NetEnt has entered into an agreement with state-run Swedish operator Svenksa Spel.
The deal has completed ahead of the re-regulation of Sweden’s gaming market, which will see private operators awarded with licenses where suitable.
Fredrik Wastenson, MD and Head of Business Unit, Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, said: “NetEnt was an obvious choice when selecting an online casino supplier ahead of our re-regulated market entry on January 1st, 2019.
“We are convinced that NetEnt will deliver casino games of the highest quality and become a very important partner for us.”
The commercial launch of NetEnt’s games is expected at the beginning of 2019, in time for the launch of the re-regulated market.
The Swedish parliament, Riksdagen, approved the changes to gaming law earlier this year on 7 June.
Henrik Fagerlund, MD NetEnt Malta and CPO of NetEnt, said: “I am very pleased that Svenska Spel has selected NetEnt as supplier ahead of the Swedish market re-regulation. Svenska Spel is the most established gambling operator and the largest sponsor of sports in Sweden.
“We really look forward to a close collaboration to deliver best-in-class digital casino games to Svenska Spel’s customers.”
Sweden’s gaming industry has developed in a different way to neighbours Norway and Finland, who have taken steps to ensuring the continuation of only permitting state run operators.
In order for private companies to be allowed into Sweden’s open market, they must first meet a series of conditions and then follow new rules.
In updated legislation all players will be considered new, even if they used the platform when it was registered in Malta, for example.
On top of that, operators are only allowed to offer welcome bonuses to players, sparking fears in the industry that players will now jump from operator to operator as their loyalty is no longer rewarded.
