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On April 30, 2026, Sweden's Gambling Regulator (Spelinspektionen) announced that an expanded credit prohibition will enter into force on May 1, 2026. The ban aims to prevent debt accumulation among gambling consumers by prohibiting licensed operators and gambling agents from permitting or facilitating the financing of gambling with credit. The expanded credit ban applies to all licensed gambling forms regardless of distribution method. Licensed operators and gambling agents must not offer or provide credit for gambling stakes, nor facilitate third-party credit provision—including through links to lenders or loan brokers on their websites. The ban covers all types of credit, including credit cards, bank loans, invoicing arrangements, and loans from acquaintances. Licensed operators and gambling agents must implement appropriate measures to prevent credit-financed gambling. For land-based gambling, operators must block credit cards at payment terminals and display accessible information about the prohibition. For online gambling, operators must block credit cards as a payment option, prevent links to lenders or loan brokers, and ensure e-wallet payments do not utilise credit. Gambling agents selling in physical locations must train staff to refuse transactions when credit payment is apparent. The ban does not target consumers; operators bear responsibility for preventing credit-financed gambling. Consumers face no sanctions from Spelinspektionen for gambling on credit, though doing so carries increased risks of problem gambling and over-indebtedness. Spelinspektionen may grant exemptions for public-benefit lotteries under specific conditions, provided total credit does not exceed 1,480 Swedish kronor annually. REFERENCES: Spelinspektionen. (2026, April 30). Utökat kreditförbud träder i kraft den 1 maj. Retrieved from https://www.spelinspektionen.se/