Sweden to Ban Credit-Funded Gambling from April 2026

Sweden is preparing to enforce a ban on gambling financed through credit starting in April 2026, as the Ministry of Finance has submitted a bill to parliament prohibiting licensees and gambling operators from allowing or facilitating credit-based betting. The ministry stated, “The purpose of the new regulation is to prevent indebtedness due to gambling for money.” Under the proposed legislation, operators will be required to implement appropriate measures to prevent the use of credit across all forms of licensed gambling.

The announcement comes amid reports that Sweden’s gambling channelisation rate fell to 85% in 2024. The legislative amendment, which is expected to take effect on 1 April 2026 pending parliamentary approval, aligns with a wider European trend of tightening consumer protection rules within the gambling sector.

Although Sweden’s regulatory framework has long prohibited operators from directly extending credit to customers, the new law introduces additional obligations to actively prevent third-party credit from being used for gambling purposes. When Sweden re-regulated its gambling market six years ago, credit card payments were banned. However, the restriction was limited, leaving avenues such as buy-now-pay-later products and overdrafts that allowed credit-funded betting to persist.

Consumer advocacy groups and regulators have noted that this regulatory gap failed to adequately protect vulnerable players, prompting a government inquiry. The resulting report, known as the ‘Överskuldsättningsutredningen,’ identified a clear connection between gambling-related debt and long-term financial harm.

Under the new rules, licensed operators will need to ensure that no customer funds used for gambling originate from credit facilities. Measures will include blocking credit cards as a payment option, using real-time monitoring to detect potential credit use, refusing transactions that indicate borrowed funds, and applying a duty of care when players demonstrate risky financial behaviour.

Enforcement will fall under Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, which will collaborate with the financial supervisory authority and the consumer agency to manage financial oversight, responsible gambling standards, and consumer protection. The coordinated effort is designed to reduce the risk of indebtedness and strengthen safeguards for players across the Swedish gambling market.

By fLEXI tEAM