The casino culture in Sweden: what to expect

Sweden is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. A paradise for those who want to take long road trips, those seeking the Aurora Borealis, and a delicious Smorgasbord.
But what you may not know is that Sweden has a thriving gambling and casino market.
In the past, Sweden has had tight reins on the casinos and the people playing, but if you’re looking to enjoy card games and slots across the globe – Sweden is a must-see.
Is gambling legal in Sweden?
Gambling islegal in Sweden; you can enjoy the lottery, play slots, and gamble freely, but rules and regulations are in place. Almost all of these restrictions are designed to ensure players are kept safe.
One of the most important restrictions that have been placed is that there is a limit of 5,000 SEK a month deposit amount for player accounts.
Although some Swedish residents aren’thappy with the restriction.
Another restriction that is commonplace is that there is a limit to bonuses and promotions that can be offered. Casinos with a Swedish license can only offer a welcome bonus.
This levels the playing field for online casino operators and means that the selection of games and promotions will be similar across all of the websites.
Government-Owned Casinos
The Swedish government owns the four land-based casinos in Sweden. Although one of them closed in 2020.
Initially, they did not have online casino options, but since online gambling has grown in popularity – to maximise income potential, it was allowed.
Rather than impose strict regulations and rules on the players instead, the casinos themselves are the ones who need to adhere to the rules. These rules apply to online gaming too.
And, they are pretty strict.
For all online gaming that is offered in Sweden, companies must have a Swedish license to operate in the area.
To be issued with a Swedish license, the gaming companies must meet the requirements set out by the Swedish government.
The restrictions are in place to ensure that the players are protected at all times. Allowing people to place limits on how much time they spend playing, how much money they spend and even player breaks.
Spelpaus is a non-negotiable part of securing a Swedish online casino license. It blocks players who have placed themselves on a playing break.
Can you access different online casinos?
It is completely legal to play games at a casino that is not in Sweden and doesn’t have a Swedish license.
Online casinos that are based and licensed in another country are legal to enjoy.
To maximise your available bankroll with promotions and sign-up bonuses – it might be better to find a legitimate casino website that operates outside of the Swedish license restrictions.
Due to the rules Sweden have in place, promotions and bonuses aren’t allowed beyond a signup bonus.
Is gambling popular in Sweden?
We know for sure that gambling is popular in America, the UK and even Monte Carlo – you can check out our article Four European Casinos That Are Worth Visiting for other great options.
But a less reported stat is how popular gambling games are in Sweden.
There are threeland-based casinos called Casino Cosmopol. These casinos are located in the largest cities:

1. Stockholm
2. Gothenburg
3. Malmo

You need to be 20 years old or older to entera land-based casino,.All of the casinos are owned by Svenska Spel. However, for online casino games, you only need to be 18.
This government-run organisation, Svenska Spelaccounts for 50% of the gambling market in Sweden. The Svenska Spel deposits all of the profits into the national treasure of the country.
You can find all of the most popular games like bingo, poker, slots, lottery, baccarat roulette, Kino and Triss.
Triss is the most popularscratch card game that is run by Svenska Spel too.
Interestingly you can find blackjack, played in pubs and private games outside of a casino.
The growth of Sweden’sgambling market has been steady. In 2020, gambling revenue amounted to SEK24.69 billion. (2,44 billion euro/ 2,11 billion pound sterling / 2.93 billion USD).
More than 50%of that has been made up of online betting and online gaming; in fact, it amounts to SEK15.16 billion.
Showing that online casinos and betting are becoming more popular and the method of choice for gamblers.
Charitable lotteries, sports betting, and slot machines contribute to the overall revenue, but none so much as the online casinos.
While land-based casino revenue is decreasing, the online is increasing and has offset the decline.
Interestingly, and perhaps it also displays how much the Swedish people enjoy online gambling, only online casinos licensed by the Swedish State can advertise in Sweden!
So the majority ofplayers using other casinowebsites have sought them out without being advertised to.
In general, most Scandinavian countries have a history of enjoying countrywide lotteries and card games. Sweden is no exception. What makes Sweden special is its approach to keeping its players safe.