Casino Game Providers in Sweden to Seek Government's B2B Approval

Spelinspektionen (SGA/Swedish Gambling Authority) has officially introduced new regulations in the country's iGaming scene. As of July 1, 2023, all providers of live online casino games must seek approval from the regulatory body before distributing their games in Sweden. 

The new regulations will prevent legal gambling sites in Sweden from partnering with unregulated game suppliers. Previously, only gambling operators were required to seek a permit from the Swedish Gambling Authority. 

Last year, Sweden announced that all interested game providers started applying for B2B licenses from March 2023. The government said the software license requirement would officially become part of the Gambling Act by July 1, 2023. All legal companies looking to provide their gaming products in Sweden were eligible for the license. The services include:

• Online slots
• Live casino games
• Poker
• Sports betting
• RNG games

While announcing this move in September last year, the SGA said:

"The purpose of the license requirement for gaming software is to discourage illegal gambling. Unlicensed game operators must not be able to use suppliers who manufacture, provide, install and/or change game software for game operators who have a license in Sweden."

Before June 1, the Swedish Gambling Authority had licensed more than 141 game providers to supply their games in Sweden legally. Below are the prominent companies who have successfully acquired the permit:

• NetEnt
• Evolution Gaming
• Quickspin
• Play'n G
• Yggdrasil
• Nolimit City
• Push Gaming
• Relax Gaming
• Elk Studios
• Wazdan
• Hacksaw Studios
• Thunderkick
• Big Time Gaming
• Authentic Gaming

But all hope isn't lost for game providers yet to secure the SGA license. The regulator anticipates handing out more licenses in the next few months after thorough vetting to ensure all the services are of the highest quality. This will give gamers even more choices. 

CasinoRank advises online gamblers to only play at casinos with legit licenses for their safety. Unfortunately, several unlicensed operators still lure players in Sweden and other countries by offering irresistible bonuses and promotions. But with this new regulation, the Swedish iGaming market is bound to be safer for all parties involved.