The largest dedicated gaming center in the world has been served a $140,000 penalty fee for breaking against Swedish labor law.
The largest dedicated gaming center in the world has been served a $140,000 penalty fee for breaking against Swedish labor law.
Inferno Online, a hub of social gaming in Sweden, had its employees work more than 2000 hours at night. The Swedish work environment authority described the infractions as “systemic” within the company. The company’s second venue, Swedish Esports Arena, had employees work 700 illegal hours.
The company’s transgressions are centered around Inferno Online’s late-night events. Known as “nattgibb” to its patrons, players pay a one-time fee to stay in the gaming center’s facilities between midnight and 5am.
Inferno Online is a central hub for esports in Stockholm, hosting multiple local esports events each year.
Having employees work at night in Sweden is prohibited under Swedish law. Although companies that offer collective bargaining agreements are allowed to offer night-time work, Inferno Online, and its subsidiary Swedish Esports Arena, currently do not offer any such benefits according to the Swedish work environment authority.
Penalties for breaking Swedish labor laws, particularly on this scale, do carry hefty fines. The 1982 Working Hours Act makes it illegal for employees to be required to work between midnight and 5am unless it is essential and otherwise agreed.
Inferno Online has until June to answer the injunctions delivered by the Swedish work authority, and is then expected to pay the penalty in August at the latest.
