Spelinspektionen bans Claymore Malta for unlicensed gambling operations in Sweden

• Spelinspektionen prohibited Claymore Malta Ltd from offering gambling services to Swedish customers after finding the operator provided games without a Swedish licence.
• A test purchase revealed no access restrictions for Swedish users on ibet.com, with the Swedish country code preselected during registration from local IP addresses.
• The decision follows a sustained enforcement campaign by Sweden’s regulator throughout 2025, with multiple unlicensed operators banned for targeting Swedish players.

Spelinspektionen has barred Claymore Malta Ltd from offering gambling services to Swedish customers after an investigation revealed the Malta-based operator provided games without the required Swedish licence.

The regulator announced the decision on 8 January, following an inspection of the company’s ibet.com website.

The Swedish gambling authority conducted its review between 1 and 8 December 2025. During this period, Spelinspektionen carried out a test purchase on ibet.com and found no technical systems preventing Swedish customers from accessing or using the gambling services.

No access controls implemented for Swedish market

The investigation revealed that the Swedish country code was preselected when users registered on ibet.com from a Swedish IP address. Spelinspektionen stated this lowered barriers for Swedish customers and made registration easier for local players.

Licensed operators in Sweden must have effective controls to prevent access from jurisdictions where they lack authorisation. The regulator emphasised that Claymore Malta failed to implement such measures despite operating without a Swedish licence.

The authority also discovered marketing activities targeted at Swedish consumers, including promotions by Swedish-speaking content creators on video streaming platforms and advertisements on Swedish-language websites. These efforts increased visibility of the unlicensed gambling offer amongst Swedish players.

Under Swedish law, gambling companies must hold a valid licence to market or provide gambling services to players in the country. Claymore Malta Ltd operates another gambling website, arcticcasino.com, which was included in the assessment of the company’s activities.

Operator response fails to satisfy regulator

In a statement received by Spelinspektionen on 12 December 2025, Claymore Malta Ltd said it had taken steps to address the regulator’s concerns. The company reported stopping direct marketing via SMS to Swedish customers, removing Swedish-language content from ibet.com, and ending affiliate marketing activities targeting Sweden.

However, Spelinspektionen concluded its findings showed marketing aimed at Swedish consumers remained ongoing. Based on this assessment, the regulator determined Claymore had not taken sufficient action to prevent access from Sweden.

The decision comes as Spelinspektionen seeks additional powers to tackle unlicensed gambling operators. A government-commissioned review of the Swedish Gambling Act of 2018 concluded last year and proposed changes to the current framework.

Legislative reform proposes participant-based approach

The review recommended removing the directional criterion. Under existing rules, only online gambling specifically aimed at the Swedish market falls under the law. The proposal would shift to a participant-based approach.

Under that model, the question would be whether people located in Sweden can take part in the gambling offer. To avoid falling under the Gambling Act, operators would need to take appropriate and effective measures to block participation from Sweden, including geoblocking and other technical restrictions.

Spelinspektionen stated the proposed change would make it easier to act against unlicensed gambling companies and improve consumer protection in Sweden’s gambling market.

Sustained enforcement throughout 2025

The Claymore Malta ban caps a year of intensive regulatory activity by Spelinspektionen. The authority pursued a multi-pronged approach combining enforcement actions, leadership transitions, and legislative reforms to strengthen Sweden’s gambling framework.

In November 2025, the regulator issued a prohibition against CGG Entertainment Ltd for offering unlicensed gambling products via the cases.gg platform. The regulator found the company failed to implement measures preventing Swedish residents from accessing games, with users able to register directly from Sweden and the website available in Swedish.

In September 2025, Spelinspektionen banned two operators, Bitx Operations and Ryker, for illegally targeting Swedish players without necessary gaming licences. Investigations revealed both operators used Swedish-language marketing and presented services specifically aimed at Swedish players, with websites defaulting to Sweden during registration.

Sweden’s regulated gambling market achieved an overall channelisation rate of 85% in 2024, representing play through licensed operators. This fell short of the government’s 90% target.

Leadership changes and policy reforms

September 2025 brought leadership changes at Spelinspektionen. Director-General Camilla Rosenberg, who led the authority since 2017, announced her departure effective 31 October 2025 to take up a new government role leading the Swedish Real Estate Agents’ Inspectorate.

Rosenberg guided the regulator through Sweden’s landmark gambling reform in 2019, which introduced a licensed online market. Prior to the licensing system’s implementation on 1 January 2019, less than half of gambling activity took place with licensed operators.

Johan Röhr, who served as Spelinspektionen’s chief legal counsel for nearly 25 years, was appointed acting director effective 1 November 2025. Spelinspektionen chairman Claes Norgren stated that Röhr would ensure continuity in management whilst the government searches for a permanent replacement.

In late September 2025, the Swedish government formally adopted comprehensive legislation banning all forms of credit-financed gambling through Proposition 2025/26:11, scheduled to take effect 1 April 2026. The new rules prohibit operators from accepting credit card payments and facilitating third-party lending for gambling stakes.

Finance Minister Niklas Wykman stated that players “simply should not bet with borrowed money.” Survey data shows approximately 60 per cent of licensed gambling operators currently accept credit cards as payment options.

In December 2025, Erik Eldhagen was officially appointed as state secretary to the Ministry of Finance, tasked with overseeing gambling regulation effective 1 December 2025. Alongside gambling regulation, Eldhagen’s portfolio includes responsibility for financial markets and state properties.

The gambling sector generated €638 million in revenue in Q2 2025, according to data published by Spelinspektionen. The sector continues to face challenges from unlicensed operators who exploit regulatory gaps, prompting the sustained enforcement campaign and proposed legislative reforms.