Sweden Bans Duel.com Operator, Which Says It Will Keep Swedish Language
Sweden's gambling regulator has banned the operator of Duel.com from offering games in the country without a licence, and the company has told the authority it will not stop offering Swedish as a language on the site.
The decision against Immortal Snail LLC, dated October 28, 2026, takes effect immediately.
It comes as Spelinspektionen keeps up pressure on unlicensed operators in a market where licensed turnover reached SEK 7.4bn in the second quarter of 2026.
What Spelinspektionen Found
In its decision (case 26Si2185), the regulator said it opened a supervisory case after suspecting that Duel.com offered games for the Swedish market without a licence.
Inspectors made a covert test purchase, though it was not completed. They found that Swedish appears when selecting payment methods, that the Swedish krona can be selected, and that the site is marketed through Swedish-language websites aimed at Swedish consumers.
The authority also found no evidence that Swedish consumers are prevented from registering and opening an account.
The site is owned and operated by Immortal Snail LLC, which is registered in Nevis, and states that it holds an Anjouan licence from the Union of the Comoros.
The Operator's Response
Immortal Snail LLC replied that Swedish is an international language and that Sweden should be blocked by IP address.
It also said it cannot control whether payments are made in Swedish kronor, and that it would not stop offering Swedish as a language on the website.
The regulator ran a follow-up check on October 28. It found that no IP block against Sweden had been implemented, that the kronor and Swedish still appeared when logging in from a Swedish IP address, and that Swedish-language marketing of the site continued.
The Legal Test
Under the Swedish Gambling Act, online games that are not directed at the Swedish market are not treated as being provided in Sweden.
Whether a site is aimed at Sweden is determined by an overall assessment, and relevant factors include the presence of Swedish text and deposits or winnings in Swedish currency.
Spelinspektionen said that if Swedish consumers are not allowed to register and open an account, it would not consider the game to be provided in Sweden and the law would not apply.
Having weighed the evidence, it concluded that Immortal Snail LLC provides games directed at Sweden and lacks the licence required under the Act.
It ordered the company to stop offering games in Sweden without the necessary licence and made the ban effective at once, citing consumer protection. The decision was made by unit head Robert Larsson after a presentation by investigator Nikolas Tsoros and includes instructions for appeal.
What It Means
The ruling is a clear statement of how Sweden will treat offshore online casino sites that rely on foreign licences: a Swedish-language interface, kronor payments and local marketing together point to a site aimed at Sweden, and an IP block that is promised but not applied will not shield the operator.
The decision carries no fine. Whether Immortal Snail appeals, or Swedish players are actually blocked in the coming days, will show how much practical effect the order has.
