument from the Government for the restrictions was a concern that increased time spent in the home during the pandemic would lead to increased gambling problems.

“That did not happen, it would turn out. Now that the Swedish Public Health Agency is also lifting the recommendation to work from home from 29 September, we believe that the Government should lift the temporary restrictions for online casinos on the same date in the name of consistency.”

During the regulation period there has been no evidence or support that gambling problems linked to online casinos would have increased during the global pandemic, according to BOS. Studies show that the number of Swedish gaming consumers increased during the first phase in the coronavirus outbreak but the actual size of the average bets decreased.

With the Government's ambition to return Sweden to a normal situation, BOS has requested that it terminates the temporary restrictions on gambling regulation together with the termination of the general pandemic restrictions, thus both ending on 29 September.