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2 More Execs Resign from Sweden's Svenska SpelTue, May 6th, 2008 @ 12:00am Two more executives have been forced to resign from Sweden's state-owned online poker and gambling operator Svenska Spel: Mathias Hedlund, head of internet, telephone and retail betting, and Annica Axelsson, head of the bingo, casino and restaurants division. Their departures follow the April 21st resignation of former CEO Jesper Karrbrink due to a fundamental difference of opinion with the state on the company's future strategy, which includes a new strategy of discouraging gamblers. "What is happening in Svenska Spel is a change in ambition," said Mr. Hedlund. "I personally would like to develop the company to be competitive, while at the same time maintaining our social responsibility. But with the new direction, I am not the right person for the job." A NEW STRATEGY TO MAINTAIN OLD MONOPOLY Under the new chairmanship of Margareta Winberg, a former deputy prime minister, Svenska Spel has vowed to do more to deter people from gambling. Winberg criticizes former CEO Karrbrink for not deterring gamblers, as well as for heavily promoting new products. Karrbrink's stated strategy for the past four years had been to combine social responsibility with profitability, and to follow a state mandate to woo Swedes away from foreign operators. Svenska Spel generated a profit of SEK5.25 billion (Euros 0.5 billion) for the state last year. Gaming Intelligence Group (GIG) voiced that Svenska Spel's change in strategy is likely linked to the threat of legal action after it received a reasoned opinion by the European Union against the Swedish monopoly, spearheaded by internal markets Commissioner Charlie McCreevy. Sweden defended its state-owned gaming monopoly saying that it was needed to protect public health. European monopolies can refer to ensuring public health as a reason to exempt certain services from Article 49 of the EC Treaty (freedom to provide services). However, one requirement to maintain a monopoly on public health grounds is that no extensive marketing of the addictive games should take place. Last year Svenska Spel spent over SEK300 million on advertising, making it Sweden's biggest advertiser. VERY INTERESTING QUESTION POSED Despite slim chances to retain its monopoly, Sweden seems fixated on moving forward with the defense on the basis of "protecting public health". GIG asked if this apparently intentional strategy was viable. In other words, can Svenska Spel initially do years of extensive marketing and leverage its state-owned status to capture market share from competitors. And now, faced with a lawsuit at the European Court of Justice (ECJ), can they stop the heavy marketing but still claim the protection of public health as a way to continue a state-owned monopoly and stopping other online gaming operators from entering the Swedish market? Likely a European Court of Justice case will soon answer that question. Read Related Articles:
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