Swedish government returns with another proposal to expand credit gambling ban

The Swedish government has put forward proposals for a new ban on gambling with credit, with the new legislation set to expand the country’s current rules and regulations.

The Swedish Gambling Act already prevents players from using credit to gamble with licensed operators. However, the government seeks to expand this ban to create a “safer and more sustainable” regulated gambling market.

Setting out the legislation, the government said current regulations do not go far enough to protect players. It said the ban has “limited scope”, only covering credit from licensees and not other forms of credit.

It added that this limited coverage has created a link between problem gambling and over-indebtedness.

“By preventing gambling from being financed with credit, the government wants to reduce the risk of over-indebtedness and protect consumers from ending up in financial difficulties,” the government said.

What does the new credit gambling ban propose?

The new legislation said licensees and gambling agents would be banned from gambling with any sort of credit. This means licensees and agents could not enter credit agreements with other actors for the purpose of gambling. This would include linking to credit providers connected with iGaming.

Licensees and agents would also be barred from accepting bets if they know the player is financing the bet, or their gambling in general, with credit. In addition, operators would not be permitted to accept any payment by credit card either in-store or over the internet.

It was also proposed that licensees and gambling agents shall take measures to counteract gambling with credit. The government said that such measures should be “simple and cost-effective and not require new technical equipment”.

“Instead, they should use existing technical equipment that enables the blocking of credit cards for gambling without affecting the sale of other goods,” the government said.

However, while the legislation is focused on extending the ban, there could still be certain exemptions. These could include some lotteries, which the government said would help to protect activities for good causes that are not party political. Regulator Spelinspektionen would be responsible for managing these exemptions.

“Exceptions should be granted for special reasons, for example for subscription lotteries and additional games, provided that protective measures are taken to limit the amount of credit,” the government said.

Should the legislation secure the necessary approvals, it would come into effect from 1 April 2026.

Another attempt to curb credit gambling in Sweden

This is not the first time the government in Sweden has sought to strengthen regulations on credit gambling. In February last year, it put forward similar legislation, again with a focus on credit from outside of licensees.

Spelinspektionen was supportive of the legislation, having itself called for a full ban on credit card gambling a few months prior. However, it also called for more clarity over the proposed rule changes. The regulator’s concerns included how the term “credit” was classed.

Spelinspektionen acknowledged the new legislation when it was announced Thursday. However, it is yet to publish an official opinion on the latest proposals.