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On June 16, 2026, Sweden's Court of Appeal (Kammarrätten) upheld the Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) decision to reject a licence application for bingo terminals in retail locations. The court determined that bingo terminals are not appropriate for kiosks and similar environments primarily designed for purposes other than gambling. The Gambling Authority rejected the application on March 21, 2024, after an association sought to operate bingo terminals across 297 retail locations. The Administrative Court (Förvaltningsrätten) initially overturned the Gambling Authority's decision, but the Court of Appeal has now reversed this ruling and reinstated the original rejection. The Court of Appeal reasoned that Sweden's Gambling Act (Spellagen) constitutes restrictive prohibition legislation that expresses a cautious approach to self-service gaming terminals, including bingo terminals. The court concluded it is inappropriate from a public interest perspective to permit bingo gaming in kiosks and comparable retail environments where gaming is not the primary purpose. This decision reinforces the regulatory framework limiting where bingo terminals can be lawfully operated in Sweden, restricting them to traditional bingo halls rather than ancillary retail spaces. The ruling establishes precedent for future licence applications involving self-service gaming terminals in non-dedicated gaming venues.

On June 16, 2026, the Administrative Court of Appeal upheld the Swedish Gambling Authority's decision to reject an application to offer bingo games through bingo terminals at 297 gaming locations situated in retail premises. The Swedish Gambling Authority had rejected the application on March 21, 2024, finding that it was not appropriate from a general perspective to offer bingo through self-service terminals outside traditional bingo halls. The Administrative Court subsequently overturned the regulator's decision and ruled in favour of the applicant. The Administrative Court of Appeal has now reversed the lower court's judgment and reinstated the Swedish Gambling Authority's decision. In its reasoning, the court noted that the Gambling Act is based on a restrictive regulatory framework and reflects a cautious approach to the use of self-service gaming terminals. The court concluded that it is not appropriate, from a general perspective, to permit bingo terminals in kiosks and similar retail environments that are primarily intended for purposes other than gambling. As a result, the licence application was lawfully rejected. The ruling provides further clarification on how Swedish courts interpret the suitability requirements applicable to land-based gambling offerings and reinforces the regulator's restrictive approach to the placement of bingo terminals outside dedicated gambling venues.

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Sweden's Court of Appeal Upholds Ban on Bingo Terminals in Kiosks and Retail Environments

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Swedish appeal court upholds rejection of bingo terminal licence application