Sweden online gambling license (Spelinspektionen)
A mature Nordic market regulated by Spelinspektionen: commercial online gaming and betting licenses for operators, and a gambling software license for B2B suppliers, each valid up to five years. No Swedish company is required, but operators face a 22% gambling tax, strict bonus and marketing rules and mandatory Spelpaus checks.
- Best for
- EU and non-EU operators and suppliers ready for a high-compliance market
- Who can be licensed
- B2C operators and B2B suppliers
- Markets it serves
- EU regulated markets
Sweden licenses gambling through Spelinspektionen under the Gambling Act (2018:1138). Private operators can hold a commercial online gaming license (online casino, slots, poker and bingo) and a betting license, each for up to five years, while game studios and platforms supplying them need a gambling software license, required since 1 July 2023. No Swedish company is needed: EEA companies apply directly and non-EEA companies appoint a Swedish-resident representative. Operators pay 22% gambling tax on gross gaming revenue, check every player against the Spelpaus self-exclusion register, may offer a bonus only on a player’s first occasion and, since 1 May 2026, may not accept gambling funded by credit.
- Status
- Licensing open
- Regulator
- Spelinspektionen
- Legal basis
- Gambling Act
- Status checked
- October 16, 2026
License types in Sweden
Online gaming and betting can be applied for together. Each license runs for up to five years, renewal is a new application, and lotteries remain with the state and non-profit organizations.
Commercial online gaming
Online casino, computer-simulated slots, poker and bingo under Chapter 7 of the Gambling Act. Players must be registered and identified.
Betting
Sports and other betting, online or land-based, under Chapter 8. Football betting is limited to higher tiers, and bets on single events such as cards and penalties are banned.
Gambling software license
Required since 1 July 2023 for anyone who makes, supplies, installs or changes game software used by Swedish licensees.
State and non-profit
Lotteries are reserved to AB Svenska Spel and licensed non-profit organizations; commercial operators may offer lottery only as a side game.
Who can hold a Swedish license
| Requirement | Under the Gambling Act, Chapter 4 |
|---|---|
| Establishment | Companies established in the EEA apply directly; no Swedish company, office or bank account is required |
| Non-EEA applicants | A natural-person representative resident in Sweden, with a power of attorney covering all license matters, including service of documents |
| Suitability | Owners with 10% or more of capital or votes, or significant influence, plus the board and management are tested; bankruptcy, serious crime or material neglect of business obligations means refusal |
| Financial capacity | No statutory minimum capital, but two years of accounts or a financing plan with a two-year forecast; negative equity ordinarily fails the test |
| Language | Applications are filed in Swedish, or with a Swedish translation |
| Other EU licenses | A license from Malta or another EEA state gives no right to serve Swedish players |
Technical and player-protection rules
Accredited assessment
An accredited body assesses the gaming system, business system and procedures before launch and at least every 12 months.
System location
The gaming system sits in Sweden unless Spelinspektionen has satisfactory remote access, for example under a supervision agreement with Malta, Gibraltar or the UK.
Spelpaus
Every player is checked against the national self-exclusion register at registration, at each login and before direct marketing; the API rules in SIFS 2026:3 apply from 1 August 2026.
Limits and duty of care
Players set deposit limits, operators monitor play and intervene on risk signals, and duty-of-care failures are a leading ground for sanctions.
No credit
Since 1 May 2026 licensees may not allow or facilitate gambling funded by credit cards, loans, invoices or buy-now-pay-later.
Licensed suppliers
Game software must come from a holder of a Swedish gambling software license; slot rounds last at least three seconds, autoplay included.
How the application runs
There is no statutory deadline, but Spelinspektionen decided 97% of license matters within six months in 2025. Handling starts only once the application fee is paid, and Spelinspektionen gives no advance rulings.
- 1StructureChoose the licenses, set up the EEA applicant or appoint a Swedish-resident representative, and map owners and beneficial owners.
- 2Suitability and financePersonal forms and criminal-record extracts for owners, board and management, plus accounts or a two-year financing plan.
- 3SystemsLicensed game software, an accredited assessment of the gaming and business systems and an AML program.
- 4ApplicationFiling in Swedish through the web service, followed by Spelinspektionen’s suitability, financial and technical review.
- 5Go-liveSupervisory access, Spelpaus API connection, then monthly tax returns and renewal filed at least four months before expiry.
Ongoing obligations
- Monthly gambling tax return at 22% of gross gaming revenue from Swedish players
- Spelpaus check at registration, every login and before direct marketing
- Deposit limits, duty-of-care monitoring and twice-yearly responsible-gambling reporting
- Accredited system assessment at least every 12 months
- Bonus only on the player’s first occasion, and no credit-funded gambling
- Game software only from Swedish software license holders
- AML customer due diligence under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (2017:630)
How gambling is taxed
Gambling tax
22% of gross gaming revenue (stakes minus payouts) since 1 July 2024, up from 18%, under the Gambling Tax Act (2018:1139).
Tax base
For online operators, only revenue from players resident or habitually resident in Sweden is taxed.
Filing
Monthly gambling tax returns to the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket).
Players
Winnings from Swedish-licensed and EEA gambling are tax-free for players; non-profit gambling is exempt from gambling tax.
Marketing, bonuses and enforcement
Moderation
All gambling marketing must be moderate, must not target under-18s and must show the age limit and a gambling support contact; no direct marketing to self-excluded players.
First-occasion bonus
A bonus may be offered only the first time a player plays with the licensee; free spins, VIP and loyalty schemes count as bonuses.
Sanctions
Sanction fees up to 10% of the previous year’s turnover, warnings or revocation. In 2025 AML fines hit several licensees, and a SEK 100 million duty-of-care fine on Svenska Spel was annulled in court and appealed.
Unlicensed supply
Spelinspektionen issues prohibition orders, most recently against stakes.com in September 2026, and payment providers must block unlicensed gambling. A 2025 proposal (Ds 2025:23) would apply Swedish law wherever Swedish players can play.
Weighing Sweden against other EU markets? Our European gambling license comparison covers all 27 member states: which products each licenses, the regulators, B2B rules and Finland's 2027 opening.
Compare EU marketsFrequently asked questions
Who regulates gambling in Sweden?
Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, under the Gambling Act (2018:1138), which opened the online market to licensed private operators on 1 January 2019.
What licenses can a private operator get in Sweden?
A commercial online gaming license for online casino, slots, poker and bingo, and a betting license. They can be applied for together, and each runs for up to five years.
Do B2B suppliers need a license in Sweden?
Yes. Since 1 July 2023 anyone who makes, supplies, installs or changes game software used by Swedish licensees needs a gambling software license, and licensees may use only licensed software.
Do I need a Swedish company?
No. Companies established in the EEA apply directly, with no Swedish company, office or bank account. Companies outside the EEA appoint a natural-person representative resident in Sweden.
Is there a minimum capital requirement?
No statutory minimum. Spelinspektionen assesses financial capacity from accounts or a two-year financing plan, and negative equity ordinarily fails the suitability test.
How long does a Swedish license take?
There is no statutory deadline, but Spelinspektionen decided 97% of license matters within six months in 2025. With systems assessment, plan for 4–6 months.
How is online gambling taxed in Sweden?
At 22% of gross gaming revenue since 1 July 2024, up from 18%. Only revenue from players resident in Sweden is taxed, and returns are filed monthly.
What is Spelpaus?
The national self-exclusion register. Licensees check it at registration, at every login and before direct marketing, and must refuse self-excluded players.
Can Swedish licensees offer bonuses?
Only on the first occasion a player plays with the licensee. Free spins, VIP programs and loyalty rewards count as bonuses, so ongoing promotions are not allowed.
Can a Malta-licensed operator serve Swedish players?
No. A license from another EEA state does not count. Unlicensed operators receive prohibition orders, payment providers must block their transactions, and a 2025 proposal would make Swedish law apply wherever Swedish players can play.
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