The head of Sweden’s gambling regulatory agency is exiting his post ahead of schedule, prompting concerns that his absence will impact the country’s push to liberalize its online gambling market.

On Friday, Sweden’s Gambling Regulatory Authority (Lotteriinspektionen) announced that general director Hakan Hallstedt (pictured) had been appointed a judge in Blekinge District Court, a position he will take up on May 15. Hallstedt will resign as Lotteriinspektionen director at the end of March.

Hallstedt, who has headed up Lotteriinspektionen since September 2008, was originally supposed to step down when his current term ended this September. But Hallstedt apparently felt the need to leave ahead of schedule, and the Lotteriinspektionen has yet to name his replacement.

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