FAQ
BOS stands for the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (Branschföreningen för Onlinespel). Founded in 2012 by a group online gambling companies with a shared interest in the Swedish market, the association represents both operators serving consumers directly and developers and designers of online gambling products.
BOS has around 20 member companies as of 2025 that together account for a significant share of Sweden’s online gambling market. You can find a full list of our members here.
No. Membership in BOS is available exclusively for online gambling companies that hold a Swedish gambling license issued by the Swedish Gambling Authority, adhere to BOS’s statutes, ethical platform, and marketing guidelines, and subjects to rulings by The Swedish Advertising Ombudsman (Reklamombudsmannen) regarding marketing practices.
BOS advocates for the establishment of a gambling market with fair and sustainable conditions for all stakeholders in Sweden – including gambling operators, consumers, and the state. By “fair conditions,” we mean statutes and regulations that foster innovation and competitive products, while ensuring strong consumer protections and responsible gambling tools. Above all, it is essential that all gambling in Sweden takes place within the legal, licensed market.
BOS was founded to represent the collective interests of the online gambling sector in dialogue with Swedish politicians, authorities, the media, and other stakeholders. We are the natural point of contact for anyone seeking to engage with the online gambling industry.
BOS leading priority is raising Sweden’s channelization rate – the proportion of gambling that takes place with licensed operators – as close to 100% as possible. Since the re-regulation of the market in 2019, Sweden has struggled to reach an acceptable level of channelization, with too much gambling still occurring in the unlicensed market. This undermines both consumer protection and the ability to enforce Swedish gambling regulations.
The right to advertise and broadcast commercials is constitutionally protected under Sweden’s Freedom of Expression Act and Freedom of the Press Act. While frequent advertising can be tiresome, restricting freedom of expression would be a dangerous alternative. Since the peak years of 2018–2019, gambling advertising across traditional Swedish media such as TV and radio has been reduced by half. It is also worth remembering that advertising revenue is essential for the survival of independent journalism.
Affiliates are independent websites that are paid to drive traffic to gambling operators. They are a common marketing tool in many industries, including hospitality and air travel, and are widely used in the gambling sector.
In Sweden, online gambling operators pay a 22% excise tax on gross gambling revenue (GGR), which is the amount that remains after winning wagers have been paid to players.
BOS supports the licensing system because a regulated market with clear rules ensures order, transparency, and a level playing field. A licensing system removes uncertainty and allows all companies to operate under known and equal conditions – benefiting not just operators, but the market as a whole.
Yes. Online gambling actually makes consumer protection easier. Operators have access to far more information about players online than in anonymous, land-based environments. Identity and age checks are rigorous, and player behaviour can be monitored in real time. When a player shows signs of problematic gambling, operators are required by Swedish law to intervene and offer support.
The state’s role is to set and enforce the legal framework for all operators. Owning and operating a gambling company while simultaneously regulating its competitors creates a conflict of interest and undermines trust in public institutions. It is never good governance to act as both the player and the referee in the same match.
Many gambling operators sponsor Swedish sports organizations, such as Svensk Elitfotboll and the Swedish Hockey League. Under the current licensing system, these sponsorships agreements are negotiated in a competitive environment, which drives up their value – benefiting sports. Sponsorship agreements also often include commitments to education programs aimed at combatting match-fixing.
Sports betting operators use advanced monitoring systems to detect suspicious activity. When manipulation of a sports event is suspected, betting on that event is suspended, law enforcement agencies are contacted, and the European anti-match-fixing body, IBIA (International Betting Integrity Association), is alerted. BOS also works closely with the Swedish Gambling Authority on these issues and is represented on its match-fixing council.