A new inquiry by the Swedish Government has recommended some alterations to the Gambling Act which would make it illegal for unlicensed betting companies to passively accept Swedish players.
Currently the laws mean unlicensed operators can allow Swedish nationals to play as long as the site isn’t in the Swedish language or currency but the proposed changes will remove the loophole. The sites that are unlicensed will have to actively block Swedish players or face criminal charges. There is also a suggestion that banning payment services that help the unlicensed sites and require banks to assume gambling is done from Sweden unless proven otherwise.
The reaction from BOS which is a Sweden trade group for licensed betting companies welcomes the move stressing it would protect the licensed market. The trade group has pushed for stricter rules since way back in 2019 when the Swedish market was re-regulated.
If the new rules are approved they would take effect on the 1st January 2027 with the aim to strengthen the hold on consumer protection and reduce the unlicensed sites in the country.