Regulatory Findings Outline Methods Used by Unlicensed Operators in Sweden
A report published online on Monday by Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, maps out the diverse platforms and marketing strategies utilized by unlicensed gambling operators within the Swedish market. The findings highlight widespread promotion via livestreaming networks, affiliate link farms, hidden banners, social media channels, and emerging technologies.
Affiliate Networks and Livestreaming Channels
Spelinspektionen identified affiliate marketing networks and link farms as primary channels redirecting search traffic toward unlicensed casinos. Many of these affiliate domains operate briefly, serving thousands of Swedish IP addresses, before disappearing and reappearing under new domains. Additionally, brand-specific landing pages utilize Swedish (.se) domains to mask operator jurisdictions while directing local players to English-language gambling sites.
Livestreaming services such as Twitch and Kick serve as environments where influencers distribute promotional codes and affiliate links alongside interactive features like leaderboards and giveaways. Although Twitch has banned several unlicensed sites, Kick has emerged as an alternative platform for those previously removed. While enforcement actions have reduced major influencer promotions, some creators have shifted focus toward international audiences or alternative platforms.
Social Media, Emerging Tech, and Self-Regulation Concerns
Social media giants including Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and X have been leveraged to spread sponsored posts, undisclosed promotions, and affiliate links. Regulators noted particular concern over English-language comedy and influencer accounts pivoting to Swedish-language content, alongside the deployment of deepfakes featuring Swedish public figures to falsely legitimize advertisements.
The regulator also observed unlicensed casino banners hidden behind paywalls or displayed only at specific times on Swedish websites. Spelinspektionen warned that AI-based tools and programmatic advertising are enabling advertisers to bypass publisher blacklists and obscure campaign objectives. Furthermore, SMS campaigns frequently targeted Spelpaus self-excluded individuals with repeated messages.
To counter self-exclusion evasion, new regulations tightening technical requirements for Spelpaus are set to take effect on August 1st, featuring tighter verification, unique IDs for license holders, and marketing-related checks. The national self-exclusion register was previously updated in 2023 to provide easier guidance and allow players to extend exclusion periods. Meanwhile, encrypted messaging channels like Telegram are utilized to disseminate links and organize giveaways, and skin-betting and crypto-casino sponsors actively target young audiences within esports.
Enforcement Actions and Legal Precedents
In 2025, Spelinspektionen opened multiple cases related to banner advertising and influencer promotions, noting that offending campaigns ceased following enforcement actions. Influencers remain a primary focus due to their high reach among younger demographics.
Under Sweden’s Gambling Act, promoting gambling without a license constitutes a criminal offense. Highlighting this enforcement, a March 2026 criminal conviction saw an influencer sentenced to 22 months in prison for economic crimes coupled with illegal gambling promotion, marking the first known online gambling promotion criminal sentence in Sweden.
Broader international and regulatory pressures are also shifting. The proposed EU Digital Fairness Act (DFA), scheduled to take effect later this year, may introduce stricter rules on targeted advertising and influencer restrictions. Meanwhile, influencer marketing remains a point of regulatory contention across Europe, mirrored by a cross-party coalition of UK MPs and peers earlier this year urging the UK government to implement specific restrictions on influencer gambling ads.
