The biggest online gaming news of 2019 so far has to be the opening of the Swedish regulated market on January 1. Every day, there are reports of more operators receiving licenses from the Swedish online gaming regulator. Playtech, the leading games supplier to online casinos, is the latest to issue a press release.

The announcement begins, “Playtech, the world’s leading omni-channel gaming company, today confirms its launch into the regulated Swedish market on 1 January 2019, as it continues to build on its leadership position in regulated markets across Europe.” Playtech has claimed that it was one of the first technology companies to launch industry-leading online casinos in Sweden following the regulatory changes. Some of the Playtech brands now legally operating in this Scandinavian country are bet365, Betfair and PokerStars. In addition, Playtech has created a Swedish specialist content studio Quickspin, which has launched 30 of its most popular titles on the first day of regulation on 1 January 2019. Swedish consumers will be able to bet on Playtech’s online casino and live dealer products and also online poker games.

Over the last few years, more and more countries are taking charge of regulating online gaming in their territories. Playtech has become a leading choice for operators in these countries. The launch of Playtech operators in Sweden underlines this role. It also reflects Playtech’s strategy to partner with, and invest in, the leading brands. The entry to Sweden follows multi-year agreements made in 2018 with other European nations, like Sociedade de Apostas Sociais (SAS) in Portugal and Fortuna in the Czech Republic. In addition, in December 2018, Playtech launched Poland’s first regulated online casino in partnership with Totalizator Sportowy.

Shimon Akad, Chief Operating Officer of Playtech, commented, “Playtech has a track record of working hand-in-hand with its licensees to be at the forefront of regulated markets in Europe and across the globe.” He pointed out that the reason for this was that their data driven services across any product and any channel delivered for their partners a distinct advantage in regulated and fast-growing markets. This allowed Playtech operators to build compliant and commercial long-term businesses.

Another leading software supplier to online casinos to have received a Swedish license is iSoftBet. Its Swedish-licensed customers including brands such as LeoVegas, Betsson and NoAccountCasino.com that are already live in the Swedish market since it opened on 1 January 2019. Mark Halstead, Compliance Manager at iSoftBet, said, “The appetite for a wide variety of slots content across the Nordics is huge so we’re delighted to have completed a major phase in certifying our best performing games for Sweden which has only been open for a few weeks.”