A newly released analysis report has revealed the challenges Sweden faces in combating unlicensed online gambling operators.
According to the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen), although the supply of unlicensed online gambling remains large and easily accessible, the demand is limited to a relatively small group — possibly less than 5% of Swedish gamblers.
The report highlights a key limitation of the current legislation, which only allows intervention on gambling sites that specifically target Swedish customers through marketing or a Swedish-language interface.
It has been proven that this "directional standard" does not fully address the issue, prompting authorities to advocate for a shift to a "participant perspective," requiring all online gambling within Sweden to have a Swedish license.
Director General Camilla Rosenberg welcomed the government's ongoing review to expand the scope of the Gambling Act, which is expected to be completed by September 17, 2025.
Rosenberg continued, "Despite the current scope's issues, we believe our intervention measures are important and effective where possible.
"Therefore, even during the investigation of the regulations, we must continue our efforts to combat illegal gambling."
Under pressure from the Swedish Online Gambling Trade Association (BOS), the Swedish government began reviewing the Gambling Act in February 2025.
It is worth noting: The current legal framework has loopholes that allow offshore operators to accept Swedish players, provided they avoid using Swedish currency or language.
This review coincides with criticism from the Swedish National Audit Office, which concluded that Spelinspektionen's regulation lacks sufficient effectiveness to meet the expectations set during the market re-regulation period in 2019.
The government has acknowledged these issues and has appointed an expert to assist in reviewing the scope of the act.
