Sweden’s Spelinspektionen gaming regulator has reportedly cleared four locally-licensed online sportsbetting operators of any misconduct connected to allegations that they had offered markets on events where a majority of the participants had been under the age of 18.

According to a Thursday report from iGamingBusiness.com, the exonerated firms included Betsson AB, Trav och Galopp AB and Kindred Group as well as Hillside Sports Limited, which is responsible for the Bet365 brand in Sweden, after the regulator backtracked on an earlier ruling that the quartet had violated licensing conditions by allowing punters to wager on the personal performances of featured players in under-18 soccer matches.

Exploitation avoidance:

iGamingBusiness.com reported that licensed online gambling operators in Sweden are not allowed to offer odds on any sporting event where the majority of participants are under the age of 18. The Spelinspektionen purportedly believes that this is an essential step in helping to prevent minors from being exposed to those who would seek to improperly manipulate the outcome of such contests.

Regulatory reversal:

Hillside Sports Limited was reportedly hit with a fine of just over $1 million in July for featuring odds on the performances of select players in five juvenile football matches but the Spelinspektionen has now overturned this earlier ruling after determining that these featured participants had largely been over the age of 18. Kindred Group, Trav och Galopp AB and Betsson AB were purportedly similarly cleared with the authority revealing that it now intends to work with operators regarding the specifics of such sportsbetting restrictions.

Evolving experience:

Additionally, Sweden’s regulated iGaming market only went live in January while Spelinspektionen has since levied a number of fines and warnings against numerous operators for alleged breaches of its rules on underage gambling. Of these, the around $1 million punishment imposed against The Stars Group Interactive in July was one of the steepest after the firm was found to have offered odds on at least two soccer games where the majority of players had been under the age of 18.