Online poker in Sweden is not playable

[FilleeSWE]

I live in sweden and the government have taken over online poker. We dont have freerolls on ps and many other sites witch is sad because we beginners maybe dont want to spend hundread of dollars just to learn or play for fun. Its more complicated to cash out and deposit money, swedish banks deny to deposit or cash out.
What are your thoughts?

 

[fundiver199]

Its true, that freerolls or other rewards are not allowed on regulated sites, but depositing and withdrawing is extremely easy. On pokerstars I deposit with a credit card and withdraw to my swedish bank account. Usually the money arrive within 1-2 days. If you are new to the game and dont like to risk any money at all, then PokerStars have play money tables using the same software as the regular tables.

So you can consider play money cash tables as being "0NL", and then when you have learned the fundamentals deposit $50-100 and move to 2NL. If you prefer to go the tournament route, PokerStars have 45-man SnGs for as little as $0,25, so you really dont need to risk much at all to have some fun and get some experience.

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

Looking forward for the usual @pentazepam wall of text (including complaint about GG Poker) in this thread.

 

[Poker Orifice]

I live in Sweden and the government have taken over online poker. We dont have freerolls on ps and many other sites witch is sad because we beginners maybe dont want to spend hundread of dollars just to learn or play for fun. Its more complicated to cash out and deposit money, swedish banks deny to deposit or cash out.
What are your thoughts?

Tell that to these guys >>
fwiw C. Darwin2 is over 4 million in PROFIT (not just winnings... but PROFIT) just on Pokerstars. (he plays on many more sites)
There are many players from Sweden who are over $1 Million in Profit on Pokerstars.
TWO of the currently best Tournament players are both playing from Sweden (Simon Mattson & Niklas Astedt... (aka Lena900 who has over 21 Million in total cashes on Pokerstars).

 

[fundiver199]

Tell that to these guys >>
fwiw C. Darwin2 is over 4 million in PROFIT (not just winnings... but PROFIT) just on Pokerstars. (he plays on many more sites)
There are many players from Sweden who are over $1 Million in Profit on Pokerstars.
TWO of the currently best Tournament players are both playing from Sweden (Simon Mattson & Niklas Astedt... (aka Lena900 who has over 21 Million in total cashes on Pokerstars).

They are likely somewhat annoyed with the SEK 5.000 (around $500) weekly deposit limit though, since this prevent them from moving money around between sites, when they want to. And they are probably also not thrilled having to compete with other pros getting rakeback, when they dont. But despite these limitations they were able to achieve a lot of success, and apparently it was not enough to inspire them to leave Sweden and live somewhere else.

And if we compare the swedish regulations with all the large EU-countries, then maybe its actually not so bad after all. In germany players (or the sites) need to pay a tax not on profits but on each tournament played or each cash table sat down on, even if they ended up losing. Both france, Italy, Spain and portugal forbid their residents to play on international sites. Poland I dont know much about, but PokerStars recently left. And in nederlands GG Poker is the only legal site.

So if you are looking for a country, which is more online poker friendly than Sweden, then at least in Europe all the large countries are pretty much out. I guess, UK stands out in a positive way, but they are no longer in the EU, so you cant just choose to move there as a european. And its clearly not an option to move to the french riviera or the spanish Costa del Sol, if the idea is to play online poker professionally.

 

[Rosylly]

Freerolls aren't really for studing, they are way too fast, just deposit 20 bucks and play 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 tournaments, that's it.

Even if you'll lose those money, t's not a big deal to lose that amount, especially if you are from Sweden.

 

[fundiver199]

Freerolls aren't really for studing, they are way too fast, just deposit 20 bucks and play 0.10, 0.25, 0.50 tournaments, that's it.

Apart from a special womans game, PokerStars no longer have any tournaments for $0.10. But they have $0.25, $0.5 and $1 45-man SnGs as well as several $1.1 MTTs, so what you write, is still completely true.

Even if you'll lose those money, t's not a big deal to lose that amount, especially if you are from Sweden.

Absolutely agree. If someone can not afford to lose $20 or even $100, then they should probably focus their energy on improving their financial situation rather than playing poker. And especially for people living in a rich country like Sweden, its difficult to see, why this is such a big deal. A meal from McDonalds is around $10 here, and a pizza is $12-13. So its difficult to imagine, how playing $0,25 or $1 tournaments online can be the thing, that really break someones budget.

 

[Poker Orifice]

They are likely somewhat annoyed with the SEK 5.000 (around $500) weekly deposit limit though, since this prevent them from moving money around between sites, when they want to. And they are probably also not thrilled having to compete with other pros getting rakeback, when they dont. But despite these limitations they were able to achieve a lot of success, and apparently it was not enough to inspire them to leave Sweden and live somewhere else.

And if we compare the swedish regulations with all the large EU-countries, then maybe its actually not so bad after all. In Germany players (or the sites) need to pay a tax not on profits but on each tournament played or each cash table sat down on, even if they ended up losing. Both France, Italy, Spain and Portugal forbid their residents to play on international sites. Poland I dont know much about, but PokerStars recently left. And in Nederlands GG Poker is the only legal site.

So if you are looking for a country, which is more online poker friendly than Sweden, then at least in Europe all the large countries are pretty much out. I guess, UK stands out in a positive way, but they are no longer in the EU, so you cant just choose to move there as a european. And its clearly not an option to move to the french riviera or the spanish Costa del Sol, if the idea is to play online poker professionally.

That certainly sounds dismal. I wonder how those high stakes MTT players from Sweden work around moving money on sites... they must be leaving a healthy amount in their online poker accounts. Some of them are probably playing close $50k to $100k in buy-ins in a day... especially on Sundays (ie. multi entry to that $10k event)

 

[fundiver199]

That certainly sounds dismal. I wonder how those high stakes MTT players from Sweden work around moving money on sites... they must be leaving a healthy amount in their online poker accounts. Some of them are probably playing close $50k to $100k in buy-ins in a day... especially on Sundays (ie. multi entry to that $10k event)

Yeah its pretty comical to imagine, that even just to fire a single bullet at a $10k super high roller event like those during the ongoing WCOOP 2025 series, a player living in Sweden would need to make the maximum deposit for 20 straight weeks as preparation. As you say, they must be leaving a lot of money on the sites to avoid ending up in a situation, where they can not play due to the deposit limit.

 

[Poker Orifice]

Yeah its pretty comical to imagine, that even just to fire a single bullet at a $10k super high roller event like those during the ongoing WCOOP 2025 series, a player living in Sweden would need to make the maximum deposit for 20 straight weeks as preparation. As you say, they must be leaving a lot of money on the sites to avoid ending up in a situation, where they can not play due to the deposit limit.

There's a $10k on every Sunday on GG. And even a $25k in the WSOPs series

 

[Rmi]

It's a shame that this is happening in your country. I am from argentina and several theaters have left, also because of the regulation of gambling in the country

 

[Station_Master]

Yeah its pretty comical to imagine, that even just to fire a single bullet at a $10k super high roller event like those during the ongoing WCOOP 2025 series, a player living in Sweden would need to make the maximum deposit for 20 straight weeks as preparation. As you say, they must be leaving a lot of money on the sites to avoid ending up in a situation, where they can not play due to the deposit limit.

But are these guys actually still living in Sweden? Most pros who come from a poker unfriendly country move!

 

[Sunz of Beaches]

But are these guys actually still living in Sweden? Most pros who come from a poker unfriendly country move!

Tell that to these guys >>
fwiw C. Darwin2 is over 4 million in PROFIT (not just winnings... but PROFIT) just on Pokerstars. (he plays on many more sites)
There are many players from Sweden who are over $1 Million in Profit on Pokerstars.
TWO of the currently best Tournament players are both playing from Sweden (Simon Mattson & Niklas Astedt... (aka Lena900 who has over 21 Million in total cashes on Pokerstars).

Marked it in fat for you @Station_Master

 

[fundiver199]

According to Wikipedia Niklas Asted lives in Goteborg, which is indeed Sweden.

 

[Station_Master]

Marked it in fat for you @Station_Master

Fair enough once they are at the top they can afford it

 

[KrazyKoo]

I hate what's happening in Europe!

I don't understand why they can't prevent casino bonuses but allow poker freerolls

All the regulations lately, internet, energy drinks, sugar. Enjoyment of life gets worse every year, there is nothing to do... Nothing outside of supermarkets survive, all the empty space is turned into apartment buildings and everyone is forced to live in these concrete cubes in cities against their consent.

Only thing they refuse to regulate is tracking. Inequality between person who owns smartphone that can download App with 25 page terms of service and person who does not own one is where regulation is not even open for discussion

 

[Mig32]

My thought about your topic. Having lived 2.5 years (2021-23) in Sweden as a foreigner, I also felt that the government is often too intrusive in citizens’ decisions. So for me, the issue goes beyond online poker regulation — it’s more about a broader culture of control that affects many areas of daily life. The restrictions on freerolls, deposits, and withdrawals are just one reflection of this deeper problem.

 

[skaterick]

many states in USA dont allow legal online poker . many of them have brick and mortar casinos that try to stifle any potential competition .

 

[KeyPatience]

I live in Sweden and the government have taken over online poker. We dont have freerolls on ps and many other sites witch is sad because we beginners maybe dont want to spend hundread of dollars just to learn or play for fun. Its more complicated to cash out and deposit money, swedish banks deny to deposit or cash out.
What are your thoughts?

Even recently in india they’ve banned it altogether, be it for amateurs or professionals!

 

[dreamer13]

Online poker is legal at online poker rooms in Sweden, but local operators must obtain a license from the Swedish Gambling Authority to offer their services to Swedish residents.Unfortunately, Sweden is on the list of regions with restricted access for GGpoker.

 

[GrannySmit77]

It's very unfortunate this is happening. Then again, in the States it is much worse. Switch to live poker. Become a poker dealer if all you want for now is to learn. You will watch people play poker and be paid. And then you can play whenever you are ready. There are so many EPTs in Europe, the wsop in Rozvadov. Or, you can move to UK if you really want to play online. Or just travel to UK every few months for big series on GG.

 

[Poker Orifice]

It's very unfortunate this is happening. Then again, in the States it is much worse. Switch to live poker. Become a poker dealer if all you want for now is to learn. You will watch people play poker and be paid. And then you can play whenever you are ready. There are so many EPTs in Europe, the WSOP in Rozvadov. Or, you can move to UK if you really want to play online. Or just travel to UK every few months for big series on GG.

If a person was interested in travelling to play online poker, why not choose Thailand, Costa Rica, etc.?

 

[Poker Orifice]

Fair enough once they are at the top they can afford it

It's not just the top few (although you'll typically find a dozen or so guys from Sweden in the High stakes MTTs), but lots still playing at lower buyin MTT's. This is from 1 game this past weekend.

 

[fundiver199]

Well I am also playing on PokerStars from Sweden, and to be honest its not that much difficult from playing from Denmark, where I lived, before I moved here. Back then the rakeback from chests were like 4%, so it did not matter at all, and the only freerolls, that were somewhat worth playing, were those from CC, which do not exist any more. Its a bigger issue, that they have raised the rake for some games, but this is the same for everyone.

 

[Station_Master]

It's not just the top few (although you'll typically find a dozen or so guys from Sweden in the High stakes MTTs), but lots still playing at lower buyin MTT's. This is from 1 game this past weekend.

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Popular! There is certainly an interest, just a shame their governement makes them lose all their rakeback and bonuses!

I certainly see plenty of Swedish players but they are mostly fish (no offense guys!)