Swedish based online gambling operator Betsson has been forced to close its Stockholm retail betting outlet, Shopsson.
The closure comes in the wake of an Administrative Court Of Appeal determination late last year that the company faced fines of up to EURO 250,000 if it kept the store open.
Shopsson was opened just under 2 years ago offering Betsson customers direct access to the company's online betting products from a store that looks something like an internet cafe. Since the store's opening Betsson have been locked in a battle with Sweden's Lottery Inspectorate who argue that it violates the monopoly rights of the government run Svenska Spel which operates over 6,000 betting outlets country wide.
Betsson, in turn contend that the Governments restrictive laws with respect to online gambling and protection of the local monopoly operator are in breach of EU law and consequently invalid. The Court Of Appeal doesn't seem to share this view.
But it seems the fight is not over, with company CEO Pontus Lindwall saying of the outcome:
'We believe the State is violating the European Community treaty when shutting out private betting companies from the Swedish market as they, at the same time permit, the State-owned gambling companies to carry aggressive marketing. We will, therefore, appeal'.
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