Sweden extends its ban on gambling on credit to all deferred payment
From 1 May 2026 the prohibition covers not just operator credit but credit cards, invoices, buy-now-pay-later and even loans from relatives.
What happened
From 1 May 2026 Sweden widened the credit prohibition in its Gambling Act. Where the ban previously stopped an operator from extending credit to a player, it now covers all forms of deferred payment used to fund gambling - Spelinspektionen names credit cards, bank loans, paying afterwards by invoice, and loans from people close to the player. The prohibition applies to all licensed operators and to gambling intermediaries across every licensable game form. A narrow exemption remains for certain non-profit lotteries, capped at 1/40 of the price base amount (SEK 1,480 for 2026).
What it means
The point of a credit ban is to stop people gambling with money they do not have. By reaching past operator-extended credit to the payment method itself, Sweden closes the common route of funding a deposit with a credit card or a buy-now-pay-later service. In practice operators and payment intermediaries have to identify and block deferred-payment funding rather than simply refraining from lending themselves.
Who it affects
Swedish-licensed operators, the payment providers and intermediaries in their deposit flows, and players who previously topped up an account with a credit card or instalment service.
Sources
Primary sources last checked 8 August 2026.