Sweden’s Gambling Regulator Bans Skins Gambling Operator Yomoly
Immediate Ban on Yomoly by Swedish Gambling Authority
Sweden’s official gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has taken decisive action by banning the skins gambling operator Yomoli Ltd effective immediately. This ban came after the regulator discovered that Yomoly was actively offering its services to Swedish players without holding the necessary license.
Details of the Ban and Investigation
The regulatory authority’s announcement stated that Yomoly is now forbidden from providing its gambling services within Sweden. This follows a thorough investigation which revealed that the operator specifically targeted the local Swedish market despite lacking authorization.
One of Yomoly’s key platforms, the website hellcase.com, facilitates skins gambling, a type of betting where video game cosmetic items serve as currency. These cosmetics, often linked to popular games such as Counter-Strike, modify the appearance of weapons and players frequently value them highly. Some rare skins can be worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Due to their high value, skins gambling has gained popularity. However, the activity remains legally ambiguous and has raised concerns particularly because of its appeal to younger demographics. The platform allowed users to wager money for the chance to win skins of different qualities and values.
Targeting the Swedish Market
Spelinspektionen’s review revealed that Yomoly’s skins gambling platform was actively aimed at Swedish users. This was evidenced by several factors found on the website, including the option – which was automatically selected for new users with Swedish IP addresses – to register with a Swedish country code.
Additionally, the website provided payment methods in the Swedish language, and marketing efforts by company affiliates also appeared in Swedish. Importantly, despite lacking a Swedish license, players residing in Sweden were able to create accounts and use the service.
Consequences and Future Possibilities
Given these findings, Spelinspektionen issued the ban on Yomoly’s operations in Sweden. The company retains the right to appeal against this decision.
In related gambling regulatory news in Sweden, AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) recently faced a SEK 3 million fine upheld by the Administrative Court of Appeal. Furthermore, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has proposed that Sweden could benefit from adopting regulatory measures similar to those of Denmark, aiming to improve gaming oversight.
