TLDR
- Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling authority, has mandated Novatech cease all operations within Swedish borders following discoveries of unlicensed gambling activities
- Investigation revealed Novatech platforms automatically allocated Swedish country codes to individuals registering via Swedish IP addresses
- Swedish-language content creators and websites were found actively marketing Novatech’s gambling services to Swedish residents
- The Swedish action followed closely after Dutch authorities imposed a historic €24.9 million penalty on Novatech for unlawful targeting of Netherlands-based players
- The Netherlands fine was limited to 10% of global turnover; otherwise, it would have surpassed €100 million
Swedish authorities have mandated the immediate cessation of all Novatech gambling operations within the country’s borders. This enforcement action resulted from an investigation that uncovered evidence of the operator deliberately targeting Swedish consumers without securing necessary licensing approval.
Spelinspektionen, the nation’s gambling regulatory body, issued the directive following investigative procedures conducted from 23 to 25 February 2026.
Regulatory officials scrutinized multiple domains associated with Novatech, including qbet.com, mangacasino.com, slotexpress.com, 55bet.com, and 30bet.com.
Investigators discovered that the registration systems automatically designated Sweden’s country code for individuals accessing the sites through Swedish IP addresses. According to the regulator, this functionality demonstrated intentional accommodation of Swedish players rather than implementing geographic restrictions.
Authorities additionally identified Swedish-language promotional content across various websites and video platforms marketing these gambling services. This discovery reinforced suspicions that Novatech deliberately cultivated a Swedish customer base.
Regulatory personnel conducted an undercover registration attempt on one platform. Although the transaction remained incomplete, officials verified that Swedish users faced no barriers to account creation and could freely proceed through registration steps.
Player Protection Violations Drive Swedish Enforcement
Swedish legislation mandates that gambling operators obtain domestic licensing before providing services to Swedish residents. Licensed operators must comply with comprehensive regulations governing responsible gambling practices, age verification protocols, and consumer protection standards.
The regulator emphasized that consumers utilizing unlicensed platforms operate without these critical protections. Sweden liberalized its gambling market in 2019, permitting licensed private operators while simultaneously intensifying efforts to restrict offshore platform access to Swedish consumers.
Despite licensed operators dominating Swedish sports betting markets, unlicensed operators maintain significant presence in the online casino space.
Historic Dutch Penalty Intensifies Regulatory Scrutiny
The Swedish prohibition arrived mere days following Novatech receiving a record-setting €24.9 million sanction from the Kansspelautoriteit, the Netherlands’ gambling regulatory authority.
Dutch investigators successfully registered accounts, deposited money, and participated in gambling activities across multiple Novatech-associated domains without encountering access restrictions. The authority additionally identified deficiencies in the company’s age verification mechanisms.
Dutch officials documented the availability of cryptocurrency payment options on the platforms.
The financial penalty could have reached significantly higher levels. Dutch authorities indicated the sanction would have exceeded €100 million absent statutory limitations capping penalties at 10% of an operator’s worldwide revenue.
Both enforcement actions occurred within the same seven-day period. Regulatory investigations in both jurisdictions concluded that Novatech’s platforms failed to implement fundamental geographic restrictions preventing local consumer access.
European regulatory authorities have intensified enforcement activities against offshore gambling operators marketing services to domestic populations without securing appropriate licenses. Regulators assert these operators compromise consumer safeguards and create inequitable competitive conditions for properly licensed businesses.
Sweden’s investigation confirmed the complete absence of technical barriers preventing Swedish residents from platform access. Dutch regulatory officials reached identical conclusions regarding accessibility from Netherlands-based locations.
The Kansspelautoriteit’s €24.9 million sanction represents the highest financial penalty the Dutch regulator has ever imposed.
