Svenska Spel CEO to step down

Svenska Spel chief executive Lennart Käll has announced that he is to step down after seven years in charge of the state-owned gambling giant following the achievement of his personal and business goals, and ahead of the impending introduction of a more liberalised Swedish gambling licensing regime.

Our readers may recall that Sweden’s legislators have been making slow progress towards a more open and competitive online gambling market, motivated by pressure from the European Commission, with latest estimates predicting parliamentary approval around mid-2018 and implementation early in 2019.

The plan is for Käll to depart in the summer, giving Svenska Spel’s board time to find a suitable replacement.

In a statement this week, Käll said: “Svenska Spel is facing a reorganized gaming market and new conditions. Work on adapting the organization for the new gaming market is proceeding according to plan. We are well prepared and look forward to competing on equal terms. This is a good opportunity for a new CEO to handle and continue developing Svenska Spel.”

Svenska Spel chairman Erik Strand said of Käll’s tenure as CEO:

“We thank Lennart for the very good work he has done during his seven years as CEO. Svenska Spel [as the] Swedish people’s gaming company is well prepared for the reorganization that will hopefully come into force at the turn of the year.”

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