Unlicensed casinos

What does “unlicensed casino” mean for players in Sweden?

An unlicensed casino, in everyday Swedish usage, is a casino without a Swedish licence from Spelinspektionen, not a casino without any licence. The term describes the absence of that particular licence rather than the absence of licensing altogether. Swedish speakers call the same thing casino utan svensk licens; our Swedish version uses the term olicensierade casinon. That distinction helps explain why a casino described as “unlicensed” can still name a foreign licensing authority.

Foreign licences fall into two groups: EU licences and licences from outside the EU. EU authorities include the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Estonia’s Tax and Customs Board (EMTA). Outside the EU, licences come from Curaçao, Anjouan and the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission in Canada. For example, Scarawins names MGA as its regulator, while GrandX holds an EMTA licence. JustCasino is licensed in Curaçao.

A casino with no licence anywhere names no regulator and no licence number. Every casino we list names its regulator, so “unlicensed casino” should not be read as “unregulated everywhere” when used here.

Which licences do the casinos in our register hold?

Of the 36 casinos in our register on 6 November 2026, 24 hold an EU licence: 18 from the Malta Gaming Authority and 6 from Estonia's EMTA. A foreign casino licence determines which regulator a casino answers to and where complaints about the operator go. For a comparison of these authorities and those outside the EU, see our Swedish guide, licenser jämförelse.

The other 12 casinos are licensed outside the EU: 8 in Curaçao, 3 in Anjouan and 1 by the Kahnawà:ke Gaming Commission. LocoWin is the casino holding the Kahnawà:ke licence, through its operator Starscream Ltd. Every casino in our register names a licensing authority, and the table below shows how many hold each licence. A licence says nothing about how strict the bonus terms are; if you prefer not to take a bonus, our guide to playing without a bonus covers that option.

How do you check a casino's licence yourself?

You check a casino licence by matching the company and licence number in the casino’s footer against the regulator’s own register. These registers are public: use the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) licensee register, cert.cga.cw for Curaçao, the Estonian Tax and Customs Board (EMTA) list of legal gambling operators, or the permit holder list in Kahnawake. Compare the details with the entry for the company named in the footer. For example, chalkwins.com was listed as Licensed in the MGA register on 28 October 2026 under L.C.S Limited, with licence number MGA/B2C/233/2013.

We run the same check for every casino in our register, as described on our about page. If you spot a licence number that has changed, tell us. For a guided check, use our Swedish licence checker, kolla casinots licens, and follow the steps below to compare the details yourself.

Four steps to check a licence

1. Scroll to the footer

   Note the company name and the licence number. A casino that targets players abroad shows both there.

2. Open the regulator's register

   MGA licences are in the Malta Gaming Authority's licensee register, Curaçao licences on cert.cga.cw, Estonian licences on EMTA's list and Kahnawake permits on the commission's permit holder list.

3. Match company and domain

   The register entry should name the same company and, where the register lists domains, the same web address you are on.

4. Compare with the terms

   The casino's terms and conditions should name the same company as the footer and the register.

Is it legal to play at unlicensed casinos, and are winnings taxed?

Yes, as a player in Sweden you may sign up and play at a casino without a Swedish licence; the Gambling Act (2018:1138) requires a Swedish licence from companies that target Sweden, and its penal provisions (chapter 3, section 7 and chapter 19, section 2) apply to those companies and anyone promoting their games, not to the player. So the short answer to “is it legal to play at unlicensed casinos” is yes, for you as a player.

According to Skatteverket, winnings are tax-free with a Swedish licence, or when the game needs no Swedish licence and targets another European Economic Area (EEA) country’s gaming market. Winnings are taxable if the game targets Sweden without a required Swedish licence, or is an online game aimed at a market outside the EEA. Tax is then 30% of net winnings — winnings minus stakes — per gambling company and calendar year. A win of SEK 100 or less is not taxed. An EU licence alone does not settle the question.

Our Swedish guide to tax on casino winnings explains these tax rules in more detail. Our guides explain the rules and are not legal or tax advice, as our terms of use state.