Sweden's Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, has issued an interim decision revoking Charm Entertainment AB's licence for commercial land-based casino gaming, requiring the operator to cease its licensed activities immediately.
The measure will remain in effect until Spelinspektionen reaches a final decision, with the interim revocation lasting no later than 1 April 2027.
The regulator said it considers it likely that Charm Entertainment no longer satisfies the requirements for holding a gambling licence. Its assessment covers compliance with Sweden's Gambling Act alongside other legislation concerning areas including tax, accounting and bookkeeping.
The decision follows regulatory scrutiny of the country's land-based casino sector. In May, Spelinspektionen opened supervision of Charm Entertainment, FT Diva casino HB and Kasinum AB to assess whether the operators continued to meet licensing requirements covering suitability, organisation and compliance with their licence conditions.
Under Chapter 9 of Sweden's Gambling Act, commercial land-based licences can cover casino games outside casinos, goods gambling machines and certain card tournaments. Casino gaming under these licences can be offered in connection with specified entertainment venues or hotel and restaurant operations.
KSA tightens checks after Quick Boys lottery fraud
In the Netherlands, the Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) has revoked a lottery licence obtained through identity fraud in the name of Katwijk football club Quick Boys.
An unknown individual impersonated the club's chairman during the application process, despite Quick Boys having made no application itself.
The fraudulently obtained licence was subsequently used across eight websites offering lottery tickets. The KSA warned consumers against submitting personal or banking information through the sites because of potential phishing or identity fraud risks.
The regulator said the case forms part of an increase in attempts to misuse the names of associations involved in legal lotteries. It has strengthened checks on applicant identities and domains entered into its Kansspelwijzer gambling register.
The KSA also filed a police report and said a similar attempted fraud had previously been stopped through additional checks.
Dutch one-off lottery licences permit online ticket sales and can be issued to natural or legal persons where the proceeds are intended to support a public-interest purpose.
In August, the KSA upheld its player protection order against bet365 operator Hillside, maintaining that shortcomings identified in affordability assessments required corrective action.
The KSA has advised anyone who purchased tickets through the fraudulent Quick Boys sites to contact their bank, report the matter to police and notify both the Fraud Helpdesk and regulator
