The Swedish government is taking a further step in its fight against gambling addiction and over-indebtedness: a bill has just been submitted to ban the use of credit in gambling.
In a firm move designed to protect its regulated market, Sweden has taken the decision to permanently ban Satoshi Gaming Group NV from operating in the country. The announcement was made by Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gaming regulator, in a statement highlighting repeated breaches of the legal framework.
This is a resounding victory for Svenska Spel Sport & Casino. The Swedish Administrative Court has overturned the decision of the gaming authority Spelinspektionen, which had imposed a record fine of SEK 100 million (approx. €9.1 million) on the public operator for neglecting players at risk.
On 25 April 2025, Stockholm’s Casino Cosmopol closed its doors, marking the end of an era for land-based casinos in Sweden. This decision, taken by the Swedish government, brings to an end more than two decades of state operation of physical casinos.
The Swedish Gambling Authority has fined the ruling Social Democratic Party of Sweden (SAP) 3 million Swedish kronor (€275,000). The fine came after an investigation revealed serious violations of consumer protection.
After years of dazzling growth, Swedish online gaming giant Evolution is making a major strategic shift: gradually withdrawing from unregulated markets. This decision is motivated by a desire to align with international standards and the expectations of regulators. But this transition, presented as a step towards greater responsibility, is also accompanied by significant financial sacrifices.
Online casino operator Videoslots Ltd has been fined 12 million kronor (approximately €1.05 million) by the Swedish gaming authority, Spelinspektionen, for failing to take effective measures against excessive gambling. The investigation revealed that a number of players, including some under the age of 25, were able to deposit and bet large sums of money without appropriate intervention by the company. Despite automatic detection systems, Videoslots’ responses were deemed late and insufficient. The company cites legal ambiguities, but the authority considers that the legislation was clear and that the risks for vulnerable players were neglected.
Glitnor Services, operator of LuckyCasino, has been fined SEK 28 million (€2.7 million) by the Swedish Gaming Authority for breaches of responsible gaming. The investigation revealed that several players were not sufficiently protected despite risky behaviour such as excessive betting and quick losses.
Sweden’s online gambling market is experiencing worrying growth in its illegal segment. According to recent estimates, a quarter of the country’s gambling activities take place on unauthorised platforms, thereby escaping regulation and depriving the State of substantial revenue.
Loot boxes, those mysterious virtual boxes found in video games, are raising increasing concern among responsible gaming experts.
Evolution reached a record turnover of €2.21 billion in 2024, with a growth of 23.1% and a net profit of €1.24 billion.
Sweden recently launched a campaign named “Unnecessarily Exciting” to raise awareness of the risks associated with unlicensed gambling operators.
LeoVegas Group, one of the biggest names in online gambling, has joined the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA).
Swedish ATG conducted research showing that traffic to unlicensed gambling sites has increased tenfold since 2019.
