Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator, has taken action against two operators, Moonrail Limited and Perfect Storm, for operating in the country without a license. The investigation into these operators began after suspicions arose that they were targeting the Swedish market despite not holding operating licenses in the country, which is a breach of Sweden’s Gambling Act.
Under chapter 18, section 23 of the Act, the regulator has the authority to issue bans and injunctions to ensure operators are complying with the law. As a result, the ban on both operators went into effect immediately.
The regulator’s investigation focused on csgo500.com, which is owned and operated by Perfect Storm, and csgoempire.com, which is owned and operated by Moonrail Limited. Both operators are registered in Curaçao. In addition to these websites, Perfect Storm also operates www.500play.com, www.csgo500.io, and www.500.casino, while Moonrail Limited operates several other sites including csgoempire.tv and csgoempire.io.
In its decision, Spelinspektionen assessed whether the two operators made their games available in Sweden for Swedish customers. The regulator found that both sites contained information in Swedish and had marketing materials in Swedish, indicating that they were targeting Swedish customers. This led the regulator to conclude that Moonrail Limited and Perfect Storm were providing games in Sweden to Swedish customers without the necessary licenses.
Despite being given the opportunity to make a statement, neither Moonrail Limited nor Perfect Storm had responded to the regulator as of November 2nd. Earlier in the week, Spelinspektionen had issued a SEK9m fine to Videoslots for breaching anti-money laundering and terrorism laws.
Overall, the regulator’s actions against Moonrail Limited and Perfect Storm demonstrate its commitment to enforcing the country’s gambling regulations and ensuring that operators are in compliance with the law. The ban on these operators serves as a warning to others who may attempt to operate in the Swedish market without the proper licenses.