The Swedish Poker Association recently met with officials at the Ministry of Finance.
On the agenda? Making the nation's poker licensing framework more relevant and practical.
In the aftermath, Global Gambling Insider caught up with Mauritz Altikardes, Chairman of the Swedish Poker Association, to discuss the current challenges facing Swedish poker, and the potential developments ahead.
From the Association’s perspective, how would you assess the current state of the poker market in Sweden, and what changes are needed to make it more attractive?
From the perspective of players and the Swedish Poker Association, we see two main problem areas for poker in Sweden: online poker and land-based poker! When it comes to online poker, Swedish players at SGA-licensed operators are at a clear disadvantage compared with players in many other countries. Swedish players are often excluded from campaigns, promotions, freerolls, leaderboard series, cashback, rakeback and recurring deposit bonuses that are otherwise available to players in other markets. In Sweden, the general rule is that only one bonus may be offered, usually the welcome bonus.
This affects channelisation. When players see that the same poker product is offered with better conditions by operators without a Swedish licence, it is not difficult to understand why some choose to play there instead. Broader bonus systems would make the Swedish licensed poker market more competitive and would likely reduce the incentive for players to seek out sites without a Swedish licence. Players want to feel that they are receiving fair and competitive conditions in the licensed market.
The problem is that authorities and parts of the industry often seem to treat declining channelisation as an enforcement issue, rather than as a competitiveness issue. Our view is straightforward: if you want more players to choose the licensed market, the licensed market must also offer fair and competitive conditions. Make it better for the players, and channelisation will increase.
What changes are most urgently needed to make Sweden’s land-based poker licensing system functional for organisers and players?
For land-based poker, the situation is even more problematic. The current licensing system is not adapted to how poker is actually played, organised or demanded by players. In practice, Swedish live poker is largely dependent on passionate individuals and non-profit organisers, often without a licence, because the current licence is too narrow, too expensive and too impractical.
An important part of the problem is that the licensing system was designed at a time when Sweden still had state-owned casinos. Back then, Casino Cosmopol could offer much of what players wanted: larger tournaments, cash games, a professional environment and regulated oversight. That reality no longer exists. With that option gone, the licence for associations and private organisers cannot continue to be designed as a narrow exception. It must become a functioning tool for the market that actually remains. Today, there is effectively one club with a licence and a large number of clubs outside the system. That clearly shows that the problem is not a lack of interest in poker, but that the regulatory framework does not work.
Another issue is that a licence is only available for tournament card games where the game includes both individual and community cards. This means that classic poker variants such as Razz, Stud and Five Card Draw are completely excluded. The buy-in limit is also too low. Today, a tournament buy-in under the licence may only amount to 1/40 of a price base amount, which is approximately SEK 1,480 including fees. Other clear shortcomings are that re-entry and rebuy formats are not allowed, and that there is a limit of 48 participants per tournament. That is not reasonable for modern poker tournaments. The consequence is that players who want to pursue their hobby are in some cases pushed towards environments where quality, safety, service and competence vary greatly.
Following your meeting with the Ministry of Finance, what are the main proposals to improve Sweden’s poker licensing system?
On 29 April, the Swedish Poker Association met with officials at the Ministry of Finance, where we presented several proposed changes that could make the licence for tournament card games more relevant and usable.
Our main proposals are:
Number of participants: Remove the limit of 48 players per tournament
Buy-ins: Raise the buy-in cap to 1/8 of a price base amount, approximately SEK 7,400
Game formats: Do not exclude any traditional card games from the licence
Re-entry and rebuy: Allow re-entry and rebuy within clear and controlled limits
Non-profit associations: Introduce a specific licence for non-profit clubs with lower requirements and significantly lower cost
Market adaptation: Modernise the licence because the state-owned casinos no longer exist as a regulated alternative for larger tournaments and cash games
Requirements for organisers: Focus on order, transparency, membership records, age verification and financial traceability
Regulatory focus: Regulate the organiser’s conduct and responsibility, not individual poker formats
The purpose is not to create an unregulated system. Quite the opposite. The aim is to create a system that serious operators can and want to join.
How would you characterise the current political climate in Sweden around gambling regulation, and do you expect the Ministry of Finance to be receptive to the Association’s proposals?
This is an election year, and that naturally matters. Gambling policy is an area where there are ideological differences, and a change of government could affect both the pace and direction of reform.
My impression is, nevertheless, that Financial Markets Minister Niklas Wykman understands that the current system is not working as it should. The fact that the issue is now being discussed with the Ministry of Finance shows that there is a willingness to look more closely at the problems. That is an important step.
At the same time, the minister alone does not decide what a future regulatory framework will look like. Officials, authorities and other consultation bodies will have views. That is why it is important that we in the poker community remain factual, constructive and clear about what actually needs to change. There is always a risk, however, that a discussion loses momentum, especially if there is a change of government. That makes timing important, and it is important that the issue remains active.
You have called meetings with poker organisers in light of new initiatives the Association intends to pursue this financial year. Can you elaborate on what these initiatives involve?
We are mainly working on two larger initiatives. The first is a framework for which clubs and associations the Swedish Poker Association can formally associate itself with. The purpose is partly to raise standards now, and partly to prepare clubs for a possible change in the gambling ordinance and licensing system. If the regulatory framework changes in the future, we want serious organisers to already be moving in the right direction.
This may include requirements such as:
Organisation: Clear association structure and responsible individuals
Membership: Membership records and age verification
Playing environment: Safe, serious and suitable premises
Finance: Traceability around buy-ins, fees and payouts
Rules: Clear tournament rules and reasonable handling of disputes
Responsibility: Operations aligned with the Association’s view of safe and serious poker
Clubs that meet the requirements should, in return, be able to receive support and benefits from the Association. This may include advice, education, help with structure, contacts, rules and preparation for future licensing.
The second initiative is a local district representative model. The idea is to have people on the ground who can speak with members, potential members, clubs and organisers across the country. Sweden is a large country, and the Association needs better local presence. In the long term, clubs could be given a clearer role in influencing the Association’s work. Today, it is mainly individual members who can influence the Association.
A local district representative model, or club-based model could strengthen the Association, make it more representative, and embed it more firmly within the Swedish poker community.
The Swedish Poker Association now has a direct channel to the Ministry of Finance and will continue working to improve conditions for Swedish poker, from licensing reform to addressing issues in online channelisation
