Hofbauer: “She has a unique knowledge of the industry and I look forward to our collaboration”
On March 30 the Swedish Gaming Industry’s National Organization, SPER, will hold an annual meeting for its members. In connection with this, a new CEO is appointed and Maria Wennerberg Sedigh takes over the leadership of the trade association.
Former CEO Jenny Nilzon has chosen to leave the organization after five years, for a new assignment outside the gaming industry. She remains in March and then hands over to Maria Wennerberg Sedigh, who for the past four years has been Senior Adviser at Sper.
“We on the Board are extremely pleased that Maria will be the one to lead Sper further. She has a unique knowledge of the industry and I look forward to our collaboration. Of course, we find it sad that Jenny is quitting and wish her the best of luck in her new role,” says Patrik Hofbauer, Chairman of Sper and CEO of Svenska Spel.
Maria Wennerberg Sedigh has many years of experience in gambling regulation from both the Swedish Lotteries Inspectorate and the Ministry of Finance. She also worked in the Gaming License Investigation, which produced a proposal for new gambling regulation, which resulted in Sweden getting a new gambling law on 1 January 2019.
“It feels exciting and I’m happy to have been given the confidence. I will continue to develop Smer’s work on self-regulation, consumer protection and industry trust. A big and fun assignment,” says Wennerberg Sedigh.
A total of 100 gambling operators has active licenses in the Swedish market, excluding non-profit operators. In 2020 the Swedish gambling market had a total gross revenue of SEK 24,7 billion. 2019, the total gross revenue was 24,8 billion
Gambling accounts for one percent of the Swedes disposable income, in a country where 66 percent of all Swedes state that they have gambled in the last 12 months.
Approximately 2,500 people are employed by gambling companies domiciled in Sweden and approximately 10,000 by companies with a Swedish license but domiciled abroad. Betting on horses creates a surplus of about two billion kronor.
