Unlike Norway where gambling is largely restricted to the extent that it may seem illegal, the case is different in Sweden. In Sweden, gambling is legal and individuals are free to buy lottery tickets, play slot machines as well as get involved in online gambling. Especially new casino launched every year is popular amongst players, simply because they use more targeted marketing to attract new players.
Despite the fact that gambling is legalised in Sweden, the Swedes only gamble very casually. It is common to find a slot machine without anyone around to play or just a few people playing – which may explain why online casino is increasingly popular.
It is not like you will find people thronging the land based casinos in Sweden. The fact that it is legal makes it accessible to anyone wishing to play one or more games in a casino. gambling in Sweden takes different forms including slot machines stationed in local bars or ferries, land based casinos or online platforms.
Interestingly, the legalisation of gambling in Sweden has not succeeded in liberalising the industry as it is still dominated by only four land based casinos and slot machines.
Find a Casino in Sweden
While gambling is legal in Sweden, there are only four land based casinos in the country. All the casinos are called Casino Cosmopol. The four dominating casinos are located in three different cities including one in Sundsvall, another Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö respectively.
For a gaming fanatic, it is these four casinos that you can always find all the types of games ranging from slots, blackjack, poker and many more that will obviously keep you thrilled. The casinos are owned by Svenska Spel which is a government regulated entity.
The government runs up to 50% of the gambling industry in Sweden with different brand names including Bingo, Poker, online casinos, Lotto, Kino, and others. The dominant role of the Swedish government in the gambling industry probably explains why only a few land based casinos are in the country.
The profits that the state run casinos generate are directly channelled to the national treasury of Sweden. Only people who are twenty years old and above are allowed to enter and play in the four land based casinos in Sweden.
Online Gambling In Sweden
With the increasing proliferation of online gambling, Sweden is not left behind. Previously, only land based gambling was legalised from 1964 but online gambling also became legal in 2002.
It is not strange to see commercials for different online casinos running on the Swedish television. However, there is a caveat to the casinos that can run adverts in Sweden. Only the state licensed are allowed to advertise their operations publicly.
There are slot machines online including leprechaun slot machines , online bingo , online poker, kino, and others. While the four land based casinos set the age limit for players to be at least 20 years, the online platforms allow 18 year olds to play.
Some online casinos in Sweden allow players to use the Swedish kroner though the Swedish government does not allow this. As a player, one thing you just have to watch out for is that you are laying in a licensed casino so that you do not get into trouble with the control authorities.
Are you safe to play at Casinos without a licence?
In Sweden, it is a must for all land based casinos to have an operation licence but this requirement is not expected for online casinos.
The simple reason is that while the authorities can regulate the land based casinos in Sweden, they are unable to control foreign gaming sites. If you are someone visiting Sweden or on a short term stay, you will want some extra security on your bonuses, deposit limits and possibility of excluding yourself whenever you wish.
Therefore, it is advisable to choose licensed Swedish casinos over the unlicensed foreign ones. Nonetheless, it is good to understand that online casinos that are not licensed in Sweden does not necessarily mean they are unsafe.
The only important first step before playing in the online casinos is to always read their terms and conditions as well as security for their clients. With that surety, it is okay to sign up and play the foreign casinos.
What you need to play at an Online Casino in Sweden
To play at a Swedish online casino, you need to be at least 18 years old and above, have a Swedish bank account, or a mobile bank account. Because of the dominance of state operated land based casinos in Sweden, much of the space has been in the online ones.
There are more than 100 licensed online casinos in Sweden which makes it pretty easy for an aspiring player to get one of choice. The online casinos allow player to enjoy playing roulette, poker, real money slots, baccarat, blackjack, craps and others.
Casino Bonuses at Online Swedish Casinos
According to the laws that govern casinos in Sweden, a player can only get one bonus per casino that they join. The welcome bonus can only be given after the player has made the first deposit. This is a deliberate step taken to prevent the casinos from enticing users to stake more money.
However, if one decides to play an online casino that is not regulated by the Swedish laws, there are various bonus offers at stake. These foreign casinos give bonuses including but not limited to first-deposit bonus, welcome bonuses, free spins, no deposit bonuses and subsequent deposit bonuses
