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SWEDISH NEWSPAPERS GET THEIR DAY IN COURT

State gambling monopoly row spills over into the media

Aggressive attempts to protect the Swedish state gambling monopoly by interfering in newspaper advertising initiatives will soon see objections by leading Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen being heard in the country's Court of Appeal following a ruling by the Supreme Court.

The issue surfaced in public last month (see previous InfoPowa report) following an open and well publicised letter from the editors of the publications concerned which urged European Commissioner for compliance Charlie McCreevy to take action against the state gambling monopoly.

The editors claimed that Swedish non-compliance with the EU principle of free movement of trade and services between EU member nations had resulted in state interference and obstacles to legitimate online gambling advertisements in their newspapers.

Sweden is already under the European Commission microscope over its protectionist gambling policies, with the compliance authorities steadily ratcheting up the pressure for a more open gambling industry vis-a-vis companies in other EU member nations.

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