Credit transactions in gambling to end in Sweden by April 2026

Sweden’s gambling sector is preparing for new restrictions from April 2026, when operators will be prohibited from processing any gambling-related credit transactions, closing loopholes that previously allowed players to use borrowed money to gamble.

The bill, published by the Swedish government, confirms that licensed operators and gambling agents will no longer be able to handle payments involving credit cards, bank loans, overdrafts, or other forms of borrowed funds. The legislation requires licensees to implement measures preventing credit use in gambling, including blocking card payments and avoiding promotion of third-party lending.

Certain exceptions may apply. Regulator Spelinspektionen could grant exemptions for operators running gambling activities for public benefit, such as charity lotteries.

Regulatory oversight and enforcement

Once the law takes effect on April 1, 2026, Spelinspektionen will oversee enforcement. It will be supported by Finansinspektionen, Sweden’s financial supervisory authority, and Konsumentverket, the national consumer agency.

Operators that fail to comply could face suspensions, financial penalties or, in more severe cases, license revocations.

Debt and public health concerns

The legislation was presented against a backdrop of growing concern about gambling-related debt. The government referenced the Överskuldsättningsutredningen, an inquiry into credit use and over-indebtedness, as a basis for the measure.

Kronofogden, Sweden’s Enforcement Authority, reported that consumer debt in the country reached a record SEK138 billion ($14.7 billion) in January 2025.

The bill also cited findings from the Public Health Agency’s “Health on Equal Opportunities” survey. The study found that 3% to 4% of Swedes aged 16 to 84 reported gambling problems, with 40% of those cases involving slot machine and casino game players.

“The requirements shall apply to all forms of gambling subject to licensing and regardless of how the game is provided,” the government said.

Legislative path and related measures

Sweden first introduced restrictions on gambling credit in 2019, but earlier efforts to extend the ban were unsuccessful. In 2024, the government proposed similar legislation, focusing on external credit, though the bill did not pass following concerns over how “credit” was defined.

Spelinspektionen had supported those efforts, having previously called for a complete ban on credit card gambling.

Separately, the government recently issued a memorandum updating the Gambling Act to block unlicensed operators. That update targeted companies that had reached Swedish players through English-language platforms and transactions conducted in euros rather than the local currency.