The current ban will be expanded to include more restrictions for licensees.

Sweden.- The government proposed a new expanded ban on gambling on credit. The new restrictions, which would come into force on April 1 2026, would prohibit licensees and gaming agents from participating in the financing of gambling with credit.

Licenssess would not be allowed to enable players to enter into credit agreements with other parties when making purchases, for example by linking to credit providers in connection with online gaming. They would also be prohited from accepting bets if they know that the player is financing the bet, or their gambling in general, with credit.

Both retail and online gambling operators would have to make sure that they do not accept credit card payments if it is immediately apparent at the time of purchase that the payment is by credit card.

The government said the proposal is intended to create a safer and more sustainable gambling market by reducing the risk of over-indebtedness and protecting consumers from ending up in financial difficulties.

Swedish gambling regulator cracks down on Twitch influencers

Meanwhile, the Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has taken action against influencers found promoting unauthorised gambling on the streaming platform Twitch. It says several several influencers were placed under supervision to ensure compliance as part of an ongoing initiative aimed at curbing illicit gambling advertisements.

The regulator said the influencers under scrutiny have ceased all activities related to marketing illegal gambling. Under Sweden’s Gambling Act of 2018, marketing gambling services to Swedish consumers is prohibited unless the operator possesses a valid licence. Twitch has been identified as particular concern due to its popularity among younger audiences.

The regulator said: “The Swedish Gambling Authority’s operational plan for 2025 states that young people’s gambling and illegal gambling will be the focus of the authority’s supervision. The Swedish Gambling Authority will also continue to supervise influencers and other actors who conduct or promote illegal gambling under the Gambling Act.”

Earlier this week, Spelinspektionen issued a banning order against the online casino operator Simba. It said it had found three of the operator’s brands to be targeting the Swedish market without a licence.

The regulator said Simba’s Betblast, SlotMonster and FoxyGold dotcom sites preselectied Sweden’s country code when it tried to register from a Swedish IP address. It also found marketing for Betblast and SlotMonster on Swedish-language affiliate websites and advertising platforms, while FoxyGold was promoted by a content creator on the streaming site Twitch.

Simba is based in Curaçao. It’s the latest in a regular stream of operators to be hit with banning orders from the Swedish gambling regulator – many of them licensed on the Dutch Caribbean island. Last month, Spelinspektionen issued orders against EOD Code SRL, Igloo Ventures SRL and MIBS NV and in April it banned Newera Frozen PTE Limited, Aprodi Limited and Galaktika NV.t. Promotion on Twitch was also cited in some of those cases.