Former employee exposes aggressive sales tactics at Kombispel lottery connected to Swedish Social Democratic Party

A former employee of Effective Communication, a telemarketing company, has revealed aggressive sales tactics employed to sell lottery tickets for Kombispel, associated with the Swedish Social Democratic Party. The insider stated, “We must not hang up; instead, you push, push, push until the customer buys or clicks.” They noted that 98% of customers were gamblers, considering them easier targets since they are already engaged in “the game.”

The only reason permitted to terminate a call was if the customer revealed they had dementia or were represented by a legal guardian, according to the former staff member.

Since May 2022, Kombispel has been reported to the Swedish Consumer Agency 28 times, with 18 of those cases specifically relating to telemarketing. Many complaints involve individuals with dementia who say they did not understand the terms of purchase, such as the need to cancel subscriptions. One report from a relative highlighted, “They have called her again and sold her a lottery ticket.”

Minister for Elderly Care and Social Insurance, Anna Tenje, criticized the lottery operations of the Social Democrats, labeling them “essentially elder fraud.” She directly urged party leader Magdalena Andersson to take action within the party, stating, “It is deeply regrettable that there are individuals in the Sunshine Coast involved in elder fraud, and it is completely indefensible that the Social Democrats are part of it.”

The Social Democrats have declined interview requests. In a statement, party treasurer Joakim Jonsson acknowledged the serious allegations raised by the investigation and called for immediate and robust actions from Kombispel. Jonas Lindholm, CEO of A-lotterierna and Kombispel, expressed his shock and commitment to thoroughly investigate the claims. In 2023, the lottery operations contributed 9.8 million kronor to the Social Democrats’ party fund and 6.3 million to the SSU.