During the second quarter of 2026, the Swedish Gambling Authority continued its work against operators suspected of offering games without a Swedish license.
New regulatory cases were initiated and several operators corrected themselves during the processing, which means that the regulatory cases were closed without further action. This shows how important it is for the Swedish Gambling Authority to identify operators suspected of offering games without a Swedish license at an early stage and initiate supervision against them.
During the quarter, the Authority also worked on an in-depth analysis of marketing for unlicensed gambling. The analysis shows that marketing continues to be a central part of how unlicensed operators reach Swedish players. Therefore, it is important that the Swedish Gambling Authority also takes action against those who promote participation in illegal gambling.
Marketing for unlicensed gambling
Marketing today takes place through several different channels, including social media, influencers, banners, SMS, sponsored search results and other ways to drive traffic to gaming sites. In certain environments, such as gaming and social media platforms, there are particular risks as young players may be exposed to games outside the Swedish licensing system.
However, the majority of marketing for games is still for companies with a Swedish license, especially in established, traditional marketing channels. The Swedish Consumer Agency has the main responsibility for supervising the marketing of licensees, while the Swedish Gambling Authority is responsible for supervising the marketing of unlicensed operators.
“Marketing is one of several ways for consumers to access unlicensed gaming. Therefore, the work against promotion is an important part of our supervision. We see that clear information and early contact can lead to actors correcting themselves,” said Ewa Gabrielsson, investigator at the Swedish Gambling Authority.
