Betsson re-opens Shopsson outlet

After announcing last week that it had closed its Shopsson land-based betting outlet in Stockholm, online gambling group Betsson AB has announced that it is re-opening the venue following a recent court ruling.

The Stockholm-based firm had been facing a fine of €250,000 unless it shut the operation, which opened 19 months ago and offers customers something between an Internet cafe and retail betting shop.

However, Sweden’s Supreme Administrative Court has recently revoked a December 7 ruling from the Administrative Court Of Appeal, which means that the venue can re-open until further notice.

Betsson has been fighting the nation’s Lottery Inspectorate since the outlet opened its doors in May of 2008 while criticising the Government’s slow rate of progress in settling issues surrounding the State’s current gaming monopoly.

The original decision saw the Administrative Court Of Appeal rule in favour of the Lottery Inspectorate that the outlet violated current Swedish laws on gaming. However, Betsson argued that the Scandinavian nation’s rules are not compliant with European edicts on the free movement of services.