We have previously reported that the Swedish Gambling Authority only allowed Swedish licensed casinos to give a 100 SEK (10 euro) bonus. This was sprung in action during the summer of 2020 when covid-19 took its effect on the country.
However, all Swedish online casinos and players recently got some happy news – the bonus rules limitation finally ended during November 2021! This means many exciting things are going to happen in the coming months when it comes to Swedish welcome bonuses. From November 2021, casinos themselves can choose the bonus amount that will be given to players on their first deposit.
We will tell you more about what you can expect.
The changes that lead to a better welcome bonus
For a long period, more precisely one and a half years, the welcome bonus on Swedish online gambling sites has been limited to 100 SEK for Swedish players. It was a decision that first seemed like a death note to many online casinos; however, the strong ones stuck it out and managed to survive.
But now, in November, this temporary settlement will be removed, and the bonus is no longer limited in amount. For those of you who are looking for a good Swedish online casino with a welcome bonus, keep your eyes open cause soon casinos will start to change their bonus amounts. Some casinos will for example raise their welcome bonus to amounts between 1 000 – 3 000 SEK! You will probably also see some combination bonuses; these are bonuses where you have the opportunity to collect both bonus money and some free spins on your first deposit.
It’s important to remember though that some rules still apply as before – for example, you may only collect one bonus per gaming group. If you have already deposited with a casino within Betsson Group (like Betsafe) before, it is too late to sign up and get a welcome bonus from another casino within the same organization (like Betsson).
Will all casinos change their bonuses?
This is a difficult question to answer, although many casinos will probably update their offers soon, some might not or they will wait till next year. There are also a lot of sites that have no welcome bonus at all. It may be that some of these sites have decided to stay with this concept that is based on not offering bonuses.
How will gambling addiction be affected by this?
During the coming weeks, the Swedish Government has also instructed the Swedish Gaming Inspectorate (Spelinspektionen) to evaluate the temporary gambling responsibility measures, as well as follow up and analyze how forms of gambling, accessibility to gambling, and gambling develop in the short and long term.
The pandemic, and the fact that many have been isolated, has led to an increase in conversations about gambling addiction. An increase in cases has been noticed in the gambling addiction groups in some bigger cities in Sweden, among other places. It is however common to see an increase or a peak in numbers after a crisis.
How to get help if needed
In Sweden, many groups are created solemnly for the reason to help gamblers that have an addiction and all the support that was introduced on online casinos during the pandemic will still be available. For example, there are self-help tips on all the casino’s websites, along with links to the biggest gambling addiction support groups and organizations.
Things to keep in mind when it comes to new offers
It can be very tempting to take part in a new bonus that can give you up to 3 000 SEK to use on casino games or sports betting. But it is also important to remember that all bonuses come with wagering requirements. In all probability, most new bonuses will have a wagering requirement for players to uphold before withdrawals are possible. Of course, there are also bonuses without wagering requirements, which are more advantageous, but not as common.
A wagering requirement can only apply to the bonus amount and usually needs to be wagered about 30x. However, it is important to read the wagering requirements carefully as they can also apply to the first deposit and the bonus amount, which means that there will be a higher amount to the wager.
Also keep in mind that even if a bonus gives you 100 % up to 2 000 SEK, it is possible to deposit a smaller amount to get a lower bonus. For example, if you deposit 500 SEK you get a 500 SEK bonus and a total of 1 000 SEK to play for. You have control of the lowest qualifying deposit.
Keep your eyes open to keep up to date with which casinos are changing their welcome offers!