How gambling suppliers meet Sweden’s B2B licensing rules
Across Europe, more gambling regulators are imposing direct licensing and compliance requirements on the technology companies behind consumer-facing operators. Sweden is part of that shift. Its supplier permit regime brings platform providers and game developers within the licensing system, forcing them to show that their technical controls, governance and documentation can withstand scrutiny before their products are used by licensed operators.
Dmitry Smirnov, senior lawyer at EvenBet Gaming, said the company’s recent Swedish application took six weeks, helped by work already completed for Denmark. “Spelinspektionen maintains exceptionally rigorous standards for technical and corporate governance, thorough preparation on the applicant’s side is crucial,” he told SiGMA News. “Fortunately, our recent Danish licensing process meant much of our core infrastructure, security architecture, and AML/responsible gambling frameworks were already aligned with the technical and governance standards commonly expected by Nordic regulators.”
The experience offers a practical view of how responsibility is being pushed further down the gambling supply chain. Operators remain accountable for customers, marketing and safer gambling, but suppliers are expected to prove that the systems on which those services depend are themselves compliant.
From operator oversight to supplier scrutiny
For much of the industry’s history, most regulators concentrated on the consumer-facing licence holder. The operator was expected to carry out due diligence on its suppliers and take responsibility when a platform, game or data service failed to meet local rules.
That model is changing as gambling technology becomes more complex. Because one supplier’s products may be used by several operators, direct oversight can give regulators an additional point of control.
Denmark’s supplier licensing rules, which took effect in July 2025, provide another example. In a previous interview with SiGMA News, Danish Gambling Authority director Anders Dorph said the regulator had drawn lessons from other countries: “We saw this happen in England. We saw it in Sweden. Of course, we were inspired by that.”
Malta’s licensing figures also show the growing importance of the B2B sector. During the first half of 2025, B2B operators accounted for 55.5 per cent of the country’s licence base, 64.3 per cent of new applications and 87.5 per cent of licences issued.
The trend does not remove the operator from the compliance chain. Instead, it creates a second layer of direct accountability.
Senior lawyer Smirnov said that distinction is written into supplier contracts. “Contractually, EvenBet Gaming is responsible for ensuring that its platform components continue to meet the applicable technical certification and audit requirements,” he said. “The operator retains control over player-facing duties.”
“We handle the heavy lifting of compliance-related technical responsibilities, so the operator can focus on player-facing obligations,” he added.
Those duties include customer identification, marketing compliance and integration with Sweden’s self-exclusion system. The supplier, meanwhile, is responsible for maintaining the certified technical environment.
The cost of proving readiness
Obtaining a permit involves more than paying the SEK120,000 application fee (€10,850).
Smirnov said the larger expense, however, comes from legal advice, technical certification, platform changes and the internal time required from compliance staff. “Application fees are only a fraction of the real investment,” he said. “The true cost lies in the comprehensive preparation: external legal consultations, specialised technical certifications, platform adaptation, and dedicated internal compliance hours.”
One of the most demanding parts of the Swedish process was preparing local documentation. Platform descriptions, game rules and product material had to be translated into Swedish and checked against the certified operation of the system.
The company also adjusted reporting outputs, system monitoring and player-facing information. Smirnov called them “targeted refinements rather than fundamental changes to our platform”.
For larger suppliers, those costs may be absorbed across several markets. Smaller businesses may struggle to maintain separate documentation, certifications and reporting systems for each jurisdiction.
“B2B licensing in mature markets is always a long-term play,” Smirnov concluded, “it creates a permanent foundation for sustainable growth across the entire Nordic region.” For suppliers, the attraction is not only immediate access to Sweden, but the credibility and regional foothold that come with meeting demanding Nordic standards.
Don’t just read the news, stay ahead of it. Subscribe HERE to SiGMA’s Top 10 News countdown for stories shaping iGaming’s future, weekly insights from the world’s biggest iGaming community, and exclusive subscriber-only offers.
