Swedes are passionate about esports and Sweden has a long history in this industry. At the same time, this country hasn't regulated esports until now. If you are exploring esports opportunities in Sweden, continue reading this article.
Esports in Sweden
There is a long and rich history of esports in Sweden. Although it is not legally recognized as a sport, Swedes are among the most ardent esports enthusiasts.
The country is home to DreamHack, the largest LAN party and computer festival in the world. DreamHack's enormous LAN parties began in the 1990s and helped esports evolve from a community of enthusiasts to professional esports events. As a result, fans now travel from all over the world to attend.
Some of the biggest esports stars in the world are from Sweden. One of the most popular esports games in Sweden is CS: GO, and the nation has produced some of the most well-known pro players in the game. Players like Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg and Christopher "GeT RiGhT" Alesund were both part of the legendary Swedish Ninjas in Pyjamas team that dominated the early, formative years of the esports competition.
In 2021, the Swedish Sports Confederation decided not to include esports in its organization. As a result, the International Dota 2 Championship was moved elsewhere as players had difficulties obtaining visas.
Esports Legislation in Sweden
Betting on esports in Sweden is subject to rigorous regulations from the Swedish Gambling Authority. In 2019, the Swedish Gambling Authority passed a law where any gambling organization that offers odds on sports where the participants are under 18 is subject to fines under the regulation.
The goal of these strict laws is to shield young athletes from match-fixing. Match-fixing incidents have already harmed esports in recent years. For instance, the renowned StarCraft II player Life was given an 18-month prison term in 2016 for match-fixing.
But there is no doubt that the Swedish Gambling Authority's regulations might impede the country's booming esports industry. Although laws regarding esports betting in Sweden are strict, bettors opt to play with unlicensed casinos where there are better odds, bonuses on offer, and greater freedom.
Online Casinos in Sweden
Land-based and online casinos are both legal in Sweden. Gamblers can play casino games like slots, table games, keno and bingo, and poker, amongst others, on all Swedish gambling sites.
Bu, only players who are 18 years of age or older can access online casinos. Furthermore, the gambling sector in Sweden is highly regulated by the Swedish Gambling Authority. According to the 2019 gambling laws, no gambling company can offer its services in the Swedish market without a Swedish license.
In addition, all Swedish licensed casinos must be linked to the Spelpaus program to offer players the ability to limit their access to all Swedish casinos. The casino also has to keep track of each player's gambling history, cannot provide credit, and must have a Swedish language version of its website. Due to these limitations, many prefer playing in online casinos that are not licensed in Sweden.
Unregulated Casinos in Sweden
With strict laws in place for esports betting in Sweden, gamblers are opting for unregulated casinos. But what are these unregulated casinos in Sweden? Are they safe to join?
In Sweden, online casinos not recognized by the Swedish Gambling Authority are referred to as "unlicensed casinos." In Swedish, it's called [casinon utan svensk licens], you can read more about those here. Instead, these casinos have a license from other reputable regulatory bodies, including the Curaçao Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), and United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).
These casinos are growing in popularity because players are dissatisfied with the strict rules that the Swedish Gambling Authority has imposed on them. Some of which we have already covered above.
Furthermore, players get better value at an unlicensed casino. Casinos without a Swedish license try to ensure that players have an excellent experience on their gambling platforms by offering great promos, multiple payment options, and excellent customer support.
Popular Esports game
Here are some popular esports games that Swedes love to bet on:
- Call of Duty
- CSGO
- Dota 2
- FIFA 22
- Fortnite
- Halo
- Hearthstone
- NBA 2K
- Overwatch
- Rocket League
- SMITE
- Starcraft 2
- Street Fighter
- Warcraft
Available Betting Markets
On unlicensed casinos, here are some available betting markets for popular esports games:
- First Kill
- Winner of the game
- Biggest killing spree
- Winning team
- Headshots
- Team that wins the game
- The winning team of the round
- Number of Maps
- Champions used
- In-game events
- Winner of the game
- Kill spree
- First Blood
- Match Winner
- Most Kills
- Tournament Killer
- Most Map Kills
- Map Winner
- Tournament Winner
- Match Winner
- Highest Kills
A Promising Career
For many Swedes, esports offers a very promising career. There are now roughly 437 professional esports players active in Sweden, where online gaming is popular with 60% of the population. This pre-conditioned mentality that esports is an important part of the community inspires young people to believe that esports can be a career choice. As a result, it encourages youngsters to enter the industry and showcase their skills.
Many companies have taken notice of this growing popularity and have launched training facilities. For example, Swedish esports firm FUZED has opened a 3,000-square-meter gaming training center in Helsingborg, Sweden. This training facility will have 16 gaming rooms, 10 racing simulators, an interactive sports floor, and lounge areas. The purpose of creating such a facility is to develop new talents and FUZED will provide esports training programs and offer players three hours of free gaming time. These programs will emphasize food and exercise and show how each of these elements can improve a player's performance.
Final thoughts
Although esports is popular in Sweden, it is difficult to say if the government will recognize it as a sport. As of now, players can bet on esports through unlicensed casinos. However, ensure the casino you choose is safe by checking if it has a license from a reputable body.
