• Betsson has been ordered to repay €500,000 in a case involving a supposed problem gambler
• The offenses that Betsson was targeted for span the period between 2009 and 2014
• Betsson has expressed frustration with the court’s decision, but assured that the company was committed to protecting consumers

The Supreme Court of Sweden has ordered Betsson to repay a customer whom it deemed to be a problem gambler. The amount repayable is €500,000, or nearly SEK5,000,000, various Swedish media outlets reported, writing about the case.

Supreme Court sides with gambler who is due €500K in payback

The player, a 51-year-old gambler identified simply as Per from ?rebro, spoke to media outlet SVT and said that he was "relieved and grateful" about the decision. The Supreme Court ruled that Betsson had access to data and information that Per was indeed experiencing gambling-related harm, but failed to intervene.

A translated statement read: "The Supreme Court has concluded that the gambling company had access to data that showed that the player had serious gambling problems."

The opinion was shared by J?rgen Hettne, who represented Per, and said that the Supreme Court’s ruling clearly showed that a line had been crossed. The court also ruled that the legal costs associated with the case will also be covered by Betsson, around SEK718,750 or €64,500.

Per gambled on Betsson’s online casino in the period between 2009 and 2014, which was before the country launched its regulated gambling market on January 1, 2019. Per was given VIP status from 2012 to 2014, when he decided to exclude himself. He had lost a total of €527,395 over the period.

According to the Supreme Court, Betsson was aware of Per’s behavior and used the data it had gathered about the player to offer personalized marketing, such as bonuses, promotional messages, and other incentives to continue playing.

Hettne hailed the decision as another opportunity to strengthen consumer protection in Sweden and make it safer for players to enjoy gambling products. The ruling comes after Betsson appealed the previous decision of the Patent and Market Court of Appeal, which the company lost.

Committed to upholding rigorous RG standards

Commenting on the most recent decision, Betsson CEO Pontus Lindwall said that the company was disappointed with the Supreme Court ruling.

"At the same time, we note that these are very specific circumstances and that the ruling is not expected to have any broader financial consequences," Lindwall added.

The chief executive assured that Betsson has been known for implementing and upholding rigorous responsible gaming standards and that assured that the company does not allow customers with gambling problems to engage with its products.

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