Sweden Casino Bonuses

Welcome Bonus

As a responsible gambling tool, Spelinspektionen forbade almost all types of casino bonuses that players can typically redeem while playing online. Currently, casino operators licensed to operate in Sweden can offer their members just one Welcome Bonus offer, which is a one-time special promotion available only to newly registered players.

Not only can casino players redeem just a single casino bonus when they open their new account, but there was also a suggestion for the maximum redeemable bonus to be SEK100 (less than €10). While the lower bonus limit was really close to being implemented by the Swedish Gambling Authority, the proposal was discarded. That said, online casinos in Sweden still cannot offer more than one bonus to their new customers.

While some virtual casinos have opted to completely remove all bonus offers from their Swedish websites, others still offer Welcome Bonuses that comply with the rules imposed by the Spelinspektionen. These offers typically include a match deposit bonus, which can only be redeemed on new players’ first deposits at the respective casino.

Like many other match bonuses, the offers provided by Swedish online casinos will usually require players to wager their bonus amount a certain number of times to convert the sum into withdrawable funds.

Sweden Puts End to Gambling Monopoly Due to Pressure Applied by the EU

Between 2002 and 2018, the iGaming industry in Sweden underwent several changes, with the latest one being introduced in 2019. The most recent change liberalized the online gambling scene in Sweden, finally allowing private companies to apply for licenses and offer online casino services to players based in Sweden.

The main reason why the Swedish gambling laws were amended to make the entire industry more liberal was the pressure applied by the European Union. Since Sweden is a part of the EU, it is required to be compliant with the laws applied to members of the union. Following the amendment of the Gambling Act in 2019, private companies were finally allowed to apply for online casino and online betting licenses from the local regulatory authority.

Despite the liberalization of the iGaming market in 2019, the state-owned Svenska Spel still has a monopoly over lottery, lottery-like games and online lottery, land-based and online bingo, poker rooms and online poker, and brick-and-mortar casinos.

Currently, under the applicable laws, Swedish players are allowed to play online only at virtual casinos, which have been licensed by the Spelinspektionen. That said, players who happen to gamble at unlicensed web-based casinos are not prosecuted or penalized in any way. However, unregulated brands which accept Swedish players are legally responsible for their actions and may face legal consequences.

After the Gambling Act changes in 2019, Swedish Internet service providers (ISPs) are responsible for blocking access to unlicensed online casinos and betting websites. Operators that have not acquired a license from the Spelinspektionen are also not allowed to promote their services on the Swedish market.

Sweden Imposes Strict Deposit and Bonus Limits to Online Operators

While the iGaming sector has finally been liberalized in 2019, the Swedish authorities have taken extra steps to limit gambling-related harms in the country. Some may argue, however, that the local regulator has been way too harsh with online casino players, often forcing them to look for loopholes to play on unlicensed gaming and betting websites. In 2020, Sweden introduced a slot stakes cap as well as a deposit limit of SEK5,000 per week (€470). The government was justifying these limits as a measure to combat the higher potential of gambling-related issues during the pandemic. While the limits expired in November 2021, a new weekly deposit limit was suggested at the beginning of 2022.

According to the latest proposal, Swedes had to stick to the deposit cap of SEK4,000 per week. What is more, a lower limit on online casino bonuses was also proposed, suggesting licensed operators could offer not more than SEK100 as a Welcome Bonus. Thankfully, just before the new online casino limits were officially enforced, the Swedish government decided to discard them. While local authorities are using the players’ protection agenda as a reason for the strict casino deposit and bonus limits, such regulations are often the reason for many Swedes switching to offshore unlicensed gambling.

In June 2022, the Swedish Gaming Authority (Spelinspektionen) published data from its annual survey, which examines the reasons Swedish players choose to gamble online illegally. About 32% of survey respondents who gambled illegally, pointed out bonus limitations as the main reason for their choice. Meanwhile, self-exclusion from licensed operators and better odds/products at unlicensed websites were pointed out as reasons by 26% and 25% of respondents respectively.

Judging by the current number of Swedish players who still prefer to gamble at offshore websites, there is still plenty of work that needs to be done to improve gambling regulations in Sweden.