Regulators around the world are worried that isolation may cause severe issues for problem gamblers during the coronavirus pandemic. The Swedish government has announced strict limits on online gambling to combat this issue.

Spending limits for bettors

The Swedish government has announced new spending limits for online gambling which will help in keeping problem gamblers from digging them deeper into harm. As these people are isolated and without access to traditional gambling, they may overuse online gambling which could fan their addictions. Under the new restrictions, Swedish gamblers will be allowed to deposit a maximum of 5,000 Swedish krona in their account each week. There will also be loss limits. The restrictions will continue as long as the coronavirus pandemic haunts the nation and the situation doesn’t come back to normal.

The government officials said that they are witnessing a dramatic rise in online gambling during the lockdown. The minister of Social Security, Ardalan Shekarabi said,

“What we are seeing at the moment is a dangerous cocktail of different conditions that could increase the risk of problem gambling and gambling addiction. Isolated individuals, with major worries about their jobs and finances, represent a dangerously fertile nursery for an increase in gambling problems.”

European regulators grow anxious

Sweden is not the only European country bringing out measures to curb online gambling in the wake of COVID-19. The government of Latvia has also banned online casinos. Belgium and Spain have also placed certain limits on the industry to protect vulnerable communities.

To ensure that there aren’t any loopholes in the restrictions, the Swedish government has also limited bonus offers to the people to 100 krona. Players are also required to set time limits for themselves before they start a gambling session. Regulators are also cracking down heavily on unregulated websites. These websites often circumvent the regulations and provide unrestricted and unsafe access to gambling.

Sweden tried to impose much harder restrictions before but toned it down. It was planning to shut down all online casinos temporarily. According to the Shekarabi, the government is ready to take extraordinary measures against operators who don’t follow their guidelines and take steps to curb problem gambling.