Swedish esports data firm Abios has secured a permit to deliver its products in Sweden, following the introduction of legislation that tightens the regulatory environment for companies that serve gambling corporations.
Abios supplies betting companies with widgets for their site which indicate team records, live scores and statistics alongside odds. Game data offered by the company include CS:GO, League of Legends, VALORANT and Dota 2.
The B2B supplier licence sees Abios obtain a five-year permit to provide esports solutions until 30th June, 2028. Spelinspektionen (the Swedish Gambling Authority) last year announced a gambling bill that plans to combat unlicensed gambling in the country. From 1st July 2023, non-permitted suppliers will be unable to service licensed customers in Sweden.
It has already been a busy year for Abios, which celebrates its tenth anniversary in 2023. It announced round-by-round esports betting capability in May, and has also released a 2022 Betting Report which highlights CS:GO as the world’s most popular esports title for betting that year, a title that is not without controversy.
The Swedish Gambling Authority’s measures are the latest in a succession of measures designed to tackle problem gambling in the country. A report found that problem gambling amounted to 1.42bn euros (~£1.22bn) in societal costs in 2018.
Commenting on the permit, CEO and Founder of Abios, Oskar Fröberg, said the industry’s reputation lost out because of shady operators.
“One of our core missions is to enable the sustainable growth of the regulated esports market,” he said. “Unlicensed operators often lack the robust safeguards against money laundering, problem gambling and payment solutions that governments require of regulated sportsbooks.”
Fröberg continued: “As such, they don’t offer their end users the same level of customer protection and run a higher risk of acting as platforms for money laundering. By supplying regulated sportsbooks with high-quality content, we are excited to bring esports entertainment to a larger audience.”
