When the 2019 gaming command went into effect, it brought with it new rules for all gaming operators who want to offer their services to Swedes. The law required Swedish casinos to obtain a license from the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate. Thus, companies had to choose whether they wanted to accept the new rules or leave the market.
Some casinos decided to follow the new rules and get a license. They are now officially regulated by the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate and offer their services with all the restrictions that were imposed by the 2019 law.
Conversely, many gaming sites did not apply for a local SGA license. They cannot directly target the Swedish market and sell their services to Swedes. However, they can still legally accept Swedish players as legal and fully regulated online gambling sites. These are so-called casinos without a Swedish license.
How does a casino without a Swedish license work in Sweden?
If a gaming site is not located in Sweden, it means casino utan spelpaus med trustly to accept Swedish players and offer real money games to users. So how can a casino without a Swedish license offer its services to players in the country?
In short, casinos without gaming breaks are licensed and regulated in other jurisdictions. Even though we call such websites unlicensed casinos, they actually have licenses issued by bodies other than the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate.
Foreign casinos without a Swedish license are usually regulated:
- Malta's Gambling Authority;
- Electronic Gaming Curacao;
- Gambling Commissioner of Gibraltar;
- United Kingdom Gambling Commission.
Gambling operators operate under the rules and regulations established by the relevant licensing organizations, which means that they can accept users from all over the world, including Sweden.
The best casinos without an official SGA license operate without the restrictions of the 2019 law, so they can offer users a wider range of gaming options and softer rules.
Why do Swedes choose to play at casinos without a Swedish license?
The new law has made gambling at local online casinos uncomfortable and just plain uninteresting. You are limited to only one bonus, you have to wait 3 seconds after each spin, and there are mandatory low deposit limits that you have to adhere to. Gambling operators are also affected by the 2019 law. It requires them to pay an 18% tax, companies must be registered Gambling Break to obtain a license, and they must track and record all gambling activity of users, including time in game, initial money balance, winnings and losses.
Recent changes in the legislation are aimed at increasing the level of user protection, but in most cases they only limit all parties (players and gaming operators) in getting what they want. The only undeniable benefit of the 2019 law is that it forces casinos to translate every word on their websites into Swedish.
These strict rules have caused many players to seek out gambling sites overseas. Fortunately, there are many casinos without a gaming limit that are not licensed in Sweden and accept Swedes. You can find the best gaming sites 2022 for Swedish players in our ranking.
Unlicensed casinos - available to Swedish players?
Foreign gaming sites have no reason to block Swedish users, so all players are accepted. You can enter an online casino without a Swedish license and play games for money for free.
However, you should know that not all casinos outside of Sweden offer their services to Swedish players. This is not because they need to abide by any rules and restrict access to games for Swedes. The fact is that some casinos are focused on their local markets and only accept users from a few countries. Therefore, it's perfectly normal that Sweden may not be on the list.
If we talk about unlicensed foreign casinos that accept players from all over the world, they usually accept Swedish users without any restrictions. Of course, you have to meet the general rules of the gaming market and be over 18 years old to be able to play for real money.
Is it legal to play in a foreign casino without a Swedish license?
The Swedish Gambling Act of 2019 established strict rules in the industry, but all the rules mostly apply to gambling operators. The team has less impact on the players. It only makes them some uncomfortable. Today's 2019 law prohibits non-gamblers from choosing the gaming website they want. It is perfectly legal to play at an online casino without a Swedish license.
Read more: Play safely at unlicensed casinos from Sweden