S pauses telephone sales of party lotteries

The Social Democrats are temporarily stopping telemarketing sales of party lottery tickets following Dagens Nyheter's exposé that they are being sold using dirty methods from Barcelona. Naturally, the assignment has not been to sell lottery tickets at any price, says group leader Lena Hallengren (S).

» Updated: October 06 2024

» Published: September 12 2024

S pauses telephone sales of party lotteries
Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT

Share this article

Salespeople in Barcelona are using an aggressive sales approach targeting elderly people to sell S-lotter, according to several former employees in an investigation by Dagens Nyheter.

Lena Hallengren, the Social Democrats' group leader in the Riksdag, says that they have been in contact with Kombispel, the Social Democrats' lottery company that hired the company Effective Communication, where the sales are said to have taken place. Now, the telemarketing operations are being paused, says Hallengren.

We expect Kombispel to get to the bottom of this and find out if the allegations are true, says Hallengren to TT.

This is not what we agreed on, of course, the assignment was not to sell lotteries at any price.

"Unacceptable"

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson says that the procedure is something that is otherwise associated with criminal networks that also operate on the Spanish coast and deceive elderly people out of money.

This is completely unacceptable. When the whole of Sweden is mobilizing to stop fraud, the Social Democrats' lottery becomes part of the problem. They must stop it.

Updating the ban

Finance Minister Niklas Wykman (M) also reacts strongly:

This updates the question again about a ban, says Wykman.

The main track from our side was that it should be regulated more clearly, it was also the investigation's proposal, but this updates the question again about a ban.

The investigation he refers to came out in the spring, where the main alternative was that lotteries should not be sold on credit, with limited bonuses, and that the game should be taxed. The investigation did not rule out a ban on lottery activities.

Demanding an apology

The Social Democrats have since the investigation was launched believed that the Tidö parties are only trying to strangle the opposition's income and said that it is a threat to democracy. Statements that Wykman demands that the party should now apologize for.

But Hallengren stands firm.

It is a threat to democracy to ban parties from conducting lotteries, says she to TT.

Kristersson says that the revelation can have significance when reviewing the legislation.

It can, says Kristersson.

The Social Democrats and the youth association SSU are owners of Kombispel, which operates Kombilotteriet. It was founded in 1956. They also have lotteries such as Drömreselotteriet and Glädjelotten.

The turnover for the lotteries is around 250 million kronor per year. In 2022, the profit was 42 million kronor.

The Moderate Party also has a lottery, M-lotten, which has a turnover of around 6 million kronor with a profit of 1.5 million kronor.

An investigation, initiated by the government and the SD, concluded in the spring that the rules for selling party lotteries should be tightened. The Social Democrats believe that the investigation is an undemocratic way for the Tidö parties to strangle the opposition's party funds.

Source: The Social Democrats and others

Tags

Author

TTT
By TTEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for local and international readers

More news

Woman Found Dead in Helsingborg Apartment Man Arrested
1 MIN READ

Woman Found Dead in Helsingborg Apartment Man Arrested

Russian Signal Disruptions Threaten Air Safety in Europe
1 MIN READ

Russian Signal Disruptions Threaten Air Safety in Europe

Gothenburg Data Breach Exposes Personal Info of 165,000 Residents
1 MIN READ

Gothenburg Data Breach Exposes Personal Info of 165,000 Residents

Uppsala Doctor's Sentence Increased for Rapes and Sexual Assaults
1 MIN READ

Uppsala Doctor's Sentence Increased for Rapes and Sexual Assaults

Man Seriously Injured in Alby Subway Shooting Near Stockholm
1 MIN READ

Man Seriously Injured in Alby Subway Shooting Near Stockholm

Heavy Rain Hits Jönköping Prompting Rescue Service Alerts
1 MIN READ

Heavy Rain Hits Jönköping Prompting Rescue Service Alerts

Small Plane Crash in Lake Limmaren Kills Two Experienced Pilots
2 MIN READ

Small Plane Crash in Lake Limmaren Kills Two Experienced Pilots

SOS Alarm Alerts Public to Fake SMS About Important Messages
1 MIN READ

SOS Alarm Alerts Public to Fake SMS About Important Messages

Expert: Men Predominate in Cases of Compulsive Sexual Behavior
2 MIN READ

Expert: Men Predominate in Cases of Compulsive Sexual Behavior

Norwegian Suspect in Gothenburg Double Murder Escapes at High Speed
2 MIN READ

Norwegian Suspect in Gothenburg Double Murder Escapes at High Speed

Kristersson's Trust Damaged Despite Landerholm's Acquittal
2 MIN READ

Kristersson's Trust Damaged Despite Landerholm's Acquittal

Paraglider Crashes into Mountain in Åre, Rescued by Helicopter
1 MIN READ

Paraglider Crashes into Mountain in Åre, Rescued by Helicopter

Hells Angels Leader Arrested for Summer Murder in Karlstad
1 MIN READ

Hells Angels Leader Arrested for Summer Murder in Karlstad

Hultqvist Calls for Law Review After Landerholm Acquittal
1 MIN READ

Hultqvist Calls for Law Review After Landerholm Acquittal

Defense Expert Surprised by Acquittal of Former Adviser
2 MIN READ

Defense Expert Surprised by Acquittal of Former Adviser

Prosecutor Likely to Appeal Acquittal of Ex-Security Adviser Landerholm
3 MIN READ

Prosecutor Likely to Appeal Acquittal of Ex-Security Adviser Landerholm

Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Record Amphetamine Smuggling
1 MIN READ

Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Record Amphetamine Smuggling

11 AM News Coverage Highlights
1 MIN READ

11 AM News Coverage Highlights

Carl Bildt Joins Church Election in Support Role
1 MIN READ

Carl Bildt Joins Church Election in Support Role

20 Home Care Employees Suspended in Uddevalla Over Misconduct Concerns
1 MIN READ

20 Home Care Employees Suspended in Uddevalla Over Misconduct Concerns