In contravention of current state policy on gaming, Sweden's Liberal People's Party has called for the sell-off of state-owned operator Svenska Spel.
According to SR International-Radio Sweden (SIRS), the country's official broadcasting station, Johan Pehrson, the party's spokesman in parliament, called Svenska "old-fashioned" and "mismanaged," adding that its position is "untenable."
Pehrson, reported SIRS, wants to see Svenska replaced by "numerous gaming firms granted special licenses to trade."
Pehrson isn't the first politician to speak out against the operator.
In an interview with IGN in April, Moderate Party member Tomas Tobé indicated that, at the party's conference in October, he and his colleagues from Gävleborg County would introduce a proposal to end Svenska's monopoly.
"It is difficult to judge how many [MPs] want legislative reform of the gambling market, but it should be possible to get a majority in favor of such a proposal," he said.
Sweden has also heard from Brussels--twice.
On June 27, the European Commission (EC) issued Sweden and France reasoned opinions--the second stage of the infringement procedure--having found that the countries' sports-betting legislation remained non-compliant with EU law.
Paris and Stockholm will make the necessary adjustments to their legislation, as prescribed in the reasoned opinion, or face legal action in the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
In case of non-compliance or satisfactory reply within two months, said Anouk Hattab-Abrahams of Ulys law firm, Brussels, the EC may bring the cases before the ECJ.
The British media have reported however that Sweden has hinted at a willingness to compromise with the commission.
IGN reported in March that state secretary Per Jannson and finance minister Anders Borg are involved in an effort to draft new gambling regulations that conform to EC rules.