Sweden’s Riksdag has approved an amendment ending land-based casino gambling from 1 January 2026. Svenska Spel will begin winding down its final Casino Cosmopol venue in Stockholm, which it said will remain open until further notice; the company supports the decision.
The change removes the legal basis for land-based casinos and requires Svenska Spel to close its remaining venue.
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Spelinspektionen ordered Charm Entertainment AB to halt its licensed casino operations in a decision dated 1 October 2026. The regulator cited inconsistent accounts and criminal charges involving executives connected to Lucky 21 Casino AB. The measure expires on 1 April 2027 at the latest, unless a final decision supersedes it.
Charm AB has been ordered by Spelinspektionen to halt its commercial land-based casino gaming operations at once, after the regulator issued a temporary licence revocation. The regulator's decision carries the date 1 October 2026, and it stays in force while a final ruling is awaited, or at the latest through 1 April 2027.
BOS chief executive Gustaf Hoffstedt called for Sweden to rethink its gambling-market rules, including allowing competition in the lottery market and selling state-owned Svenska Spel’s commercial gambling business. He argued that the government’s approach has not made the licensed market more attractive and criticised its simultaneous restrictions on licensed operators and efforts against unlicensed companies.
Sweden’s Spelinspektionen has begun inspections of licensees that use registered gambling agents to check whether agents continue to meet statutory suitability requirements. The authority said the reviews rely on the Swedish Gambling Act and its rules on anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing; it will publish the results and any resulting decisions.
Sweden’s Spelinspektionen has opened supervision of licensees operating through authorised retail outlets, the authority said. The review covers AB Svenska Spel, AB Trav & Galopp and Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, focusing on how they check that registered representatives continue to meet legal requirements. The authority plans to publish its findings and any resulting decisions.
Sweden’s Kammarrätten overturned an administrative court ruling and upheld Spelinspektionen’s rejection of an association’s application to offer bingo at 297 retail locations. The regulator had refused the application in March 2024, citing the public interest and the unsuitability of venues primarily used for purposes other than gambling.