Starting from today, December 1, 2025, Erik Eldhagen will begin his new state secretary position, with responsibility to oversee gambling regulation in Sweden.Eldhagen...
Illegal gambling criminals targeted by Europol and police
A new operation conducted by Europol in collaboration with the Swedish and Spanish police targeted a criminal group involved in money laundering and illegal gambling, with 5 suspects arrested between November 28 and 29, 2025.
Over 150 police officers took part in the raids, where they uncovered gambling operations worth around $23.2 million. The police also seized thousands of euros in cash, luxury watches, and other valuables.
In one of the properties in Sweden, which is believed to be a major hub for the operation, the police also found drugs prepared for sale as well as signs of human trafficking.
The police’s theory is that the suspects are part of a larger operation and that their network extends beyond just gambling. The group is known for exercising violence and intimidation to enforce control, as well as using threats to collect debts. They have three main directions in their network: money laundering, illegal gambling, and drug trafficking.
The arrests and raids were part of Europol’s operations that are trying to uncover criminal organizations that work across borders. They believe that sharing the information between jurisdictions is essential for the operations, as the successful raids in Stockholm and Murcia demonstrated.
Europol assures they were able to weaken the criminal organization’s operations in the gambling market, and at the same time, they sent a strong message to other criminals working in the region.
Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs has put a total fine of €3.5 million on 26 licensed gambling operators, including Betfair, 888, and Codere.On November 25, 2025, the...
