The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) has called on the Ministry of Finance to revise the Gambling Act, highlighting a loophole that enables unlicensed operators to target Swedish players as long as they avoid using the Swedish language or currency.
BOS warns that this regulatory gap has fueled a rise in unlicensed gambling, weakening consumer protections and undermining Sweden’s regulated market.
The loophole stems from a revision made before the Gambling Act’s 2019 introduction, when the government altered the original Gambling Licence Investigation proposal.
The initial draft sought to criminalize all unlicensed operators serving Swedish players, irrespective of language or currency. However, the final law only applies to sites explicitly marketing in Swedish or using SEK, allowing offshore operators to evade restrictions.
BOS is calling on the government to reinstate the original proposal, which would criminalize all unlicensed gambling, effectively closing the loophole. This move aims to boost Sweden’s channelisation rate, ensuring more players engage with legal, regulated gambling services.
Gustaf Hoffstedt, the Secretary General of BOS, mentioned:
Unlicensed gambling should be eliminated in Sweden. It is completely inadequate that around a quarter of all gambling is unlicensed, not least given the total absence of consumer protection on the black gambling market.
If we are to succeed in eliminating this part of the gambling market, the Gambling Act must be amended and all unlicensed gambling must be criminalised.
