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Sweden Proposes New Rules to End Credit-Based Gambling
Sweden to ban credit-based gambling, including third-party providers and credit cards, under a proposed expansion of the Gambling Act effective April 1, 2026.
The current Swedish legislation prohibits players from using credit cards issued by licensed operators. The new proposal will extend this restriction to cover all credit forms.
Under the new law, licensed gambling operators will be banned from engaging in credit agreements for gambling purposes. They will also be prohibited from accepting bets if they are aware that players use credit to gamble. Additionally, accepting payment by credit card (both offline and online) will no longer be allowed.
The Swedish government stated:
“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.”
Existing technology should be used to block credit card transactions related to gambling, without affecting the sale of other products.
However, the law will have some exceptions. This could include specific types of lotteries that serve charitable purposes and aren’t affiliated with political organizations. Other “special reasons” may include subscription lotteries and additional games, as long as measures are taken to limit the amount of credit used. Those exceptions will be overlooked by Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator.
This is not the first time Sweden has proposed a ban on credit in gambling. In February 2024, similar measures were introduced, focused on credit sources outside of licensees.
Spelinspektionen previously expressed support for a full credit card ban while requesting more clarity on regulatory definitions.
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