| Updated: October 31, 2025Sweden is part of the Nordic region. The country has a competitive economy and consistently ranks high for quality of life. Many Swedes are passionate about sports. The most popular sports in Sweden are ice hockey and soccer. Given their massive fan bases, it’s no surprise that these two sports generate a great deal of betting activity. The Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen, reported that national gross gaming revenue (GGR) for Q2 2022 totaled SEK 7.75 billion.
For decades, the Swedish gambling industry was subject to a state-owned monopoly. However, in 2018 Sweden finally put an end to this monopolistic regime, allowing international operators to apply for licenses. After the country opened its gambling market to foreign operators, the authorities observed a significant decrease in illegal gambling activity and a rise in GGR.
Best Sports Betting Sites in Sweden
Online sports betting has been legal since 2002. However, only the state-owned company Svenska Spel was allowed to provide gambling services. The situation changed dramatically in 2018, when the country officially announced that operators based abroad could apply for licenses from the Swedish Gambling Authority and legally accept bets from Swedish players. Now, Swedes can choose from a broad range of licensed and trustworthy sports betting sites.
Best Sports Betting Bonuses in Sweden
Bonuses give bettors the chance to boost their bankrolls and place more wagers on their favorite sports. Unfortunately, Sweden has implemented strict regulations aimed at protecting bettors from gambling problems. According to Chapter 14, Section 9 of the Swedish Gambling Act, sportsbooks holding a Swedish license may offer only welcome bonuses.
Match BonusMatch Bonus
Operators targeting the Swedish market give newcomers a head start by offering a welcome bonus. When you fund your account for the first time, the bookie will match your deposit by a certain percentage, up to a specified amount. For example, a sportsbook may offer a 100% welcome bonus up to SEK100. If you deposit SEK30, you will receive SEK30 in bonus funds.
To qualify for a sign-up bonus, you must make a qualifying deposit. Bettors must also meet the wagering requirements before they can withdraw any winnings. In addition, sports fans who redeem a match deposit bonus must comply with the minimum odds requirements and the eligible bet types. Remember that sports betting bonuses typically have an expiration date.
Betting Regulation in Sweden
Sports betting is a popular pastime among Swedes, and outlawing it would only drive the activity underground. In 1934, the Nordic country adopted a monopolistic framework. Sweden granted exclusive rights to the state-owned company Svenska Spel, formerly known as Tipstjänst, to offer lottery games and gaming machines to Swedish residents.
In 1994, the Lotteries Act took effect, defining a lottery as the drawing of a ticket regardless of whether a prize is awarded. Under the act, only nonprofit organizations, horse-racing associations, and the Swedish Lotto may run lotteries. In addition, the act states that the gambling authority is the sole entity allowed to issue lottery licenses.
In 1999, Sweden enacted the Casino Act, permitting the establishment of up to six land-based casinos. The legislation also created regulations for the minimum gambling age and set record-keeping requirements. In 2002, Swedish lawmakers introduced amendments to the Lottery Act, which authorized Svenska Spel to offer online casino games, lotteries, and betting.
In 2005, the United Kingdom’s well-known sportsbook Ladbrokes attempted to legally challenge the Swedish gambling monopoly. Three years later, Betsson also contested Sweden’s monopolistic regime and even opened a betting shop in Stockholm. The country, however, showed no signs of relinquishing the monopoly at that time.
EU Scolds Sweden Over Gambling Monopoly Important Restrictions in PlaceEU Scolds Sweden Over Gambling Monopoly
Sweden has been a member of the European Union since 1995, and member states are required to comply with EU directives. However, Sweden’s restrictive regulations were found to violate the EU’s free-trade laws, so the country had to liberalize its gambling market and align its regulations with EU policies.
In 2013, the EU stated that Sweden is not permitted to restrict bettors’ access to international online sportsbooks and casinos. Consequently, an increasing number of bettors began using internationally licensed sportsbooks, which offer generous promotions, competitive odds, and a wide variety of betting markets.
Still, Sweden failed to amend its online betting and poker regulations, and in 2014, the European Commission initiated legal action against the country. In 2018, Sweden announced that it would end the gambling monopoly and allow foreign operators to obtain a Swedish license. In 2019, new legislation officially opened the market to international operators. The Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) is responsible for overseeing and regulating the market.
Important Restrictions in Place
When Sweden liberalized its gambling market, it also established safeguards to protect at-risk bettors. Individuals are allowed to participate in online gambling and sports betting activities if they are at least 18 years old. However, Swedes must be at least 20 years old to enter a brick-and-mortar casino.
Moreover, sportsbooks licensed in Sweden are permitted to offer only welcome bonuses. Other sports betting and casino promotions were limited because they are believed to encourage players to wager more money and increase the risk of problem gambling.
Industry experts argue that overly strict regulations can make an otherwise lucrative market less appealing. Since promotions are a key factor bettors consider when selecting a sportsbook, many fear that Swedes may prefer offshore sportsbooks.
To protect people from spending all their money on gambling, the Swedish government introduced deposit limits. The measure was implemented in July 2020 to prevent a surge in gambling problems during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Initially, the weekly deposit limit was SEK5,000, but Sweden’s Health Minister Ardalan Shekarabi proposed lowering the limit to SEK4,000. Gustaf Hoffstedt, the secretary-general of the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS), strongly opposed the proposal, explaining that this would only encourage bettors to join several sportsbooks simultaneously. Currently, Swedish bettors can deposit no more than SEK5,000 on a weekly basis.
Spelpaus is a feature that all sportsbooks and casinos licensed in Sweden must offer. It allows bettors to block themselves from gambling online.