Reasons Swedes turn to unlicensed casinos
Just over three years ago Sweden passed a new Gambling Act, which with its licensing system replaced the monopoly on gambling for money in the country and thus radically changed the gambling market. Today, all gambling companies that want to sell themselves to Swedish players must be regulated by a license issued by the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate. Once they receive it, they must follow the rules and regulations imposed on them by the Gambling Act.
About 400 gaming companies are currently operating under a Swedish gaming license, of which 60 have a commercial online gaming license, meaning they are authorized to conduct online casino operations. But while so many gambling companies are licensed, there are companies that think the law is too strict and prefer to apply for a license abroad.
In common parlance, these are usually referred to as casinos without a Swedish license and are now completely legal to visit as a player from Sweden. Thus , comparison sites such as https://casinonordic.se/ have become extremely popular with players who want to explore a range of unlicensed game options, and the fact is that a large number of Swedish players prefer to play on these platforms. But how does this happen, and what does the security situation look like on these sites?
The fact that the Swedish Gambling Authority does not regulate these websites does not mean that foreign gaming sites are completely unregulated. They still have to comply with gambling laws and regulations, but instead of the Gambling Authority issuing licenses and enforcing the rules, it is the gambling authority of another country that does.
Some examples are the gambling authorities in the UK, Malta and Curacao, which have strict requirements for players. This means that consumer protection is still of the highest priority on these websites, even if the rules are slightly different from Sweden's.
Some of the biggest differences between casinos with a Swedish license and casinos without a license are that the latter do not offer the Spelpaus self-exclusion tool or the BankID electronic identification service.
Spelpaus is a service created by Spelinspektionen that allows Swedish players to disconnect from all licensed games for a certain period of time. This is done to reduce the risk of excessive gambling. Since casinos without a Swedish license are not subject to the same rules, the suspension does not apply to these sites.
BankID's electronic identification service for registration, deposits and withdrawals is also exclusive to gambling sites licensed in Sweden. The biggest advantages of BankID in casinos are the almost unparalleled convenience and security the service offers players, both in terms of registration and money transactions. Click on this link if you want to learn about the different casino bonuses and what they mean.
While casinos with Swedish licenses are recommended for Swedish players because of the safety, flexibility and convenience they offer, playing at foreign casinos is neither illegal nor necessarily unsafe.
As long as they are regulated and preferably by a high-stakes gambling commission, Swedish players can feel safe. However, this assumes that you have a good understanding of the license and understand that you can't go to the Swedish gambling authority for help.
One of the reasons many Swedish players have turned to foreign casinos since the new Swedish law was introduced has to do with the restrictions on bonuses that are in the Swedish gaming license.
Under the Swedish Gambling Act, gambling companies cannot offer more than one bonus to each player per license, which is different from other gambling regulations, where multiple bonuses can be offered instead. As more and more players appreciate the opportunity to receive bonuses, they are turning to casinos without a Swedish license.
However, we must not forget that there is a reason for the restrictions on casino bonuses. The Swedish government, along with the Swedish Gambling Authority, sees the risk that easy access to bonuses could lead to excessive gambling. By minimizing the number of bonuses that have been handed out to players, the goal is for Swedes to gamble less but even more responsibly.
The world of gaming, with its colorful slot machines and nerve-racking table games, is easy to get carried away. However, you should never forget the risks associated with gambling with real money. Therefore, it is important to always prioritize safety and play only with money you can afford to lose.
As a player from Sweden, there are many advantages to choosing a Swedish operator. If you do choose a foreign online casino, it is important to check if the gambling companies have a valid license, as all licenses mean safe play, even if some rules regarding bonuses and registration methods may differ.
Also, gambling for money should be seen as recreational pastime, not something you do because you think you should be making money. If help is needed, services such as Spelpaus and Stödlinjen are available.
