Swedish Court Sides with Betsson in Multi-Million Euro Court Case

Responsible gambling is all the craze when playing at online casinos – and rightly so. In an industry where many struggle with addiction that can have devasting consequences, having the right protocols in place is essential.

For many years now, regulators and online casinos alike have worked hard to meet ever-tightening restrictions to keep players safe.

However, there may be players who seek to use these restrictions to their advantage. Whether they come up short all depends on the court who decides the fate of the casino company in question.

Betsson in the Hot Seat

A 54-year-old Swedish player recently took Betsson to court after claiming that the company owed him €15 million (or SEK 153 million).

Between 2009 and 2014, the unnamed Swedish casino customer deposited more than €700,000 into his BML Group account. His total turnover while playing at the casino amounted to just over €15 million.

In 2014, the man contacted Betsson and requested that his account be shut down, which it was, in October 2014 – less than 2 weeks after the request was made. The man then sought help and was diagnosed with a gambling addiction.

Due to his addiction, the man’s company closed and it was stated that he suffered both mental and physical damage. This was also part of the claim he made and requested compensation for his suffering.

According to the claim made by the businessman in question:

“BML Group has made a profit at his expense. As there has been no legal basis for the company’s profit, it is unauthorized. The profit has amounted to the amount he has wagered on games with the company. There is no basis for discharge of liability for the company. A refund of the profit must thus take place.”

He states that the casino used illegal marketing tactics to lure him into gambling again. The court, however, did not agree.

No Illegal Activity

The Patent and Market Court stated that they stood with the BLM Group and Betsson in this case as they had no idea there was a gambling addiction issue.

Until the moment that the player’s account was requested to be shut, there was no indication that the harm was being done.

It was decided that no unauthorized profit was made at the man’s expense and the Patent and Market Court commented, saying:

“Although the investigation shows that BML Group has to some extent been able to follow his gambling, it has also not been shown that the company can be assumed to have had such knowledge.”

Now that the matter has been concluded, the Swedish businessman will have to a total of SEK 2,921,680 in legal fees and expenses to pay to the BLM Group.

This case should be a reminder to players that spending money at an online casino should be done responsibly as the casino cannot always be held accountable for any losses. Especially if you do not make the effort to close your account or make the casino aware of any addiction issues before they become a problem.

Find out more about playing responsibly at top-rated online casinos with our handy guide.