Why do Swedes prefer casinos without a license?

At the beginning of 2019, the Swedish government decided to regulate online gambling in Sweden. The purpose of the regulation was to make gambling safer for Swedish players and prevent gambling addiction. However, many Swedish casino players were not very happy with the rules that the regulation includes and therefore prefer to play in casinos without a Swedish license.

The new regulation includes strict bonus rules, mandatory deposit limits, and a three-second rule on slots.

Spelpaus is Sweden's national tool for self-exclusion 

When online gambling was regulated in Sweden, a tool for self-exclusion on all casinos with Swedish licenses was implemented, called Spelpaus. With this tool, all Swedish players can self-exclude themselves at every casino with a Swedish license. The players can choose the period they want to self-exclude:

·       One month

·       Three months

·       Six months

·       Until further notice 

Even if a player self-excludes through Spelpaus, they can still play on online casinos without a Swedish license. 

Is it safe to play in a casino without a Swedish license?

Yes, it is safe for Swedes to play at online casinos without a license from Spelinspektionen (the Swedish gambling regulator). According to casinowithoutswedishlicense.io most of the Swedish players choose to play on online casinos with licenses from the MGA, Curacao eGaming, or the EMTA (Estonian online gambling regulator).

What are the advantages for Swedish players to play in casinos without a Swedish license?

As mentioned earlier, a lot of Swedes prefer to play in online casinos without a license from the Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen, here are the main reasons:

More bonuses

One of the first rules that was implemented at online casinos regulated in Sweden was that the players could only have one bonus per player, no cashback or VIP bonuses were available for Swedish players.

Deposit limits

All the players who play at a Swedish-licensed casino have to set their deposit limits: one daily, one weekly, and one monthly.

Crypto

A lot of casino players these days prefer to use cryptocurrency like Bitcoin as a payment method, and crypto is not available at casinos with Swedish licenses.

Tax-free

As long as a Swedish player plays at a casino with an EU license, like the MGA or the EMTA, all the profits are tax-free. If a Swedish player plays at a non-EU casino, like a Curacao casino they have to pay 30% of their profits in tax. 

Is it legal for Swedish players to play in an unlicensed casino?

Yes, it’s not a crime for Swedes to play on online casinos that don’t have a Swedish license. The rules apply more to the regulators that can’t do any type of marketing in Swedish or directed towards Swedish players.

Players must be 18 years + to partake in any casino, gambling or betting service. Players are urged to seek help if they require it. Players play at their own risk.