Sweden Traces Offshore Casino Reach to Affiliate Networks
According to Spelinspektionen, most gambling marketing seen in Sweden concerns operators with a Swedish licence. Unlicensed gambling advertising is particularly prominent in certain digital environments, including livestreaming platforms and some social media channels.
Affiliate Chains Hide the First Contact
Searches for phrases like “casinos without a Swedish license” or “casinos without Spelpaus” can lead users to hundreds of affiliate sites. Certain domains may remain active for only a few months while attracting thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands, of Swedish visitors. Some affiliate links pass through chains of Swedish- and English-language websites before reaching an unlicensed gambling site.
This structure can make it difficult to identify who is responsible for the marketing. Affiliate networks tend to be anonymous, and the short-term domains are easy to replace once the traffic drops or the scrutiny begins.
The regulator discovered the sponsored articles that were trying to look like news pieces. Over 200 such articles came out in 2024 on Swedish language websites, including those run by local newspapers.
Promoters Become the Enforcement Target
Swedish authorities addressed eleven cases relating to illegal promotion of gambling in 2025. Six cases pertained to influencers while five were related to advertising banners. In all concluded cases, the marketing campaign that was notified by the authority ceased.
It is linked to the practical difference between marketers and operators working offshore. Many marketing actors operate from Swedish territory, making it easier to serve notices and enforce penalty orders. The regulator also worked in collaboration with digital platforms. Twitch removed gambling marketing after receiving evidence from one completed case.
Criminal proceedings have added another dimension to the matter. In March 2026, an influencer was sentenced to imprisonment for a period of one year and ten months for several offenses and the promotion of unlawful gambling. Spelinspektionen said it was the first conviction of an influencer for such promotion and the first Swedish conviction in which the promoted activity involved online gambling.
New Tools Complicate Detection
Ads on Meta’s platforms have used deepfakes of Swedish public figures, including politicians, athletes, news anchors and influencers, without their consent. Unlicensed gambling sites also use redirect links and false ad classifications to bypass publishers’ blocking systems.
The next blind spot is through private channels. Affiliate links, deposit methods, and instructions for bypassing geographic restrictions are shared in some Discord groups. Some unsolicited SMS campaigns also advertise the ability to gamble despite self-exclusion through Spelpaus.
Legal Scope Remains the Main Gap
Current law largely depends on whether an operator targets the Swedish market. The ministry memorandum Ds 2025:23 proposes replacing this test with a participation-based criterion. Under the proposal, online gambling would be considered supplied in Sweden when people located in the country can participate. The changes are proposed to take effect on January 1, 2027.
The enforcement results show that action against promoters can remove individual campaigns. The larger problem is access. Unless the legal scope changes, internationally marketed casinos may keep attracting Swedish traffic without clearly addressing Sweden. That leaves affiliates, publishers, and digital platforms as the regulator’s most reachable pressure points.