Swedes Still Confused About Gambling Licenses Despite Rising Awareness

A new study by Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s gambling regulator, shows that many Swedish gamblers cannot tell the difference between licensed and unlicensed gaming sites. Even though more people know about this issue now, 72% of those asked said they either did not know or could not figure out if a gambling site had a Swedish license.

Study Finds Young Swedes Less Concerned About Gambling Site Legitimacy

The research done by Enkätfabriken in November 2024, looked at over 1,600 people aged 18 and up, with more than 1,100 having bet in the past year. The results show a small boost in public awareness compared to before, but there is still a big gap in what people know, especially among young adults. Just 27% of people aged 18–29 said a Swedish license had an impact on which operator they picked. On the other hand, more than half of those 65 and older saw it as very important.

Notably, 42% of all participants deemed a local license important when picking a gambling platform, up from 28% in the previous year. Yet when asked if playing with a licensed operator had real benefits, opinions split down the middle: 47% thought it did, while an equal number were not sure.

Safety remains a key concern. For those who steer clear of unlicensed sites, the main reasons given were fears about not getting paid and worries about data privacy. A smaller group mentioned the higher chance of developing gambling issues on these platforms. Still, 8% of those asked admitted to using unlicensed sites to avoid taxes on their winnings.

BOS Urges Government to Boost Licensed Gambling Amid Market Challenges

People in the gambling industry want more support. Gustaf Hoffstedt, who heads up the gambling trade group BOS, thinks the government should step in to give licensed operators a leg up. He reckons both the regulators and gambling companies need to do a better job of showing off how safe and beneficial it is to play by the rules. He also brought up an old idea that never took off – creating a special stamp for approved sites. This plan was scrapped because people worried about fakes popping up.

At the same time, Sweden’s government has begun a regulatory review to tighten laws on unlicensed operators. This follows a drop in the country’s channelization rate — the share of gamblers using licensed platforms. Horseracing operator ATG reports current rates ranging from 69% to 82%, below the 90% target set by authorities. Most gambling still happens online from home.

Lotteriesr emain the top form of gambling, while sports betting and online casinos have seen a slight uptick in interest.