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Sweden: Hasse Lord Skarplöth departs as ATG CEO

Skarplöth has left the horseracing operator after 13 years in charge.

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Key Points
ATG CEO Hasse Lord Skarplöth has officially left the organisation
He has led the Swedish horseracing monopoly operator for 13 years
He has wished the company well, with the Board thanking him for his contributions

Swedish horseracing operator AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) CEO Hasse Lord Skarplöth is set to leave his position after a tenure of 13 years.  

During his time as ATG CEO, Skarplöth helped the operator through major institutional and legislative change as part of Sweden’s gambling market – steering the company through the nation’s market de-monopolisation in 2019 and, more recently, introducing the new V85 Saturday betting product update after 32 years.  

Indeed, the V85 overhaul has been met with initial scepticism. However, ATG Chairman of the Board Peter Norman has stated that Skarplöth’s departure remains separate from this issue entirely.  

Speaking in full, ATG Chair Norman stated: “Hasse has run the company in an exemplary manner, which has also included international expansion. The board would like to thank Hasse for his great contributions to ATG over the years and wish him all the best in the future.”  

Following Skarplöth’s resignation, Norman is set to assume the role of acting CEO, while current CFO Lotta Nilsson steps in as Deputy CEO.  

In late 2025, ATG’s tax proposal – which called for lower tax rates on horseracing but higher on the rest of the industry – was unsurprisingly met with hostility by the Swedish industry. Skarplöth underlined that he believed Sweden should follow the UK’s “courageous” tax hike, with 13 operators signing a petition opposing the proposal within a matter of hours.  

Prior to this, the Swedish operator also reported its Q3 2025 finances in October, highlighting a revenue figure of SEK 1.3bn ($150m) during the timeframe, up 0.8% year-on-year. 

Commenting on his departure as CEO, Skarplöth said: "I have had the privilege of being CEO of ATG for a long period. It has been a fantastically rewarding time and I have appreciated every day I have gone to work. Together, with committed and loyal employees, we have had an unprecedented growth journey. I am proud of what we have achieved and of the position the company has today. I wish ATG all the best in the future with all my heart.”  

Good to know

2025 saw the Swedish Government relax its involvement with ATG, allowing the operator to have fully independent board members for the first time

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