Key Points
Contents
- Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling authority, has ordered Novatech to cease all operations after discovering unlicensed gambling activities
- The investigation revealed that Novatech’s platforms automatically applied Swedish country codes to users connecting via Swedish IP addresses
- Promotional activities targeting Swedish audiences were conducted through Swedish-language websites and content creators
- The Swedish action follows a historic €24.9 million penalty imposed by Dutch regulators for illegally serving Netherlands-based players
- Netherlands authorities indicated the fine would have exceeded €100 million without a legal cap limiting penalties to 10% of global revenue
Swedish authorities have issued an immediate cease-and-desist order against Novatech for providing gambling services without proper authorization. The enforcement action resulted from evidence showing the operator was deliberately targeting Swedish consumers.
Spelinspektionen, the nation’s gambling oversight body, issued the directive following inspection activities conducted from February 23 to 25, 2026.
Regulatory officials examined multiple domains connected to Novatech, including qbet.com, mangacasino.com, slotexpress.com, 55bet.com, and 30bet.com.
Investigators discovered that the platforms automatically populated Sweden’s country code for users registering through Swedish IP addresses. According to regulators, this configuration demonstrated intentional design to accommodate Swedish players instead of restricting their access.
Evidence also revealed promotional campaigns conducted through Swedish-language websites and video content creators targeting the platforms toward local audiences.
Regulatory personnel conducted an undercover registration test on one of the domains. Although the transaction wasn’t finalized, authorities verified that Swedish users could easily establish accounts and proceed through registration procedures.
Regulatory Framework and Consumer Protection Issues
Swedish legislation mandates that gambling operators obtain local authorization before serving residents. License holders must comply with regulations governing responsible gaming practices, age verification protocols, and consumer protection standards.
Authorities emphasized that consumers using unauthorized platforms may lack access to these critical protections. Sweden liberalized its gambling sector to licensed private operators in 2019 and has maintained ongoing efforts to curtail offshore platform access to domestic consumers.
While licensed operators dominate Sweden’s sports betting sector, unauthorized sites continue operating within the online casino space.
Historic Netherlands Penalty Intensifies Regulatory Scrutiny
The Swedish enforcement action occurred mere days after Dutch gambling regulators, the Kansspelautoriteit, levied an unprecedented €24.9 million sanction against Novatech.
Dutch investigators successfully created accounts, deposited money, and placed wagers across multiple Novatech-associated domains without encountering access restrictions. Regulators additionally identified deficiencies in the company’s age verification systems.
According to Dutch officials, cryptocurrency payment options were accessible on the platforms.
The penalty amount could have been substantially higher. Dutch authorities indicated that without statutory limitations capping fines at 10% of global turnover, the sanction would have surpassed €100 million.
The consecutive enforcement actions from both European nations occurred within a single week. Each regulator independently determined that Novatech’s platforms lacked fundamental access controls to prevent domestic users from reaching the sites.
European regulatory bodies have intensified enforcement measures against offshore gambling operators that market to domestic consumers without securing proper licenses. Officials argue these operators compromise consumer safeguards and create market distortions affecting licensed competitors.
Sweden’s examination verified the absence of technical barriers preventing Swedish residents from accessing the platforms. Dutch regulators arrived at comparable findings regarding access from Netherlands-based users.
The Kansspelautoriteit’s €24.9 million sanction represents the highest penalty the Dutch regulator has ever imposed.
