STOCKHOLM – A Swedish court has overturned an SEK 8 million ($854,000) penalty issued to LeoVegas, ruling that the country’s gambling regulator did not prove the operator violated responsible‑gaming requirements.
The Administrative Court in Linköping sided with Roar Vegas, LeoVegas’ Swedish operating entity, which had appealed the fine imposed last year by the Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen. Regulators alleged the company failed to intervene quickly enough when three customers showed signs of excessive gambling, including long playing sessions, high deposits and rapid losses.
Spelinspektionen argued that LeoVegas relied too heavily on automated messages and should have escalated to human intervention sooner. Roar Vegas countered that the rules did not clearly define when operators must shift from automated tools to direct contact, creating uncertainty across the industry.
In its ruling, the court said Roar Vegas initiated responsible‑gaming measures “fairly quickly” and found the regulatory guidance too vague to support the fine. While the court noted the operator could have handled some cases better, it concluded that no clear violation occurred.
The regulator has three weeks to appeal.
Prior Scrutiny in the Netherlands
LeoVegas has faced similar regulatory pressure elsewhere. Dutch gambling authority Kansspelautoriteit fined the company $590,000 for failing to adequately protect players over an extended period, citing insufficient intervention in cases of excessive gambling.
