Swedish Gambling Authority Issues SEK 19M in AML Fines to Major Operators

The Swedish Gambling Authority has fined 3 major betting companies SEK 19 million for anti-money laundering failures. While these penalties were issued in Sweden, the operators involved also run UK-facing brands. That means if you play with Kindred or ATG, these changes could soon affect how your withdrawals are processed in 2025.

Swedish Gambling Authority Penalises Kindred, ATG, and PinBet for AML Breaches

Here’s how the fines were distributed and where each operator fell short:

The Helsinki Times article on the Swedish AML penalties revealed that all three operators failed to follow their own policies. Investigators found that red flags were missed, suspicious transactions weren’t reported quickly enough, and risk levels were rarely updated.

According to a detailed compliance report from iGaming Business, even basic customer checks were incomplete or not logged.

For context on how casino platforms handle player funds and transaction flows, check out our full guide on how online casinos work.

Why Swedish Fines Matter for UK and EU Players Too

These firms don’t operate in isolation. Kindred runs well-known UK brands like Unibet and 32Red. ATG, while Swedish, shares common infrastructure practices with other international operators. So when a regulator in Sweden hands down a major fine, it can push other markets to take a closer look.

This kind of pattern was already seen when Greentube was fined £1.3 million by the UK Gambling Commission for similar AML violations. The UKGC found that Greentube failed to perform appropriate risk assessments and had significant delays in due diligence processes. These trends often travel, and compliance upgrades in one country usually mean policy changes across several others.

AML Failures = Player Headaches: Delays, Locks, and Last-Minute Checks

When an operator gets fined, it doesn’t just pay a penalty and move on. It usually reacts by adding more layers of customer verification. And those new checks tend to hit active players first.

Here’s what you might notice soon:

• Withdrawals held for review, even if already verified
• New ID requests on previously approved accounts
• Delays after wins, especially above £500
• Requests for income documents before large payouts

This often happens without warning. One week, everything runs smoothly. Next, you’re asked to upload proof of income because of a few deposits in a short span.

The UKGC’s AML guidance for casino operators confirms that enhanced due diligence is required when risks increase, and operators are now moving to apply that more aggressively.

Here’s how it typically plays out:

These expectations are rooted in the UK’s legal framework for gambling. If you want to understand where this authority comes from, here’s our experts’ breakdown of the UK Gambling Act 2005 and how it governs casino behaviour today.

What UK Players Should Expect if the UKGC Targets These Operators Next

If the UK Gambling Commission starts an investigation into Kindred or ATG, the experience for UK players will likely shift quickly.

These trends often travel, and compliance upgrades in one country usually mean policy changes across several others.

To stay ahead of these shifts, it helps to understand which regulators set the highest standards. We’ve reviewed the 6 best licenses for online gambling so you can see which ones matter most for your safety.

You can expect:

1. More checks at registration: Operators may begin verifying IDs for all new players, even at low deposit levels.
2. Slower withdrawals: High-value cashouts could trigger extra steps or full reviews before funds are released.
3. Mid-session verification prompts: Players might be asked for documents during logins or after deposits, even if they’ve played for years.

The UKGC’s enforcement and news section shows that AML compliance is still a major focus in 2025. If patterns match what we saw in the Greentube case, Kindred brands and similar operators may start adjusting how they handle payouts and player monitoring.

At CasinoAlpha, we’ve tested withdrawal processes across UKGC-licensed casinos and tracked AML policy shifts for years. These fines will likely push operators to front-load compliance onto players, especially those with moderate or fast-paced deposit behaviour.

The best way to avoid headaches? Use casinos that clearly state their AML policies and don’t move the goalposts without notice.

Sources

1. Helsinki Times, Swedish Regulator Penalises Three Gambling Firms for AML Failures
2. iGaming Business, Kindred, ATG and PinBet Fined for Swedish AML Failures
3. SBC News, UKGC Fines Greentube £1.3M for AML Breaches
4. UK Gambling Commission, https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/aml
5. UK Gambling Commission, News and Enforcement Updates