Sweden Gambling – Law, Legality & Games

The relationship between the gambling industry and Sweden is pretty good. In the past, gambling was one of the most popular hobbies in the country. In fact, one example of this is settling a dispute over a game of dice which happened in the 11th century. The country settled this dispute with Norway. Gambling is a popular pastime of Swedes today. Sweden is one of the first countries to legalize land-based and online gambling. By doing so the government and the whole country benefits economically and its citizens can enjoy gambling without the fear of legal punishment.

Is Gambling in Sweden Legal?

Since gambling in the country is in its tradition it would be a stark contradiction for it to be illegal. Officially, land-based gambling has been legal in Sweden since 1994, whereas online gambling has been illegal since 2002. To keep gambling activities in check there are plenty of laws regarding this is the country and these laws contain all the details regarding the regulation of land-based and online establishments. The number of land-based casinos is limited to 4 and they’re located in Sundsvall, Gothenburg, Stockholm, and Malmö. They’re all named Casino Cosmopol. To help with the enforcement of the gambling regulations the Swedish Gambling Authority was established.    

Our Recommended casino

Gambling Types Accepted in Sweden

Because Swedes like to gamble there are plenty of ways they can do that. The bingo and lottery are popular in many European countries and are likewise a popular gambling form in Sweden. There are different variations of lotteries that are legal in Sweden. In addition to this, betting on sports is popular and legal along with one of the oldest forms of betting – betting on horse races and online cricket betting. Naturally, casino games are legal and those include play poker online and other table games like blackjack, roulette, baccarat and slot machines. As mentioned before there’s a limited number of casinos in Sweden but punters can also enjoy casino games online via websites like yobetit.com.  

Minimum Age for Legal Gambling in Sweden

Like in most European countries, the legal gambling age in Sweden is 18 years old. So Swedish gamblers can enjoy the lottery, slot machines, and gambling online only if they’re 18 or older. When it comes to the 4 casinos Sweden is limited to, for anyone to enter it legally they have to be at least 20 years old. This means that these establishments must provide identity checks and make sure minors don’t engage in gambling activities and aren’t employed at these establishments.  

Gambling Laws for Gamblers and Operators in Sweden

There are a plethora of laws regarding gambling in Sweden meaning the operators have to take the legislations seriously if they want to operate. Naturally, if an operator wants to provide gambling services they have to obtain a license. Operators who are seen as knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to running the operation, as ones who will run the operation in accordance with all statutes and regulations and those that are deemed fit to the operation in other aspects are granted a license. When it comes to the licenses there are 6 types of them. The license for charities and good causes is given to those operators who organize certain forms of lottery and land-based bingo games, pool betting, and horserace betting. Licenses for state-based monopolies are given to operators of land-based casinos, gambling on machines such as slots and some types of lotteries. Licenses for betting cover land-based and online betting as well as betting on electronically simulated events and the outcome of lotteries. Certain casino games and gambling on machines are available on ships in international traffic and are covered by a specific license for these purposes. Finally, a license for commercial online gambling covers operators who provide online casino table games, online bingo, and computer-simulated gaming machines. There’s a land-based variant of this license and this one encompasses the same games but allows the operator to provide them in hotel, restaurant and amusement park premises. This license also allows casino game tournaments to be held outside of a casino.

The licenses last for a limited amount of time. This period cannot be longer than 5 years. The cost of the license depends on the type of license obtained. The fees for licenses range from SEK 2, 800 to SEK 400, 000. When it comes to taxing, this is done on the gross gaming revenue of the establishments regardless if they’re online or land-based. An 18% tax rate of the gaming revenue is paid to the country. The players are subject to tax for some of their winnings. Winnings from domestic establishments are exempt from tax whereas winnings from foreign sites are subject to a 30% tax of the amount won. Sports betting is also exempt from tax if the winnings are from a sportsbook that’s licensed anywhere in the European Union. So besides the strict rules and regulations regarding gambling activities, including winnings, many types of gambling are popular with Swedish gamblers and will continue to be in the future.  

Gambling Commissions for Sweden

As mentioned before there are plenty of regulations when it comes to gambling activities in Sweden. These laws and statues make sure that the land-based and online establishments get properly taxed for their services, the players get a fair gambling experience and to make sure that anyone who isn’t operating in accordance with them gets the legal punishment they deserve. There are a few regulatory bodies that make sure these regulations are enforced and monitor the gambling establishments for any irregularities. The Swedish Gambling Authority is the prime regulatory body that makes sure of this. It is responsible for the granting of gambling licenses for casino games, like poker, blackjack, baccarat and slot machines on land-based premises and the casino games provided on foreign and domestic casino websites, the variations of lotteries, bingo games, betting on horse races and sports, fantasy sports included. The tax agency and administrative authorities also function as regulatory bodies when it comes to social and skill gambling arrangements.  

Gambling Games Legal Status in Sweden :

Poker: – Poker is legal in Sweden and has been handed over to Svenska Spell. Svenska Spel launched its own poker site. It is the only online operator that advertises legally in Sweden.

Bingo: – Bingo is legal in Sweden and monopolized by Svenska Spel and Folkspel. Players use foreign bingo sites online, and players do not face any fines to access foreign online bingo sites.

Lottery: – Svenska Spel is responsible for the National Lottery in Sweden and is the legal provider of such games in Sweden. It offers all types of lottery games, bingo games, and scratch cards. Some of these are also available online.

Sports betting: – Sports betting is monopolized by the state monopoly, which is classified into two companies Trav och Galopp and Svenska Spel. Trav och Galopp Control horse racing industry and Svenska Spel controls all legal sports online and offline in Sweden.