Sweden's National Football Stadium Signs Deal With State-Controlled Gaming Operator Svenska Spel

Swedish state-controlled gaming operator Svenska Spel AB has signed a deal that will see it serve as an official partner for the country's new Friends Arena national football stadium. The company revealed that the agreement, which is set to run until the end of '13, is the second such deal it has signed following a similar tie-in with the Rasunda Stadium in Stockholm. Friends Arena is a retractable roof stadium that, with an eventual capacity of up to 65,000 spectators, is to be the largest such venue in the whole of Scandinavia and the second largest in Europe. The new home for the Swedish men’s national football team and local club side AIK Solna, the venue already has a full schedule of events planned including qualifying matches for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the finals for the 2013 UEFA Women’s Championship. The new stadium is owned by the Swedish FA and will officially open later this month (Svenska Spel).