sou · GUB311 · 2007-01-01 00:00:00 — Lotterilagens främjandeförbud föreslås bli preciserat till att avse främjande av lotterier som inte anordnats med stöd i lotterilagen. Allt sådant otillåtet främjande föreslås bli kriminaliserat som brott mot lotterilagen. Utredningen har även behandlat förutsättningarna att reglera sådan lotteriverksamhet som anordnas utomlands men funnit att den svenska lagstiftningen svårligen kan tillhandahålla effektiva sanktioner häremot. Några sanktioner mot spelare i eller leverantörer av förmedlings- tjänster, såsom Internetleverantörer eller banker, föreslås inte. Däremot föreslås ett förbud mot att i erbjuda deltagande i lotterier som inte anordnats med stöd i lotterilagen. Detta förbud är avsett att träffa utländska anordnare vars verksamhet är tillgänglig i , exempelvis över Internet, men som inte kan anses vara anordnad eller annars ha ägt rum här. Förbudet föreslås inte vara förenat med särskilda sanktioner. Enligt direktiven skall utredningen behandla möjligheterna att stärka de svenska anordnarnas konkurrenskraft gentemot de utlandsbaserade anordnarnas verksamhet. Särskilt har direktiven pekat på möjligheterna att höja vinståterbetalningen för konkurrensutsatta spelformer. Mot bakgrund av bedömningen av lagstiftningens förenlighet med EG-rätten har utredningen funnit att det är svårt att inom ramen för den nuvarande regleringen föreslå sådana förbättringar. Utredningen har dock funnit att en begränsad höjning av vinståterbetalningen vid vadhållning bör kunna genomföras. Några höjningar i fråga om andra spelformer över Internet eller andra interaktiva media har däremot inte föreslagits, med hänvisning särskilt till de risker ur spelberoende- synpunkt en sådan åtgärd kan medföra. I syfte att förbättra möjligheterna för folkrörelserna att utveckla nya lotterier har föreslagits att prövningen av om rikslotterier kan antas ge sökanden skälig avkastning får avse sökandens totala lotteriverksamhet och alltså inte enbart det enskilda lotteriet. En översiktlig redovisning av forskningsläget kring spelberoende, inklusive åtgärder mot och behandling av spelproblem, lämnas i betänkandet. Utredningen har även behandlat frågan huruvida åtgärder mot spelproblem borde finansieras genom att en andel av överskottet eller omsättningen i spelverksamheten efter beskattning skulle öronmärkas för forsknings- eller behandlings- åtgärder. Mot bakgrund bl.a. av att någon sådan beskattnings- ordning inte finns på andra områden har utredningen inte funnit skäl för en sådan ordning här. Utredningen har funnit det vara angeläget att översiktligt presentera en alternativ modell till reglering av spel- och lotteri- marknaden . Den svenska lotterilagstiftningens förenlighet med EG-rätten har efter hand blivit alltmer tveksam. En stor del av spelandet sker dessutom hos anordnare som står utanför svensk reglering och tillsyn. Det finns enligt utredningen inte tillräckliga möjligheter att förstärka de svenska anordnarnas konkurrenskraft inom ramen för den nuvarande regleringen, och tillgodose de tvingande allmänhänsyn som skall beaktas samt iaktta förenligheten med EG-rätten. Det går således inte att bortse från att nuvarande reglering inte är heltäckande och dåligt stämmer överens med hur marknaden fungerar. Behovet av en radikalt ändrad lagstiftningsmodell, särskilt för elektroniskt spel, synes allt mer påtagligt. Under alla förhållanden måste lotterimarknaden vara under- kastad reglering. Det är därför otillfredsställande att staten endast kan vidmakthålla kontroll över den del av marknaden som de svenska anordnarna svarar för. Så långt möjligt bör alla aktörer på den svenska marknaden lyda under samma regelsystem, vilket alltså bör omfatta även dem som anordnar spel över Internet som är tillgängligt för svenska spelare. Den modell utredningen skisserat avser ett licenssystem, som tillåter ett icke alltför stort antal licenser men vilka kan sökas av alla som uppfyller villkoren. Något hinder mot kommersiella anordnare ställs därmed inte upp. Grundvillkoren för licens regleras i lag. Den som inte erhållit licens tillåts inte anordna lotterier här. Utländska anordnare kan erhålla licens men någon kontaktpunkt här i riket krävs. Verksamheten bör beskattas i och medel från spelverksamheten kan därmed komma allmännyttiga ändamål till godo även . En licens skall kunna dras in om licenshavaren missköter sig. Licensen skall inte kunna användas för att anordna spel som riktar sig till andra länder utan överenskommelser om detta. De verksamheter som inte omfattas av licenssystemet kräver fortsättningsvis en reglering motsvarande lotterilagen. Ett licenssystem av detta slag skulle innebära dels att en större del av den faktiska lotterimarknaden kan hållas reglerad, dels att i varje fall en del av det kapital som tidigare lämnat landet behålls här. Förutsättningarna för att ett licenssystem som det skisserade uppfyller EG-rättens krav torde vara större än om man vidmakthåller nuvarande reglering. En ökad konkurrens kan i och för sig innebära ökat spelande och i sin tur ökade spelproblem. Det bör dock finnas möjligheter att utforma licenssystemet så att dessa risker motverkas. Det finns anledning att tro att denna modell innebär att spelarna i högre grad finner spelen inom regleringen attraktiva och att anordnare som ändå väljer att stå utanför tappar i attraktionskraft. Enligt utredningens bedömning är det gällande regelsystemet i fråga om marknadsföring tillräckligt för att på ett övergripande plan kontrollera att marknadsföringen av spel och lotterier inte är vilseledande, alltför påträngande eller annars strider mot god marknadsföringssed. Eftersom marknadsföring av spelprodukter påverkar omfattningen av spelandet, och spelandet leder till sociala och ekonomiska skadeverkningar, finns det skäl att införa regler som gör det möjligt att begränsa omfattningen av marknads- föringen. Det finns vidare ett behov av styrmedel som möjliggör en reglering av hur marknadsföringen av vissa produkter utformas, t.ex. för spel med hög risk för utvecklande av spelproblem. Slutligen bör det införas enhetliga regler för kontroll av anordnarnas marknadsföring som omfattar hela lotterimarknaden. Utredningen har därför funnit att möjligheter bör finnas att mera detaljerat kunna reglera marknadsföringen av spel och lotterier, antingen vid tillståndsgivningen eller i författningsform. Av skäl som tidigare angivits har författningsförslag inte utarbetats. För att bestämmelserna om beskattning av vinster i utländska lotterier skall vara förenliga med EG-rätten har utredningen föreslagit att vinst i utländskt lotteri som anordnas i ett EES-land skall vara fritt från inkomstskatt i om anordnaren har erforderliga tillstånd eller lotteriet står under offentlig kontroll. Även vinst vid vinstdragning på utländska premieobligationer skall vara skattefria om premieobligationen ställts ut i ett land inom EES. Utredningen har även behandlat förutsättningarna för en sänkning av lotteriskatten, såväl generellt som särskilt för vissa konkurrensutsatta produkter i ATG:s utbud. Visserligen har utredningen funnit att något principiellt hinder inte kan anses möta mot en begränsad sänkning av lotteriskatten från men utredningen är förhindrad att föreslå ofinansierade intäktsminskningar för staten. Utredningen har vidare funnit att det inte är lämpligt med riktade skattesänkningar, som endast avser vissa särskilt utpekade produkter. Något förslag om skattesänkning har därför inte lämnats. Tiden har inte medgett utredningen att göra den fullständiga över- syn av lagstiftningen som direktiven förutsatt. Vissa begränsade frågor har utredningen dock behandlat. En förteckning över kvarstående frågor redovisas. Bestämmelsen i 10 § lotterilagen, att tillstånd till lotteri får lämnas endast om det kan antas att verksamheten kommer att bedrivas på ett från allmän synpunkt lämpligt sätt, föreslås utvidgad till att avse även registreringslotterier och tillståndsfria lotterier. föreslås få möjlighet att föreskriva villkor för registeringslotterier och upphäva en registrering vid vissa överträdelser. Ideella föreningar med huvudsakligt syfte att främja ett allmännyttigt ändamål inom landet föreslås få möjligheter att anordna tillståndsfria lotterier utan insats, s.k. stimulanslotterier. principal task has been to present, in the light of the gaming policy established by the Government and the Riksdag and taking into account current trends in the gaming sector, whatever proposals it considers necessary for the purpose of adapting Swedish regulations to market developments and developments in technology, and to developments in Community law. An integral part of this task has been to examine the impact of both current developments and the committees proposals on public health and to consider how they affect social protection in . The government directive called for the report to be delivered by at the latest. requested that the mandate be extended to , on the grounds that a not inconsiderable number of issues still remained to be dealt with. The Government, however, denied this request. Consequently, it should be borne in mind that the final report does not contain an exhaustive review of lottery legislation in . has examined how market and technological developments have affected the lottery market and has also looked into the question of gambling addiction. A general account of lottery legislation in a number of other countries has been included. The mandate has necessitated an analysis of what basic aims future lottery regulation should have and how such purposes can best be served. As Swedish regulation of the lottery market represents an obstacle to both the free movement of services in Union and freedom of , the committee has assessed the compatibility of Swedish legislation with Community law. Here, the committee has found that uncertainty over both the aims of the legislation and its practical application is such that its compatibility with Community law is open to dispute. However, due to the fact that there has been insufficient time to examine alternatives to the present regulations in any great depth, and bearing in mind that under the government directive the gaming policy already in place is to serve as a starting point, the committee has proceeded in its proposals from the current regulatory system. This enabled it to base its work on a reasonably cohesive and well tested set of laws, to which changes prompted by the application of current provisions could be introduced. A number of changes have been proposed. has considered the possibility of introducing legislation that would make it more difficult to offer gaming opportunities in from abroad, via the Internet and similar channels, but has concluded that this is not a feasible course. The mandate has included an assessment of how the position of Swedish operators vis-à-vis their international competitors in the gaming market might be improved. In light of its assessment concerning the compatibility of Swedish legislation with Community law, the committee has found that only a very limited range of improvements in the Swedish operators competitiveness can reasonably be proposed. As the regulations currently in place are not considered appropriate to the long-term task of maintaining adequate supervision of gambling in , and thus of securing both social protection and revenue from gaming and lotteries in the future, the committee has outlined one alternative to them. This alternative is based on the view that certain types of gambling and lotteries should be subject to licensing, and that such licences should be available to all who meet the relevant legislative requirements. to lack of time, it has not been possible to conduct a more detailed examination of how such a licensing system might be structured. However, the mandate also calls for an exhaustive review of lottery legislation in , and the committee has therefore proposed a number of amendments to the present regulatory system, while having to leave a number of issues unconsidered. The committees deliberations and proposals are briefly described in greater detail below. In the future, too, Swedish lottery legislation should aim to meet key public imperatives, such as combating criminality, countering the harmful social and economic effects of gambling addiction, and protecting consumers. No changes in this regard are proposed in relation to present legislation. Swedish legislation should also seek to ensure that surpluses are used for public or public-service purposes as far as possible, although not on such a scale that the legislation conflicts with Community law. Under European Court case-law, the restriction of free movements is only allowed if it reflects a concern to bring about a genuine diminution in gambling opportunities and if the financing of social activities through a levy on the proceeds of authorised games constitutes only an incidental beneficial consequence and not the real justification for the restrictive policy adopted. Scope of the legislation has concluded that the scope of the legislation should not be changed in any essentials. Consequently, it has not proposed any alteration to the definition of a lottery or any change to the general rule whereby the legislation is to apply only to lotteries organised for the general public. The present exceptions to this rule should be left in place. has, however, concluded that the Lotteries Act must apply to all lotteries organised in , even where these do not target the Swedish public. There has been some uncertainty as to whether Swedish legislation can be applied to lotteries organised in but only targeting participants abroad. Accordingly, the committee has proposed introducing a provision making clear that organising gambling from without a permit, e.g. via the Internet, is prohibited, even in cases where no Swedish participation is involved. Future regulation of the gambling and lottery market has concluded that regulation of the Swedish gambling and lottery market must be maintained in the future as well. Leaving this market unregulated is inconceivable. As a first alternative – which has also provided a basis for the legislative amendments it has proposed – the committee has chosen to proceed from the existing regulations and has not recommended any significant changes to them. Thus it has proposed that the Swedish lottery market continue to be reserved for the Swedish state, horse racing associations and non-profit associations. An important reason for choosing this model, however, is that there has not been enough time to develop more exhaustive proposals based on other perspectives. To some extent, the emphasis in the directive on the gaming policy established by the Government and the Riksdag as a starting point for the consideration of future approaches has also contributed. takes the view that the present regulations are not adequate to the task of dealing with international competition, particularly via the Internet. It is no longer possible to uphold a gaming market where national borders genuinely restrict gambling and lotteries. Urgent public interests cannot be adequately served by national legislation – e.g. by provisions aimed at easing competitive pressure, restricting gambling opportunities and reducing gaming – if much of the gaming is beyond the control of the Swedish state. As in the opinion of the committee there are no effective means of preventing cross-border gaming at the present time, the only feasible way of maintaining Swedish supervision of gaming would seem to be to channel gaming opportunities to this country. This could be achieved by allowing Swedish operators to organise gambling and lotteries on approximately the same terms as their foreign-based competitors. There is a danger, however, that applying Swedish legislation in such a way would conflict with the conditions laid down by Court for allowing a member state to maintain regulations that restrict free movement. This applies in particular to the requirements surrounding legislation designed to reduce gambling and gambling opportunities, and to the proviso that economic considerations must not be the real justification for adopting restrictive policies. has addressed the question of whether current regulations are compatible with Community law. In sum, it has concluded that this is open to dispute due to uncertainty both over the basic aims of the legislation – where in the committees view too much weight has been attached to economic considerations – and over its practical application. According to the committee, it is feared that the decision in to allow Svenska Spel1 to arrange Internet poker games may have taken beyond the point at which its legislation could be considered compatible with Community law. While the present regulations may be deemed to have served their purpose in combating crime or countering harmful social and economic effects at a time when national boundaries offered a genuine restriction on gaming activities, maintaining the requisite supervision of gaming nowadays is considerably more difficult, according to the committee. As a result, it has presented an alternative model to the existing regulations (see below). The legislative changes proposed in the report, however, are based on the present regulatory framework. has concluded that access to the lottery market by the state and by horse racing associations should also be enshrined in law, along with the lottery activities currently organised under special government permits. has not, however, had time to draw up any specific legislative proposals. has further proposed abolishing the requirement whereby operators must be Swedish legal entities in the case of lotteries run by non- profit associations. According to the general rule – and excepting the activities of the state-controlled gaming companies – only non- profit associations whose principal purpose is to promote a public cause or benefit may be licensed to organise lotteries. Where there are special grounds for doing so, licences may also be granted to legal entities other than non-profit associations whose principal purpose is to promote a public cause or benefit within the country, or to a legal entity whose principal purpose is to promote a public cause or benefit outside the country. A legal entity without such public purpose may not be granted a lottery licence, however, except in special situations that are subject to separate regulation, e.g. restaurant casinos. proposes making suitability tests of restaurant casino operators more stringent, e.g. by requiring operators to demonstrate their suitability. has closely examined the question of sanctions in the case of lotteries organised or otherwise dealt with outside the lottery law. It proposes that the in the Lotteries Act prohibiting the promotion of gaming participation (in certain 1 The national lottery, owned by the state. cases) be applied specifically to lotteries that have not been organised in accordance with this law. wants all such unlawful promotion to be made a criminal offence under the Lotteries Act. It has also looked into the possibility of regulating lottery activities organised abroad, but has concluded that there is of Swedish legislation being able to impose effective sanctions on such practices. No sanctions are proposed in the case of players in or suppliers of intermediary services, such as Providers or banks. does, however, propose outlawing the practice of offering people in the chance to take part in lotteries not organised in accordance with the Lotteries Act. This targets foreign operators whose activities are accessible in , e.g. over the Internet, but are not deemed to have been organised in or otherwise to have taken place here. does not propose introducing any special sanctions in such cases. Under the government directive, the committee is to examine ways and means of strengthening the competitiveness of Swedish operators vis-à-vis operators based abroad. In particular, the directive mentions the possibility of raising the level of repayment on the proceeds of gaming forms exposed to competition. In light of its assessment concerning the compatibility of Swedish legislation with Community law, the committee has concluded that it would be difficult to introduce any such improvements under the present regulations. It does, however, feel that there is scope for a limited increase in the level of repayment on the proceeds from betting. does not propose raising repayment levels in the case of other gaming forms over the Internet or via other interactive media, citing as its main reason the risk that such a move would further gambling addiction. With a view to improving opportunities for grassroots organisations and voluntary associations, etc, to develop new lotteries, the committee proposes that, when the question of whether a prospective national lottery can yield reasonable returns is considered, applicants total lottery activities rather than the individual lottery should be taken into account. The committees report includes a summarised account of the available research on gambling addiction, including measures taken to deal with such problems and the treatment provided. has also considered the question of whether measures to combat gambling addiction might be financed by earmarking a share of the proceedings or turnover from gambling activities for research and treatment programmes. In light of the fact that no such taxation arrangement exists in other areas, the committee has found no reason to introduce such a practice here. has felt the need to outline an alternative model for the future regulation of the gambling and lottery market in . Doubts about the compatibility of Swedish lottery legislation with Community law have steadily grown. Also, much of the gambling that takes place in is organised by operators who are not within the reach of Swedish regulation and supervision. In the committees view, there is insufficient scope for strengthening the competitiveness of Swedish operators under the existing regulations without this adversely affecting both public imperatives and compatibility with Community law. Thus the fact that existing regulations are not fully comprehensive and do not properly reflect how the market works cannot be ignored. The need for a radically different legislative model, especially with regard to electronic gaming, is becoming increasingly apparent. Whatever the case, the lottery market must be subject to regulation. The fact that nowadays the state can only exercise control over that part of the market for which Swedish operators are responsible is, therefore, unsatisfactory. As far as possible, all actors in the Swedish market should be subject to the same regulatory system, and this system should also extend to those who organise gambling over the Internet to which Swedish players have access. The model outlined in the report is a licensing system that would make available a fairly limited number of licences but would allow anyone meeting the requirements to apply for them. This means there is nothing to stop commercial operators from applying. basic licensing terms and conditions are regulated by law. Anyone not granted a licence is prohibited from organising lotteries here in . Foreign operators may be granted licences on condition that they have some kind of contact point within the country. Activities should be subject to Swedish taxation, which means the proceeds from gaming would continue to benefit public interests and causes. Licences are to be revocable in the event of misconduct on the part of the licence holder. would it be possible to use a licence to organise games directed at other countries without reaching a special agreement to this effect.