It’s the biggest shake up the Swedish betting industry has seen in decades.

As of this year Swedish law will now require every betting company who wishes to ply its trade in Sweden to hold a licence, and betting sites who don’t will be barred from conducting business on the Swedish market.

The move towards a betting licence system represents a distinctive shift towards a more open arrangement seen in the likes of the UK, bringing an end to SvenskaSpel’s monopoly over the Swedish betting market.  

What does it mean for the punter?

As with fundamental shifts in any industry there are going to be pros and cons, but the Swedish punter and all those living in Sweden stand to gain a lot from the new Swedish licence system.

The pros greatly outweigh the cons. First off, you can be assured that only the most trustworthy and reputable betting sites will be awarded a licence. The new licencing system will not only make it safer for Swedish punters, but licenced betting sites will seek to assume greater responsibility for their customers.

What are some of the best betting sites with a Swedish licence?

The good news is that some of the biggest betting sites have already applied for and been granted a Swedish betting licence. The likes of bet365, Betfair, betway and Unibet are open to Swedish punters.

For those who read Swedish you can find a full list of Swedish bookmakers at Sweden’s foremost betting community Bettingstugan.se. You’ll also find full reviews for every betting site on the Swedish market.

Can I still place bets with companies who don’t have a Swedish licence?

As of yet it’s still unclear what the relationship between foreign betting sites who don’t currently hold a Swedish licence and Swedish punters will be.

In Norway where they’ve tried to protect the national betting monopoly Norwegian banks are held liable for allowing transactions to occur between native players and foreign betting companies. How it will be enforced in Sweden is as of yet unclear.

For a comprehensive overview of UK licensed bookmakers visit BookiesBonuses.com who have a full range of deposit bonuses, welcome offers and promotions.

What can I expect from Swedish licensed betting sites?

The basic principle behind removing the betting monopoly in Sweden and moving towards a licence system is to enable Swedish punters to have better control over their own betting.

First off you’ll able to continue to play tax free, so no worries there. Rather now licensed betting sites will be responsible for paying tax to the Swedish state to the tune of 18%. Revenue that previously would have been taxed off shore will now remain in Sweden which can only be a good thing.

To be honest you can expect all same benefits that you’ve previously enjoyed if you’ve played with a UK licensed betting site or a site based outside of Sweden. Competitive odds, a wide range of betting markets and welcome offers will all be available to Swedish punters.

Visit BetBlazers.com to see an example of a common deposit bonus you may be eligible for when you sign up to a Swedish licensed betting site as well as a range of betting guides and reviews to keep you in the loop.