4 Different Swedish Laws

Breaking the law is something most of us try to avoid as much as possible. However, there are times and situations when you don’t really know what applies and what a specific action might lead to later. Here, in collaboration with one of our partners, we have compiled a list of 4 strange Swedish laws that you might want to remember!

There may also be some myths about what is illegal and what is not. Sometimes it’s better to read first than to guess what exactly applies to you. Check out our tips below!

Swedish Gambling License and Unlicensed Casinos

In 2019, Sweden introduced a new gambling law, which means, among other things, that all casinos and gambling companies that want to be active on the Swedish market must have a Swedish gambling license. It is issued by the Swedish Gambling Authority and includes many different rules and laws that must be followed. Many people believe that the new Swedish license means that the player has to stick to Swedish casinos, but that is not the case, even if the Swedish government would prefer it. The growing popularity of online gaming is driving the growth of the subscription gaming market read this source.

There are still foreign casinos without a Swedish license that are open to Swedish players, but the fact is that most foreign casinos are open to Swedes. However, not all of these casinos are the best sites for Swedish players.

Swedish Licensed Casino vs. Non-Swedish Licensed Casino

Swedish Licensed Casino:

• Registration and Verification with BankID
• Fast Deposits/Withdrawals, e.g. via Trustly
• Maximum 1 Welcome Bonus per Person
• No VIP Bonuses
• Game Break

Non-Swedish Licensed Casino:

• More Payment Methods
• More and More Bonuses
• More Game Selection
• VIP Bonuses
• More Game Developers

Slander Doesn't Have to Be False Statements

Slander is something that is being talked about quite a lot in various legal contexts these days. There are remnants of the Me Too movement in 2017, where many men were hanged, and there are also major celebrity trials going on in the US right now that are getting a lot of attention due to defamation.

But what does defamation mean in Sweden, and does it have to be a false statement to be considered defamation? No, the fact is that a statement does not have to be false to be considered defamation under the law.

It is enough that your goal is to somehow damage the reputation of the person in question. An example is politician Ebba Bush Thor, who was reported and convicted of the crime of defamation during a legal dispute with a homeowner in the summer of 2021. So Ebba herself did not make false statements, but intended to damage the homeowner's reputation.

Also read: What makes a casino truly crypto-friendly in 2025?

Prison escape is completely legal

It may sound crazy, but prison escape is actually not illegal. You will not be punished more for attempting or succeeding in escaping from prison. Avoiding prison is also not illegal, but it can be quite difficult, and usually results in you having to deal with the problem anyway.

No additional time is added to the sentence for escaping. However, the sentence is postponed until the person is recaptured. Thus, there is no advantage to attempting an escape. It is also not illegal to keep a prison escapee in your possession if they are a member of your family. However, if they are someone who is not related to you, this may be a punishment.

Private sales may require declaration

Selling old items is often a good way to make some extra money from quick deals through flea markets, Blocket, Facebook or something else. Cleaning your house can result in many new thousands of shillings in your wallet. But is it worth just trying? Aren't there some rules about how much you can sell without paying tax, for example?

Well, there are rules. The Swedish Tax Agency is not exactly lazy. If you have sold things during the year for more than 50,000 Swedish kronor, you may have to declare this income and pay tax on it. As long as you stay below this amount throughout the year, you don’t need to worry about taxes.

Keep in mind that many small flows can quickly grow into large amounts that you won’t actually be able to control throughout the year. If you want to learn more about taxes and declarations, you can visit the Swedish Tax Agency’s website.