Spelinspektionen banned duel.com operator Immortal Snail LLC from offering gambling in Sweden without a license on October 28, the same day it took the decision. On the same date it issued an identical order against Lufilight Ltd, the company behind Ivibet, Hellspin and Slotsgem.
Sweden unlicensed gambling ban on duel.com operator Immortal Snail took effect immediately on October 28. The regulator found Swedish language, SEK payment options and Swedish-language marketing, and confirmed no IP block was in place. A follow-up check on the same date found the block still absent.
- What Spelinspektionen Found on duel.com
- Immortal Snail Refused to Block Sweden
- A Second Immediate Ban on the Same Day
- Why the Targeting Test Is Hard to Enforce
Immortal Snail LLC is a company registered in Charlestown, Nevis, in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Its duel.com site claims to hold license number ALSI-202411026-FI1 on Anjouan, in the Union of the Comoros. Spelinspektionen’s four-page decision, case 26Si2185, concluded that the company provides gambling aimed at the Swedish market while holding no license to do so there.
The regulator’s supervisory case began after a suspicion that duel.com was targeting Swedish players without the required license. It conducted a covert test purchase, which was not completed. Three findings carried the case. Swedish appeared as a payment-method language, SEK was selectable as the payment currency, and the site was marketed through Swedish-language websites aimed at Swedish consumers.
The regulator also found nothing suggesting Swedish consumers were prevented from registering and opening an account. Robert Larsson, head of the unit, decided the ban following a presentation by investigator Nikolas Tsoros. Both decisions took effect immediately, with the regulator citing consumer protection as the reason.
Immortal Snail Refused to Block Sweden
What makes the duel.com decision unusual is the operator’s reply. In the English translation published by SBC News, the regulator recorded Immortal Snail’s stated position: Swedish is an international language, Sweden should be IP-blocked, and the company cannot control whether payments are made in SEK.
Spelinspektionen tested that answer directly. A follow-up check on October 28 found that the IP blocking against Sweden had not been implemented. SEK and Swedish still appeared when logging in from a Swedish IP address, and Swedish-language marketing of duel.com continued. Ossi Ketola, founder of duel.com, previously operated CSGOEmpire, which Spelinspektionen prohibited from targeting Sweden in November 2023.
Lufilight and Its Mirror Network
The second decision, case 26Si2241, follows a different tactic. When the regulator checked ivibet.com, hellspin.com and slotsgem.com, those domains redirected to mirror sites at ivibettnow.com, hellspin222.com and gemslots1.com. From a Swedish IP address, Sweden and +46 were preselected on registration. The brands were also promoted through Swedish-language affiliate marketing.
Lufilight was given the chance to respond and did not reply. A follow-up review found that the mirror sites had changed domains, while the new ones still operator preselected Sweden and +46 and still carried Swedish-language marketing. The decision records that Lufilight is listed in the Kahnawake licensing register, but the regulator could not identify its registration number, license number or address.
Sweden’s Targeting Test Is Hard to Enforce
The two cases turn on the same legal question. Under Sweden’s Gambling Act 2018:1138, online gambling that is not aimed at the Swedish market is not considered provided in Sweden and falls outside the law. A license is required only once a site is judged to be targeting Swedish players.
The decision explains that this is settled through an overall assessment of each case, in which Swedish text, SEK deposits and winnings can be relevant factors. The regulator also set out the operator view that if Swedish consumers are not allowed to register, the gambling cannot be considered provided in Sweden. The burden of proof lies with Spelinspektionen, and the authority has said the targeting criterion proved difficult to apply in practice.
Its 2025 report on gambling outside the licensed market estimated the channelization rate at 86% in 2023, though lower for commercial online gambling. Around 45% of traffic to unlicensed sites in 2024 claimed a license from a third country, with Curaçao accounting for 38% and Anjouan for 5%.
Europe’s Wider Push Against Offshore Operators
The Netherlands moved first this month. On October 22, Kansspelautoriteit fined EOD Code SRL €37 million for offering gambling without a license across 12 websites, including Instantcasino. The Dutch regulator chose a turnover-related operator amount because it estimated the company earned more from Dutch players’ stakes than its standard fines would capture.
EOD Code also appears in Spelinspektionen’s register, which lists a Swedish ban against the company dated May 12, 2025. VNLOK, the Dutch trade body, has taken a different route by suing Meta over illegal gambling ads on Facebook and Instagram. Britain’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce focuses on black market payments and advertising, with a proposed ban on unlicensed gambling sponsors from 2027.
Licensed operators in Britain have repeatedly warned that higher taxes fuel the illegal market. Trade body BOS has pointed to other countries’ experience when making the case. Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of BOS, told iGaming Business that Spelinspektionen is “more heavy-handed and less focused on dialogue or collaborative problem-solving” than its peers. That criticism is aimed at how the regulator supervises licensed operators.
AGBrief keeps a running tally of Swedish enforcement actions against unlicensed operators.
Neither October decision sets out any further measures beyond the ban itself. Both companies can appeal under the instructions attached to the decisions. Whether the orders change anything in practice will depend on how Immortal Snail and Lufilight respond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies were banned by Spelinspektionen on October 28?
Spelinspektionen banned Immortal Snail LLC, which operates duel.com, and Lufilight Ltd, which runs Ivibet, Hellspin and Slotsgem. Both bans took effect immediately and both decisions were published on October 28, 2026.
Why did Spelinspektionen ban duel.com?
The regulator found Swedish as a payment language, SEK as a selectable currency and Swedish-language marketing for duel.com. It found no evidence that Swedish consumers were blocked from registering or opening an account, making the site gambling aimed at Sweden without a license.
Did Immortal Snail promise to block Sweden?
Immortal Snail told the regulator that Sweden should be IP-blocked. Spelinspektionen’s follow-up check on October 28 confirmed that no IP blocking against Sweden had been implemented, and SEK and Swedish still appeared when logging in from a Swedish IP address.
What happened in the Lufilight ban?
When Spelinspektionen checked ivibet.com, hellspin.com and slotsgem.com, all three redirected to mirror sites. From a Swedish IP, Sweden and +46 were preselected. Lufilight did not respond to the operator findings. A follow-up found the mirrors had changed domains while keeping the same preselected country.
Why is the targeting test difficult to enforce?
Sweden’s Gambling Act only applies to gambling aimed at the Swedish market. Operators can argue that Swedish is an international language and that a site should be IP-blocked instead. Spelinspektionen has said the targeting criterion is difficult to apply and that the burden of proof sits with the regulator.
Can the Swedish bans be appealed?
Yes. Both decisions include instructions on how to appeal, and both companies may appeal. The bans took effect immediately on October 28, 2026, with consumer protection cited as the reason. No further measures beyond the bans were set out in either decision.
Who else has been fined for illegal gambling in 2026?
Kansspelautoriteit fined EOD Code SRL €37 million on October 22 for 12 unlicensed sites, including operator Instantcasino. EOD Code also faced a Swedish ban on May 12, 2025. In the Netherlands, VNLOK has sued Meta over illegal gambling ads, and Britain’s Illegal Gambling Taskforce is targeting black market payments and advertising.
This article has been thoroughly researched and reviewed by the CasinoBait editorial team to ensure accuracy and relevance for Asian casino players.
