Sweden suspends Charm Entertainment casino licence
Sweden’s gambling regulator has ordered Charm Entertainment to immediately stop operating its land-based casino while it investigates whether the company remains suitable to hold a gambling licence.
Spelinspektionen issued an interim revocation of Charm’s licence on October 1, meaning the company cannot conduct any gambling covered by the authorisation while the investigation continues.
The decision will remain in force until the regulator reaches a final determination, or April 1, 2027 at the latest.
Spelinspektionen began investigating Charm earlier this year as part of a wider review of companies licensed to operate commercial land-based casino gambling in Sweden.
The regulator is examining whether Charm continues to satisfy the fundamental requirements for holding a licence, including compliance with Sweden’s Gambling Act and legislation covering taxation, accounting and bookkeeping.
Spelinspektionen said its investigation had now reached the point where there were sufficient grounds to suspect Charm no longer met those requirements, prompting it to take action before completing the full review.
The case has also drawn attention because of connections between Charm and Lucky 21 Casino AB, another land-based casino business that previously held a Swedish gambling licence.
Current and former people connected with Charm have been charged with serious offences, including aggravated accounting crimes relating to Lucky 21.
The companies also shared personnel and operated from nearby locations, raising questions during the investigation over whether issues associated with Lucky 21 extended to Charm.
Charm’s own financial reporting has also come under scrutiny, including the submission of two different sets of annual accounts for the 2023 financial year.
The interim action does not represent Spelinspektionen’s final decision on Charm’s licence. Instead, it prevents the casino from continuing to operate while the regulator completes its assessment of the company and the circumstances surrounding its business.
Charm holds a licence for commercial land-based casino gambling, so the case does not involve Sweden’s separately regulated online casino and sports betting market.
Under Swedish gambling law, licence holders must continue to satisfy suitability and compliance requirements throughout the life of their licence rather than simply meeting those standards when first approved.
Charm can challenge the interim decision, but its licensed casino operations must remain suspended unless the order is overturned or Spelinspektionen reaches a different final decision.
