The Administrative Court of Appeal in Jönköping has upheld Spelinspektionen’s refusal to license electronic bingo terminals for retail locations. The ruling, published on Tuesday, reverses a November 2024 decision that previously favored the operator.
License Application and Regulatory Review
Föreningen Idrottens Spel i Sverige submitted a license request in June 2023 to install non-temporary bingo machines in roughly 297 shops and kiosks across Sweden. Spelinspektionen declined the application on March 21, 2024, stating that retail environments lack the social control required by the Gaming Act. The regulator noted that increased accessibility for children and young people in these locations conflicted with statutory safety and consumer protection standards.Appeals Court Decision
The Linköping Administrative Court initially overturned the denial in November 2024, arguing that the legislation allowed flexible placement outside traditional bingo halls. The Jönköping appeals court has now restored the regulator’s original position. Judges emphasized that the Gaming Act applies strict limits to self-service gambling machines and explicitly restricts their placement to venues with established oversight, such as licensed restaurants or dedicated bingo halls.The operator’s proposed model was evaluated against chapter 3, section 1 of the Gaming Act (2018:1138), which mandates that gambling activities remain highly secure, limit negative social impacts, and prevent criminal involvement.