Swedish Regulator Blocks Claymore Malta

Swedish Regulator Blocks Claymore Malta

Sweden's gambling regulator has taken another step in its ongoing effort to limit unlicensed online gambling, issuing a formal ban against Claymore Malta Ltd. The decision follows an investigation into the operator's activities and reflects broader concerns about how offshore gambling websites continue to reach Swedish consumers despite the country's licensing framework.

Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, stated that it opened a supervisory case after identifying signs that the website ibet.com was offering gambling services to players in Sweden without holding a national licence. Under Swedish law, operators must be licensed to provide online gambling to residents, and those without approval are expected to take active measures to block access from the country.

The regulator's investigation was conducted between 1 and 8 December 2025 and included a detailed review of the website's technical setup, marketing activities, and accessibility from Sweden. One element that drew attention was the registration process on ibet.com. When accessed from a Swedish IP address, the site reportedly defaulted to Sweden's country code during account creation. While not decisive on its own, Spelinspektionen found this configuration inconsistent with the claim that the site was not intended for Swedish users.

The authority also examined how the brand was promoted online. According to its findings, ibet.com benefited from exposure through Swedish-speaking content creators on video streaming platforms and through Swedish-language websites aimed at a local audience. From the regulator's perspective, this type of promotion suggested more than incidental reach, pointing instead to deliberate visibility within Sweden.

To test whether Swedish players could actively participate, Spelinspektionen conducted a test purchase on the site. The regulator reported that it encountered no safeguards designed to prevent users located in Sweden from registering, depositing funds, or accessing games. The absence of technical barriers, such as geoblocking or location-based restrictions, was highlighted as a key compliance issue.

During the investigation, Spelinspektionen also noted that Claymore Malta operates another gambling website, arcticcasino.com. Although the ban focused on ibet.com, the regulator considered the operator's broader portfolio relevant in assessing its overall approach to regulatory obligations.

In a written response dated 12 December, Claymore Malta stated that it had taken corrective action. The company said that direct marketing via SMS to Swedish consumers had stopped, that Swedish-language content had been removed from ibet.com, and that affiliate marketing targeting Sweden had been discontinued. According to the operator, these measures were intended to address concerns raised by the regulator.

Spelinspektionen, however, disputed these claims. The authority stated that its review indicated that marketing efforts directed at Swedish consumers were still underway at the time of the investigation. This gap between the operator's statements and the regulator's observations played a role in the final decision to impose a ban, as it raised questions about whether the measures described were fully implemented or effective.

The action against Claymore Malta fits into a wider regulatory context in Sweden, where authorities have repeatedly highlighted the limits of existing legislation in dealing with unlicensed operators. Online gambling, by its nature, allows companies based outside the country to reach Swedish consumers with relative ease, often without explicitly stating that they target Sweden.

These challenges were addressed in a government-commissioned review of the Swedish Gambling Act of 2018, which concluded last year. One of the review's main proposals was to remove the so-called “directional criterion.” Under the current framework, Swedish law applies primarily to gambling services that are clearly directed at the Swedish market, a standard that can be difficult to enforce in digital environments.

The proposed change would shift the focus from intent to accessibility. Instead of assessing whether a gambling service is aimed at Sweden, regulators would consider whether people in Sweden can participate. This participant-based approach would significantly widen the scope of the law and reduce the burden on authorities to prove targeted marketing.

If implemented, such a model would place greater responsibility on unlicensed operators to actively block access from Sweden. Measures such as geoblocking and other location-based controls become essential rather than optional. Operators failing to implement these safeguards could face enforcement action even if their websites do not use Swedish language or imagery.

Spelinspektionen has publicly supported this shift, arguing that it would provide clearer legal tools to address unlicensed gambling. Cases like that of Claymore Malta illustrate the regulator's current approach, which relies on a combination of technical indicators, marketing analysis, and practical testing to establish market targeting.