Sweden Bans WinBet for Illegally Targeting Local Players

Sweden’s gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has banned Curaçao-based WinBet NV from operating in the country after finding that its website, Superb.bet, illegally targeted Swedish players without a local license.

According to the regulatory authority, WinBet violated Swedish gambling laws by offering its site in Swedish and allowing transactions in Swedish Krona. The investigation revealed that when accessed from Swedish IP addresses, Superb.bet automatically defaulted to the Swedish language. Additionally, Swedish users could register and play without any restrictions, despite the operator being unlicensed in the jurisdiction.

 

Aspect	Details
Operator	WinBet NV
Website	Superb.bet
Violation	Targeting Swedish players without a license
Key Issues	Swedish language site, Krona transactions, no local license
Regulator	Spelinspektionen (Sweden)
Previous Action	Warned by Dutch Kansspelautoriteit in 2024
Ban Status	Ban effective immediately

 

Swedish law prohibits unlicensed operators from targeting local players. This includes offering content in Swedish or using region-specific payment options. Spelinspektionen concluded that WinBet met several of these criteria and thus was operating unlawfully. The regulator gave WinBet a chance to respond before issuing the ban, but the company failed to provide any comment or rebuttal. The ban takes immediate effect.

This is not the first time WinBet NV has come under regulatory scrutiny. In October 2024, the Dutch gambling authority, Kansspelautoriteit, warned the operator for offering illegal online gambling through four websites, including Superb1.bet and Galaxyspins.com. The company was threatened with a weekly fine of €280,000, capped at €840,000, unless it withdrew its unlicensed offerings from the Netherlands.

While WinBet faces a ban, three other operators — ATG, Svenska Spel Sport & Casino, and Lotto Direct — have been cleared by Spelinspektionen following compliance reviews. The regulator initiated enhanced oversight of the trio in June, focusing on reporting obligations. All were found to be operating within regulatory requirements.

 

WinBet NV’s operation of Superb.bet without a Swedish licence, while targeting Swedish players through language and payment methods, violates our gambling laws and will not be tolerated.

 

Context and Implications

Sweden’s Gambling Act, in force since January 2019, requires any company targeting Swedish consumers to hold a license from Spelinspektionen. The recent action against WinBet highlights the authority's continued efforts to enforce this framework, particularly against international operators using local-language sites or payment systems to attract Swedish users.

The ban adds to a growing list of enforcement measures as regulators across Europe work to tighten oversight in their respective markets. For international operators like WinBet, the message is clear: local compliance is not optional.