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New regulatory updates and changes in the UK, Sweden, and the Netherlands

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Stay informed about the latest stake limits, bans, and tax increases in the Swedish, Dutch, and UK gambling industries.


For online casino players, every day can bring the unexpected, from new game creations to added regulations.

In recent weeks, gambling legislation has been updated for players in Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Here’s an update on the new bans, limitations, and other legislation impacting the online gambling industry in these regions.

Sweden bans credit card gambling

The Swedish gambling authority, Spelinspektionen, recently approved a ban on credit card gambling. The government measure prohibits gambling using credit cards. While the ban has been under discussion for months, it’s finally gained official support.

The Spelinspektionen Director General, Camilla Rosenberg, states that they believe the ban on gambling with credit cards should be applied universally, covering all gambling forms. They also suggested that there must be an option to grant exceptions in certain cases.

The Swedish Trade Association (BOS) criticises the ban, arguing that it will have a severe impact on the legal gambling market and operators in Sweden. Despite this, the ban has been given the green light. With this credit card gambling ban, Sweden joins other modern regulated markets like Australia, Ireland, Norway, and the UK, which all have a ban on credit card gambling.

The authority has been busy cracking down on unlicensed operators and banning skins gambling websites. There are also talks of a proposed tax hike on Gross Gaming Revenue.

Changes in Netherlands legislation

There have been quite a few recent developments for players in the Netherlands, including deposit limits and tax hikes.

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) recently issued an updated Responsible Gaming Policy rule that sets new deposit limits for players based on age. Those aged 18 to 24 have a newly set deposit limit of €300, and those over 24 are capped at €700.

From now on, Dutch casino operators will only be able to deviate from the €300 limit in special cases, such as when professional poker players are required to make bigger deposits for tournaments.

If you want to learn more about gambling regulations in the Netherlands, head over to our useful guide.

Stricter real-time monitoring will also be implemented in online and land-based casinos to check for potentially harmful gambling behaviour. An amendment is also in play, raising the gambling tax from 30.5% to 37.8%. Furthermore, it has been put to a vote to ban online gambling advertising and high-risk online gambling like slots.

Updates in the United Kingdom

In the UK, it is proposed that stakes on online slots be limited to £5. For younger bettors, the stakes per spin will be capped at £2. This forms part of the government’s mission to toughen the gambling regulations in the UK. Currently, there are no limits on the amount that can be wagered on video slots.

This was decided in a consultation that lasted over 10 weeks. According to the gambling minister, Stuart Andrew, it is the right move as it shields younger players and vulnerable individuals.

According to the government’s forecast, this stake cap will cost the UK online casino industry around £170 million, which is about 1.5% of its annual revenue of £10.9 billion. At the same time, the industry saw an increase in stakes being bought, suggesting that investors weren’t worried about the changes.

There are different opinions surrounding the new stake limits. Some believe a stake restriction of £2 should’ve been implemented for all, while others believe the stake limits should be accompanied by slower spin speeds and affordability checks.

You can stay up to date with all the latest regulatory changes and updates with CasinoWow.

Published: July 10, 2024

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Article by Stelly

CasinoWow Contributor

Hey there! I am Stelly, and happily, I'm part of CasinoWow's content team. It excites me to be able to write and share with all gambling enthusiasts unbiased reviews and news that contribute to the gambling community and industry. Thankfully, I also have the chance to help you make an informed choice for casino brands and games, as well as provide interesting guides and news.

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