Sweden's gambling marketing rules for operators and affiliates
Sweden’s licensed market runs on a short set of marketing rules in the Gambling Act (Spellagen, SFS 2018:1138). Spelinspektionen’s unofficial English translation is published on the regulator’s laws and regulations page, and the Swedish text prevails if the two differ. The rules apply to licence holders, but because affiliates market on their behalf, they shape what an affiliate in Sweden, such as the Primestake brands comparing licensed Swedish casinos, can publish.
The rules that matter for acquisition
| Rule | Where | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| Moderation | Ch. 15, § 1 | Marketing of gambling to consumers must show moderation |
| No targeting minors | Ch. 15, § 1 | Marketing may not be aimed specifically at people under 18 |
| Self-excluded players | Ch. 15, § 2 | Marketing may not be aimed directly at players who have self-excluded |
| Closed accounts | Ch. 15, § 2 | Direct marketing to a player who closed their account only with active approval given at closure |
| Age and support information | Ch. 15, § 3 | Clear information on minimum age, and contact details for a problem gambling support organisation (except radio) |
| One bonus | Ch. 14, § 9 | A licence holder may only offer a bonus on the player’s first gambling occasion |
| No promotion of unlicensed gambling | Ch. 3, § 7 | Promoting gambling without a Swedish licence in a professional or gainful context is prohibited |
| Responsibility for outsourced work | Ch. 11, § 6 | A licence holder that outsources work stays responsible for it |
Moderation
The Act does not define moderation in numbers. It is an overall assessment of tone, volume and context. In practice, for comparison content, it means describing what an operator offers without urging the reader to play, without suggesting gambling solves problems and without urgency tactics such as countdowns or “last chance” framing. Marketing contrary to the moderation rule is treated as unfair to consumers under the Marketing Act (Ch. 15, § 4).
Age and support information
Every commercial communication about gambling must state the minimum age clearly. Outside radio, it must also give contact details for an organisation that supports people with gambling problems. On Swedish affiliate sites, this is usually an 18+ marker and a link to Stödlinjen, the national support line, placed next to each offer rather than only in the footer.
Spelpaus
Spelpaus.se is the national self-exclusion register. Licence holders must check it, and marketing may not be aimed directly at players registered in it. For affiliates, this matters most in email and SMS. An affiliate that runs a mailing list on behalf of operators needs a way to keep self-excluded people out of it, and the operator needs to know how that is done before allowing it.
The first-bonus rule
A bonus is defined broadly in the Act as “a discount or similar financial incentive that is directly linked to the gambling” (Ch. 2). Licence holders may only offer a bonus on the first occasion a player gambles with them. Reload offers, cashback and loyalty rewards with monetary value are therefore not something an affiliate can promote for a Swedish licence holder. Comparison content in Sweden focuses on the welcome offer, its wagering terms and everything else a player can compare.
Unlicensed gambling
Promoting unlicensed gambling to Swedish players in a professional context is prohibited, and intentional or grossly negligent promotion can be punished under Ch. 19, § 2. For an affiliate, this means a Swedish-facing site should list only operators that appear in the Spelinspektionen licence directory. For an operator, it means checking that your affiliates are not sending Swedish traffic to unlicensed brands alongside yours.
What this means for affiliate content
The rules reward comparison over persuasion. A player who searches for something specific, such as casinos with BankID login or how casino winnings are taxed, wants a factual answer and a list of licensed operators that fit. Content built that way meets the moderation requirement and converts players who already know what they are looking for.
A compliant Swedish casino listing usually includes:
- The operator’s name and that it holds a Swedish licence
- The welcome offer with wagering requirement, minimum deposit and validity period next to it
- 18+ and a link to Stödlinjen beside the offer
- Practical facts: payment methods, withdrawal times, login method, game range
- Neutral wording, with no promises of winnings and no urgency
Checklist for operators reviewing a Swedish affiliate
- Every operator listed holds a Swedish licence
- Offer pages state minimum age and a support contact
- Only first-deposit bonuses are promoted
- Bonus terms are shown with the offer
- Tone is moderate, with no content aimed at under-18s
- Email or SMS lists exclude players registered in Spelpaus
- The contract gives you the right to require changes and to terminate for breaches
Primestake in Sweden
Primestake’s sites are written for Swedish players choosing between casinos licensed by Spelinspektionen, with bonus terms, 18+ and Stödlinjen next to every offer. See working with Primestake as a licensed operator.