We talk daily about how tax money is squandered or ends up in the wrong hands. But while the debate rages over gang crime and fraud, many turn a blind eye to a gigantic leak that silently drains our common funds: the black, unlicensed online gambling market. Every year billions disappear—money that should have gone to schools, healthcare, and police.

A Shadow Society That Steals From Us All

It’s hardly a secret that the Swedish economy is strained and our welfare system is bleeding. We constantly read about the system being exploited by dishonest actors. For instance, Samnytt has on several occasions exposed how taxpayers are forced to foot the bill, not least through soaring welfare fraud with fake divorces and large-scale assistance fraud cases. Understandably, this makes people furious. That money was earmarked for building a safer Sweden.

But the fact is, an equally extensive waste of resources is taking place on an entirely different front—and politicians seem powerless to act.

The Hidden Leak Online

Do you remember when the new Gambling Act was introduced in 2019? The idea was good. The goal was to stop the ‘Wild West’ methods online. These companies would be forced to take responsibility, consumers would be protected, and above all, foreign gaming companies would finally be required to pay tax in Sweden. At first, things looked promising, but today the trends are heading in entirely the wrong direction.

The aim was for 90 percent of all gaming to happen within the legal, tax-paying system. Now, industry experts warn that that figure has seriously dropped, in some gambling sectors falling as low as 70 percent. These aren’t just boring stats on paper; it’s an outright fiasco. It means huge sums of money slip right through the hands of the Swedish Tax Agency, landing on obscure foreign sites.

A Laundromat for Serious Crime

And unfortunately, it doesn’t stop at lost tax revenue. Do you know where this money really ends up? The Financial Police and international experts are constantly raising alarms that unregulated gambling sites, often hidden away in remote tax havens, act as gigantic laundromats for illicit funds. The players have utter disregard for anti-money laundering laws. This means Swedes gambling on these sites risk—completely unknowingly—financing serious organized crime. Money leaks out of our society to build up criminal networks.

Zero Protection, Maximum Vulnerability

And what about the people behind the screens? In the black market, there is no safety net. Spelpaus, the national system for self-exclusion from gambling, doesn’t work here at all. These foreign actors use cynical and extremely aggressive methods. They bombard people with texts and emails around the clock, often targeting those already struggling with a gambling addiction. Meanwhile, the companies’ owners sit safely outside the EU, laughing all the way to the bank.

How Do We Turn the Tide?

So, how do we stop the madness? We have to start by taking back control. To shut off the flow to these rogue networks and keep tax money in Sweden, we need to make people understand how serious this is.

A crucial first step is to inform consumers and encourage them to make an active, informed choice: to play exclusively at casinos with a Swedish license. It might sound like a small detail, but it makes a huge difference. It ensures that the 22 percent gambling tax goes directly back into our own welfare system, that operations are strictly monitored by Swedish authorities, and that players actually have a real safety net.

Time to Put Our Foot Down

Patching up the holes in the state treasury is not a one-man job. We must crack down hard on assistance fraud and benefit crimes—but we also have to close the door on rogue gambling companies that drain the country of billions. Lawmakers must act, but we as citizens also have a responsibility. Only when we take control of our markets can we safeguard the funds that Sweden so desperately needs to rebuild security again.