Gambling in Sweden has been legal for almost a century, but it was monopolized by the state. All gambling activities are carried out by the state-owned Svenska Spel. The company was established in 1997 when the two major lotteries, Svenska Penninglotteriet and Tipstjanst, merged into a single entity.
Since then, Svenska Spel has held a full monopoly over gambling within the territory of Sweden. Additionally, horse betting is run by a government-controlled organization called Aktiebolaget Trav och Galopp (ATG). All income from casinos, lotteries, and other gambling activities goes to the State Treasury and is used for socially beneficial projects. The main laws that regulate the gambling industry in Sweden are the Lotteries Act of 1994 and the Casinos Act of 1999.
Svenska Spel manages four land-based casinos: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Sundsvall. There are also numerous small restaurant casinos that offer card games, roulette, and dice as entertainment for patrons. In addition, you can often find various slot machines and blackjack tables on ferries or in bars and pubs.
These venues are common sights and provide a similar experience for people who would rather not visit a full-scale casino. Swedes can take part in gambling events and activities such as bingo, lotteries, and sports or horse betting once they are 18 years old, but they must be at least 20 to enter a land-based casino.
The monopoly would have continued if the European Union and several member states had not pressured Sweden to change its legislation and open the market to international investors.
In January 2019, the new Gambling Act entered into force and allowed Swedish and foreign operators to conduct gambling activities on the condition that they hold a valid license issued by the Swedish Gambling Authority. Now Swedes can gamble in casinos based outside Sweden and the winnings they earn are not subject to tax. After this major step, the gambling industry, especially online casinos, has been flourishing.
Regulation and Licensing
The main regulatory authorities in Sweden include the Swedish Gambling Authority, Finansinspektionen (Financial Supervisory Authority), the Swedish Consumer Agency, and the Public Health Agency.
The Swedish Gambling Authority is overseen by the Ministry of Finance and operated by a board appointed by the Government. Its responsibilities include issuing permits and licenses, monitoring gambling activities, and ensuring a fair and legal market.
The SGA is divided into three departments: the Operational Department, the Department of Administrative and Legal Affairs, and the Communication Department. The Operational Department is responsible for licensing casinos and restaurant casinos, as well as supervising casino games, sports and horse betting, lotteries, and slot machines to ensure they operate legally and to prevent illegal gambling.
The Financial Supervisory Authority oversees all financial regulations in Sweden. It is responsible for closely monitoring financial markets and reporting to the Government if it observes any instability that could negatively affect the Swedish financial system. The Authority produces regulations for financial activities and ensures that operators comply with them.
The Swedish Consumer Agency is the body individuals can contact if they need detailed information and legal advice on opening casinos or conducting gambling activities. The Consumer Agency can also resolve complaints from customers who believe they have been treated unfairly on bets or gaming machines.
The Public Health Agency has the important task of proposing and managing programs for people who need help with problem gambling. According to statistics, problem gambling affects around 100,000 people each year. The Agency disseminates information about excessive gambling to raise awareness of this serious issue.
Anyone who wants to run gambling operations must obtain a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority. These licenses are issued for a specified period and may be valid for up to 5 years. Different types of licenses require different application fees. For example, a license for commercial online gambling and a license for betting cost SEK400,000 each. A license for a State Lottery or a lottery for public-interest purposes may cost between SEK5,000 and SEK150,000. All licensed operators must also pay an annual supervisory fee based on their gross gaming revenue. These fees range between SEK30,000 and SEK500,000.
Popular Software Providers
Game developers have transformed the gaming industry at its core. In the early days, casinos ran on proprietary software and maintained their own gaming catalogs. When Microgaming was founded in 1994, it introduced something we now consider essential: a diverse portfolio of games.
Since then, more and more companies have emerged, and today players can enjoy thousands of different releases and beautifully crafted content. Below are some of the most popular game providers Swedish players will find at online casinos:
Microgaming
NetEnt
Play'n GO
Evolution Gaming
YggdrasilPlayers’ Security
The Swedish Government created the Gambling Authority to regulate the market and minimize the risk of fraud and illegal activities. Swedes should always choose casinos licensed by the Swedish Gambling Authority. If that is not possible, the casino must at least operate under a license issued by a well-known and reliable regulator such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, or the Gibraltar Gambling Commission.
Another important factor Swedes should look out for is information about the security measures the casino employs. All operators must use at least 128-bit SSL technology, or preferably 256-bit systems. This ensures secure transactions because sensitive information is encrypted and the chances of fraud are minimized. Furthermore, separate servers and multi-level authentication offer additional assurance that customers’ personal information is protected.
Players should also check whether the casino undergoes regular tests and audits, as these provide insight into RTP rates and the implementation of RNG technology. RTP, or Return to Player, indicates what portion of the money players wager is returned to them as winnings.
RNG, or Random Number Generator, is mandatory technology that ensures all game outcomes are random and not controlled by the casino. This guarantees that players can only rely on luck and the outcomes of the games cannot be predicted or altered in the casino’s favor.
All casinos must also have a responsible gambling policy. A range of practices should be in place to prevent problem gambling. These include setting maximum limits on losses and deposits per day, week, or month. Casinos are obliged to let players self-exclude if they feel their gambling is getting out of hand. Players should also have the opportunity to take self-assessment tests and set time limits on how long they spend in the casino.
Popular Payment Methods
Payments are very important in the everyday lives of gamblers. Players look for safe and reliable processors because they often make several deposits and withdrawals each week. Casinos that want to keep customers satisfied must therefore support as many payment methods as possible so international players can enjoy convenient and secure transactions.
Swedish players should remember that the same payment method must be used for both deposits and withdrawals. In addition, after selecting SEK as the preferred currency during registration, they should also place all bets in SEK.
Credit Card Transactions
ecoPayz
Neteller
Paysafecard
Nordea
TrustlyPopular Bonuses
All casinos offer bonuses and promotions to keep players engaged and satisfied. However, the Swedish Gambling Authority allows licensed operators to offer bonuses only the first time a player participates in their games.
This rule is strictly enforced, and many operators have been fined for non-compliance. Online casinos provide various promotions, but the most popular types include:
Free Spins
No-Deposit Bonus
Welcome Bonus
Loyalty ProgramsTop 10 Online Casinos For Players From Sweden
With thousands of online casinos available, it is no surprise that players feel overwhelmed when trying to choose a single operator. Our team is here to help. We have carefully selected the 10 best online casinos for Swedish players. These operators have been in the industry for years, earned solid reputations, and most of them support Swedish as one of their main languages.
Yako Casino
888casino
SlotV Casino
Fun Casino
LeoVegas Casino
PlayOJO Casino
Betsson Casino
Casino Joy
Videoslots Casino
Casumo Casino