Yesterday, plans were announced in Sweden for limits to be placed on how much players can wager at online casinos while the coronavirus outbreak continues. As individuals are isolated, the country is worried that players will turn to gambling for entertainment and it could lead to a gambling problem. According to government officials, due to a lack of live sports, citizens are turning to online slots and other casino games.

Setting Limits:

The Swedish government has announced they will limit the amount players can transfer into their online casino gaming accounts. That amount is set at 5,000 Swedish crowns, or $495 each week. A similar amount will be put in place for losses at online slot machines.

According to the NYTimes…

Social Security Minister Ardalan Shekarabi, the country is seeing a ‘dangerous cocktail of different conditions that could increase the risk of problem gambling and gambling addiction.’

Shekarabi said that as individuals are isolated and worried about their employment and finances, it creates fertile ground for an increase in gambling problems.

New Rules:

Based on the new rules, players will need to set a time limit for gambling. Bonuses provided by online casinos will be limited to 100 crowns at a time. The goal of limiting the bonus is to ensure that players cannot switch from site to site in order to continue to play in high amounts.

Gambling authorities in Sweden were also provided additional tools to block gambling sites that are not licensed to operate in the country. The overall goal is to provide additional protections for players as they are left at home during the self-isolation period as the virus continues to spread.