Lottery tickets are legal to purchase in Sweden under the Gambling Act of 2018, which regulates all forms of gambling including lotteries. The Swedish Gambling Authority (Spelinspektionen) oversees all gambling activities and ensures the market operates legally, safely, and reliably. Licenses for state-run lotteries may be granted to limited liability companies wholly owned by the Swedish state, including number games, scratch cards, and probability games (1).
The Swedish Gambling Authority supervises compliance with gambling legislation, issues licenses and permits for lottery operations, and monitors market developments. The Authority operates under the Swedish Gaming Act, Gaming Machines Act, and Casino Act, advising the government on gambling matters while examining and approving various lotteries. Svenska Spel holds the primary state lottery license, offering popular games including Lotto, EuroJackpot, Vikinglotto, and instant scratch cards to players aged 18 and above (2).
"The Swedish Gambling Authority is the authority with the task of ensuring that the Swedish gaming and gambling market is legal, safe and reliable."
Lottery operations must comply with strict responsible gambling measures, including mandatory player registration, deposit limits for online gambling, and self-exclusion options. All lottery winnings are subject to gambling tax at 22%, increased from 18% effective July 2024. The government recently proposed removing restrictions on lottery types under state licenses, allowing greater product development freedom while maintaining comprehensive regulatory oversight and consumer protection standards (1).
Source:
https://www.spelinspektionen.se/globalassets/dokument/engelska/gambling-act-sfs-2018_1138-uppdate-sfs-2024_255.pdf
https://www.government.se/government-agencies/gaming-board-for-sweden-lotteriinspektionen/
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
