Foreign casinos in Sweden: licences, tax, payments and your rights

A foreign casino is an online casino run from another country, and many of them hold a Swedish licence. When people in Sweden talk about foreign casinos, they usually mean sites without a licence from Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, which are licensed in Malta, Estonia, Curaçao or Anjouan instead. Playing there is not illegal for you, but you get no protection from Swedish rules, Spelpaus does not apply, and tax and disputes work differently.

18+. Gambling for money can become addictive. Stödlinjen, the Swedish gambling helpline, answers on 020‑81 91 00, free and anonymous.

This page compares licence types rather than individual brands, because the licence decides your rights. We do not recommend any casino here.

Foreign does not mean unlicensed

Several of the largest companies on the Swedish market are based in Malta or Gibraltar and still hold a Swedish licence. What matters is the licence a game is offered under, not where the company sits. Spelinspektionen’s measurement for 2025 shows that 81% of online casino play took place with licensed operators, so roughly 19% was outside the system.

Sweden does not block these sites, but many operators choose not to accept players from Sweden and list it among their restricted countries. Read that list in the terms before you register, or you risk having the account closed at your first withdrawal. Moving from the UK? Operators with only a British licence do not accept players from Sweden.

The licences compared

ADR means alternative dispute resolution, an independent body that handles a complaint outside court. The two rows that decide most things are tax and complaints. Separate pages cover Malta-licensed casinos and Curaçao casinos in more depth.

How to check a licence yourself

A site with its licence in order shows four things in the footer: the full company name with registration number and address, the regulator and licence number, a seal that leads to the regulator’s register or verification page, and the age limit with a link to responsible gambling. If the company name is in the footer but not in the register, or the seal points somewhere other than the regulator’s own site, do not deposit.

One caution on Curaçao: in September 2026 the CGA confirmed unauthorised access to its online portal (notices of 17 and 22 September), and on 7 October it said the portal will not return. The CGA says existing licences remain valid, but the digital seal is affected, so check the number in the register instead.

What EU licences do not do

An EU licence gives no right to target Sweden. On 8 January 2026 Spelinspektionen banned Claymore Malta Ltd, an MGA licence holder, from offering games in Sweden; the ban was lifted on 11 March 2026 according to the authority’s decision list. For a player, such a decision does not mean the money in your account is lost, but a site may close Swedish accounts quickly or lose payment routes. Never keep more on an account than you can do without for a while.

Payments and currency

Swish works only between Swedish bank accounts and is not used by foreign casinos without a Swedish licence. BankID-based payment services are generally unavailable for Swedish accounts at these sites. BankID itself, the Swedish electronic ID, is not used for login or registration at any site without a Swedish licence. See casinos without BankID for what replaces it.

Most sites run accounts in euro, so your bank or e-wallet charges an exchange fee, often 1 to 3% per transaction. If you deposit 2,000 kr a month and your bank adds 2%, that is 40 kr per deposit and 480 kr a year before you have played a round. A site without a Swedish licence that offers kronor is targeting Sweden, which is a warning sign both legally and for tax. Our payment methods page has more detail.

Withdrawals and verification

The most common problem is not a refused withdrawal but one stuck in verification. Terms often state 24 to 72 hours of processing once the account is verified, and without approved verification that clock does not start. Common limits are 10 to 20 euro as a minimum, and a few thousand euro per rolling day and 10,000 to 20,000 euro per rolling 30 days as a maximum. With a ceiling of 20,000 euro per 30 days, a 50,000 euro win is paid in parts across three periods.

Expect to provide:

• an ID document: passport, national ID card or driving licence, in colour with all corners visible,
• proof of address: a bill or bank statement, usually no more than three months old,
• proof of your payment method, such as a card image showing only the last four digits,
• proof of funds, such as a payslip, when deposits reach the site’s threshold.

EU anti-money-laundering rules require checks no later than at transactions of 2,000 euro or more. Common reasons for a stopped payout are a name mismatch on the payment method, breaking the maximum bet while on a bonus, or several accounts in one household.

Bonus terms worth reading

Swedish licence holders may offer a bonus only at the first time of play (chapter 14, section 9 of the Gambling Act). Foreign sites can repeat offers, which are designed to make you play more. Say you deposit 100 euro and receive 100 euro with 40x wagering on deposit plus bonus: you must stake 8,000 euro. Check what the requirement applies to, the time limit, the maximum bet, how much each game counts, and any ceiling on payouts. You can also decline the bonus before your first deposit, in which case the usual requirement is only that the deposit is played through once.

Making a complaint

1. Contact support in writing and keep copies. State what happened, the amount, the date and the rule the site relies on.
2. Ask for the matter to be escalated as a formal complaint if the reply does not resolve it.
3. Find the ADR body in the terms. At MGA-licensed sites it is often eCOGRA.
4. Send the case to that body with your correspondence attached. At MGA, Anjouan and CGA-licensed sites this is free for the player.
5. If the site breaks the rules, also report it to the regulator.

The CGA does not mediate individual disputes: you complain to the casino first, then to one of the seven ADR bodies it has certified (list dated 31 August 2026). The MGA’s Player Support Unit stopped ruling on individual disputes on 1 April 2019. Anjouan Gaming does not handle player complaints itself. Spelinspektionen does not rule on individual disputes either.

Tax on foreign casino winnings

Skatteverket, the Swedish Tax Agency, treats a win as tax-free if the game has a Swedish licence, or requires none and targets an EEA market. Otherwise, net winnings, meaning the difference between winnings and stakes with the same operator during the year, are taxed at 30% as income from capital. You declare them in box 7.2, and winnings of at most 100 kr are tax-free. A loss with one operator is not offset against a win with another. The site reports nothing to Skatteverket, so keep your account history and convert amounts into kronor, since accounts are held in euro. Our page on tax on casino winnings has worked examples.

Spelpaus and self-exclusion

Spelpaus is Sweden’s national self-exclusion register, and all companies with a Swedish licence must be connected to it. Spelpaus does not cover unlicensed sites. We do not describe any site in those terms as a benefit: if you excluded yourself, that is a reason to stay away. Responsible gambling explains the support available. To exclude yourself from a foreign site, ask support by chat or email, state the period, and get written confirmation. Ask whether it covers sister sites; it usually does not, so repeat it at each one. Blocking software such as Gamban or Betblocker adds another layer.

Playing on your phone

Foreign casinos are normally played in the phone’s browser. Apple and Google require a real-money gambling app to be licensed where it is used or distributed, so do not expect an app for players in Sweden in the App Store or Google Play from a site without a Swedish licence. Login is often a mobile number with a new text code each time, so the phone is effectively the key to your account.

Frequently asked questions about foreign casinos

Is it illegal to play at foreign casinos without a Swedish licence?

No. The Gambling Act prohibits companies from offering games in Sweden without a licence and prohibits promoting such games, but the player commits no crime. You do lose Swedish consumer protection, and Spelpaus does not apply.

Are winnings from foreign casinos tax-free?

Only if the game does not require a Swedish licence and targets a market within the EEA. Sites aimed at Swedish players without a Swedish licence, or not specifically aimed at any EEA market, are taxed at 30% of net winnings per operator and year. Gibraltar and the UK are outside the EEA.

How long does a withdrawal from a foreign casino take?

Terms often state 24 to 72 hours of processing after approved verification. Instant banking often lands the same banking day, while cards can take up to five more banking days. Ceilings of a few thousand euro per day and 10,000 to 20,000 euro per 30 days are common.

Who can help if a foreign casino will not pay out?

Complain to the site in writing first. Then go to the ADR body named in the terms, often eCOGRA at MGA-licensed sites, or follow the complaint route for that licence. Spelinspektionen does not rule on individual disputes and does not supervise sites without a Swedish licence.

How do I exclude myself from a foreign casino?

Contact support and ask for self-exclusion for a set period or permanently. You must do this at each site, including sister sites of the same company. Add blocking software, and call Stödlinjen on 020‑81 91 00 if you want to talk to someone.