Svenska Spel: Strengthened responsible gaming with new age limit
2009-12-10  Svenska Spel introduces an 18-year-old age limit for the purchase of lottery tickets. Svenska Spel's Board of Directors decided on the new age limit on 2 December and it will enter into effect in 2010. With Wednesday's decision, all of Svenska Spel's products, in all sales channels, will have an age limit.
”Corporate social responsibility is an important cornerstone of Svenska Spel’s business. Our ambition is to minimise underage gambling wherever it may occur. To do so we must also be clear and consistent in our view of gaming and age limits, particularly towards our business partners and customers,” says Meta Persdotter, CEO of Svenska Spel.
Today, Svenska Spel has an 18-year-old age limit for Oddset games stipulated in its permit. On 1 February 2007, the company independently took the initiative to also introduce age limits on other sports games and number games in the retail trade. For games on svenskaspel.se and Vegas gaming machines, an 18-year-old age limit already applies, while Casino Cosmopol has a 20-year-old age limit.
This age limit makes both handling and age checks in shops easier.
”For some time, we have conducted a dialogue with representatives of the service and convenience goods trade, and this decision is in line with the industry’s own demands for a uniform age limit and that the handling of games and lotteries follow the rules that apply for other goods with age limits,” says Håkan Sjöstrand, Business Area Manager at Svenska Spel.
This decision will also have an effect on the possibilities of associations to sell lottery tickets.
”Our cooperation with sports clubs is important to us and the new age limit means that in future we will invest more resources on the development of subscription and Internet partner services, as well as the sale of game and lottery tickets within the scope of our arena games. Associations and clubs that can handle the age check of games and lotteries in accordance with current rules can continue to sell our products.”
Svenska Spel currently has approximately 6,800 representatives who sell Svenska Spel’s lottery tickets and cooperation agreements with around 3,000 associations in Sweden that sell Triss lottery tickets, among others.
Comments from the service and convenience goods trade:
”This is a very welcome initiative that provides clearer rules for retailers and facilitates handling and consequently a more effective control of the age limits in the retail trade."
Pär Bygdeson, President of the Swedish Food Retail Association (SSLF), tel. +46-76-147 73 00.
"This decision is positive for two reasons – on one hand, shop employees need not think about different age limits for different products, and on the other, it signals a shared view that all gambling can potentially lead to problems and that there should therefore also be an age limit on lottery tickets.”
Bengt Hedlund, President of the trade association Svensk Servicehandel & Fast Food, Tel.+46-70-862 21 91.
Source: Svenska Spel Contact: Håkan Sjöstrand,
Business Area Manager,
Svenska Spel,
Tel. +46-70-314 71 11.
Johan Tisell,
Chief Information Officer,
Svenska Spel,
Tel. +46-70-322 55 21. |
