Since January 1, 2019, the Swedish gaming market has taken a new shape and a new set of regulations governs the development of betting and casino in Sweden. But what consequences has it had on the players' behavior and what is the reason why more and more people are now looking abroad to play online? These are some of the questions brought up to date by the fact that it is now increasingly common to play at casinos outside Sweden's borders, casinos and gambling companies that then lack a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority.
First of all, it can be clarified that as an online player it is completely legal and permitted to play at a casino or a gaming company that does not hold a Swedish license. The Swedish licensing system is designed to protect the players, but also to introduce a kind of authority control over external players and to collect tax money from the game players. But as an individual, player and consumer, the choice is still free to play at a foreign casino like at sakrasvenskacasinon.com.
In order to gain a full understanding of the development, one probably needs to be aware of how society in general has changed during the 21st century and the enormous changes in consumption patterns that have taken place in all types of industries. Thanks to major digital achievements, it is now possible as an individual to consume most things in digital format and via digital routes, rather than physically visiting stores to buy what is in demand.
The betting market is no exception, where a number of years ago you had to visit your local betting shop in order to place bets and deal with betting. That's how Stryktipset and other strong Swedish brands got their footing. But in recent years it has become possible to do this digitally - and with the digital option, diversity has also increased. This applies both in terms of the number of players who offer games and the different types of games that are now available.
It is precisely the freedom of choice and the diversity that has meant that many people who have not previously dealt with gambling have found their way to this market. For a long time, it was relatively unregulated on the Swedish market and there was no licensing system that forced a certain direction from the authorities on the players who wanted to offer games. But since January 1, 2019, there is a licensing system that places high demands on all players who offer either betting or casino online.
What does the licensing system mean?
In short, it can be said that all players who want to market themselves to Swedish players need to fulfill a number of requirements in order to obtain a license. A Swedish license is a marker of quality and as a player you can feel secure that all actors who have a Swedish license also comply with the regulations that are within the framework of the Swedish Gambling Act.
It means that you may not market yourself aggressively, that you may not target problem gamblers, that you may only offer limited bonuses so as not to attract customers to your gaming site, and that you must be connected to the self-help system that is set up for problem gamblers in Sweden.
If you break the regulations, fines or warnings are issued, before you can finally lose your license and thus also the quality marker that having one means. For many players, it is a requirement that a casino or gambling company must have a license in Sweden in order for it to be interesting to play there, but there is also a clear flow of players who are looking abroad.
Many of the gambling companies that have a license in Sweden are allowed through their license to take part in technical solutions that foreign gambling companies cannot and do not get. One of these things is the ability to deposit money through swish. You can only find these swish casinos in Sweden, with gambling companies that have a license. However, this does not apply to all companies, rather it is a selected number of operators who have the right to use it. What all Swedish gambling companies have in common is the ability to get their customers to identify themselves with a bank ID. This means that these casinos can offer fast withdrawals and deposits at the casino thanks to the fact that the customers are already registered.
Greater diversity at foreign casinos
One of the several reasons why casinos abroad have now become increasingly popular among Swedish online players is that it means greater diversity. There are not even 100 different gambling companies and casinos that have a license in Sweden, but if you instead look abroad, there are suddenly thousands of players to choose from.
Another reason why casinos without a Swedish license have become more popular is that these do not have to follow the regulations that exist in Sweden. As a gambling operator, it is limiting to constantly have to follow a set of regulations which basically serve to make it less attractive to play at the casino or gambling company in question. In a longer perspective, players and consumers do not benefit from this, for example in the matter of bonuses.
An example is casino bonuses, which in Sweden can only amount to a value of SEK 100. In comparison with the bonuses available from foreign companies, these are very weak. It is just one of several reasons why Swedish players like to try playing at casinos that are based outside of Sweden.
At the same time, casinos without a Swedish license are completely free to act as they wish, unless they have a license from another institution. It should be borne in mind that there are actually several other game licenses in Europe and the world. These can also serve as security for players who choose to play at non-Swedish casinos.
