Am I allowed to gamble in Sweden?
Yes — but only from age 18 and only with operators holding a Swedish licence. Under the Gambling Act (2018:1138), gambling for money is legal only via operators licensed by the Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen), and you can check the licence on the authority's website. The minimum age is 18 for all licensed gambling. An operator may only offer a bonus on the first occasion you play — recurring bonuses are banned for most games, so a fresh deposit bonus signals an unlicensed site. To exclude yourself, register at Spelpaus.se, which blocks you from all licensed gambling and all gambling ads. Playing on an unlicensed site is not a crime for you — but your money and winnings are not protected.
📋 The rules
- Gambling requires a Swedish licence from the Gambling Authority
- Age 18 for all licensed gambling
- A bonus may only be given on the first occasion
- Spelpaus.se: exclude yourself from all licensed gambling
- Operators have a duty of care and set deposit limits
🔓 Exceptions
- Some non-profit lotteries have their own rules and bonus exceptions
- State land-based games (e.g. via Svenska Spel) have specific rules
- Playing on an unlicensed site is not a crime for the player themselves
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Operating or promoting unlicensed gambling can bring up to 2 years prison, and a licensed operator that breaks the rules risks a sanction fee and the loss of its licence. For you as a player the risk looks different: playing on an unlicensed site is not a crime, but your money and winnings are not protected. There is no Swedish supervisor to turn to if a payout never arrives, and neither Spelpaus, the operator's duty of care nor the deposit limits that Swedish licence holders must apply reach that site.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
How old must I be to gamble?
18 for all licensed gambling for money in Sweden, whether it is casino, betting or a lottery. The age limit follows from the Gambling Act (2018:1138), and operators have a duty of care that covers every player.
How do I know an operator is legal?
It must hold a Swedish licence from the Gambling Authority, and you can check the licence on the authority's website before you deposit. A clear warning sign is recurring bonuses, which a Swedish licence holder is not allowed to offer.
Can operators give me bonuses?
Only on the first occasion you play. Recurring bonuses are banned for most games, so offers of fresh deposit bonuses generally come from unlicensed sites — though some non-profit lotteries have their own bonus exceptions.
How do I exclude myself from gambling?
Register at Spelpaus.se and you are blocked from all licensed gambling and all gambling ads for the period you choose. The exclusion applies across every Swedish licence holder, but it does not reach unlicensed sites.
Is it illegal to play on a foreign site?
It is not a crime for you as a player — the punishment targets whoever operates or promotes unlicensed gambling. But your money and winnings are not protected there, and neither Spelpaus nor the operator's duty of care applies.
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