Online gambling in Sweden has its own set of regulations and rules. It has its own landscape with the regulatory framework to match. But how does the Swedish gambling market operate? Is it even legal? How reliable is it to play at online casinos in Sweden? And how does gambling affiliation come in play into this market? To find the answer to all these questions, just read the article below!
Is online gambling legal in Sweden?
Online gambling is highly regulated in Sweden. The official opening of the market was on January 1st 2019. Since than players in Sweden can play at the legal offering available in Sweden. But before the market could be opened the gambling legislation had to be updated. This resulted in the Spellag (2018:1138). With this regulation online gambling became legal within Sweden and online casinos can apply for a gambling license. A few operators where rather quick to apply and receive their gambling license. The first online casinos to receive their license where:
- GVC
- Bet365
- and the Kindred Group
These are no small names in the industry, which is not surprising. These online casino companies have multiple licenses throughout Europe and the rest of the world. They know how license applications work and how to operate within a specific market.
Is online gambling reliable in Sweden?
When a market becomes regulated the reliability of a market automatically increases. This might seem like kicking in an open door, but you would be surprised how many people are unaware of the illegality of some online casinos. Most people think that when they can access an online casino it surely must be legal. However in many cases this is not the case. Even now illegal online casinos are trying to get a footing in regulated markets.
Safe gambling
If you want to be certain that you can reliably gamble in Sweden, only use of the licensed online casino by the Swedish Spellinspektionen. They provide a list with the license holders, which is updated when changes occur. When playing at the licensed offer you are ensured that the website will be reliable and safe. In contrast to the illegal offer, the regulated offer has to adhere to strict compliance and player safety regulations. Before they receive their license the online casino is thoroughly screened. When any discrepancies occur during these screening the casino may never receive a gambling license.
Licensed online casinos also need to have their safe gambling policies in check. Every player is screened and monitored. When signs of a gambling addiction are spotted, the online casino has to intervene. In extreme cases they can even block the player from entering the website. Player safety is one of the main staples when designing the Swedish gambling legislation, which ensures safety and reliability when playing at these online casinos.
Is online gambling affiliation legal in Sweden?
Of course there are more parties involved in online gambling than just the online casinos. One kind of party heavily involved in the market are gambling affiliation websites. These websites work in contract with the licensed operators to recruit players for them. You can see them as a form of marketing companies. These affiliate websites are filled with content about various online casinos, such as reviews and informative articles. Using such content the affiliates try to get as high as possible of a ranking with search engines. When a visitor is than looking for “online casino reviews” their affiliate website will come on top. Successfully referring the visitor to an online casino will than result in a form of compensation from that casino.
Affiliate websites are completely legal in Sweden. However these do have to abide to the strict Swedish legislation as well. Of course there are some differences. Affiliates cannot be expected to screen players. Firstly because a visitor is not strictly a player and the screening takes place at the online casinos. Regarding to marketing practices the affiliate websites do need to adhere to the same regulations. Some of these include:
- Not targeting minors (under 18)
- Not advertising or promoting unlicensed online casinos
- Not using any misleading content (for example exaggerating the chances of winning)
- Not encouraging excessive or irresponsible gambling behaviour
With the strict regulations in place gambling affiliation cannot just put out content for the sake of content. They need to be considered of the legislation, not only to avoid sanctions themselves, but the online casino can also be held liable for any mishaps the affiliate makes. Even gambling affiliation is therefor much safer in the regulated Swedish market.
Conclusion
It is clear that online gambling in Sweden is legal. However not every online casino is legal in Sweden. Always check whether the online casino you want to visit has a license with the Swedish Spellinspektionen. When visiting affiliate websites it is also important to check if they promote any illegal online casinos. When this is the case, leave the website as they will not have player safety at the top of their mind.
Want to know more about the applicable legislation for gambling affiliation in Sweden, visit the QMRA. The Swedish QMRA code adheres to all legislation but is reworked to fit the affiliate operations.
