STOCKHOLM - The Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, has placed Goodwin NV, a Curaçao-headquartered gambling group, on its list of banned operators within Sweden. The decision follows an investigation into the company’s Immerion website, which was found to be targeting Swedish players despite not being licensed in Sweden.
The ban is effective immediately, although Goodwin NV has the right to appeal the decision.
The investigation into Immerion began after suspicions arose that the website was aiming its services at Swedish customers without the required Swedish license. A test purchase revealed a violation of Sweden’s Gambling Act, as Sweden-based customers were able to create accounts on the site.
Immerion’s website also included a FAQ section and other materials in Swedish, and affiliate marketing efforts were aimed at Swedish consumers.
Implications for Goodwin NV
The Swedish Gambling Authority typically does not impose fines on companies not based in Sweden, as it considers such penalties to be ineffective. Instead, the ban serves as a way to warn Swedish consumers that Goodwin NV is not licensed in the country. This decision may also impact the company’s future attempts to obtain a Swedish license.
Furthermore, the ban signals to affiliates and payment providers that Goodwin NV is not authorized to operate in Sweden. The Swedish Gambling Authority has the authority to block payments to specific accounts, and in this case, Luckyluck Ltd, registered in Cyprus, is the payment provider for Goodwin NV and the Immerion site.
Immerion operates in more than 20 languages, including Swedish, English, German, Indonesian, and Japanese.
Ban on Curaçao-Headquartered Operators
Goodwin NV is part of a larger trend of Curaçao-based gambling entities being banned by the Swedish Gambling Authority. Other companies on the list include Cosmogames NV, Galaktika NV, MRSL NV, Santeda International BV, Small House BV, and Jer-Team NV, all of which were banned in 2024 alone.