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Limited by the bookmaker: why it happens and what you do now
Limited means the bookmaker has lowered how much you may stake on a bet. It hits the player who takes odds above the market's again and again, and the law does not stop it. The Swedish Gambling Authority writes that limiting is not regulated in gambling legislation. Here is what triggers it, whether it can be lifted and what applies when an account is closed. And how you keep betting when one account, or all of them, is limited.
Why do bookmakers limit accounts?
A bookmaker earns its money on the margin in the odds. That works as long as customers on average bet at the bookmaker's odds. A customer who only places bets when the bookmaker's odds are above the rest of the market removes the margin. To the bookmaker that customer is a cost, and the terms give the bookmaker the right to lower the limit.
Unibet's rules and terms, version 4 of 28 September 2026, say that the company may change odds and betting limits. The company may also set further limits on gaming accounts. Other bookmakers write much the same. You accepted the terms when you opened the account.
The bookmakers do not say how they assess accounts, but the patterns usually mentioned are the same. Bets that almost always sit at odds above the market's. Bets placed just before the odds are cut. Bets on small leagues and narrow markets, where the bookmaker is least sure of its price.
Are bookmakers allowed to limit winners under Swedish law?
Yes. The Swedish Gambling Authority writes that limiting, meaning stake restrictions, is not regulated in gambling legislation. The Gambling Act makes no demand that a bookmaker accept bets of a certain size.
The authority also writes that this does not rule out the Swedish Consumer Agency reviewing the company's contract terms. A player can also bring a civil case against a company that closes or restricts someone who wins too much. If you think the terms are unfair, the Consumer Agency is where you turn.
The law does, however, require a duty of care. The bookmaker must protect you against excessive gambling, and that too can lead to lower limits or a closed account.
If the bookmaker does not pay out your money, and you cannot agree, the National Board for Consumer Disputes accepts a complaint. The board recommends a solution, and most companies follow the recommendation. The dispute can also be tried in court, but then you pay an application fee and may have to bear legal costs.
Do bookmakers close winning accounts?
It happens, and it is not the same thing as limiting. A limit lowers your maximum stake. A closed account ends the customer relationship.
If the bookmaker closes your account you must be informed in writing, and the reason must be stated. The company must pay out the money no later than five working days after the account is closed. So writes the Swedish Gambling Authority. If you gave incorrect details or misbehaved, for example by breaking the betting rules, the payout can be restricted. Winning is not misbehaviour.
The money in a limited account is yours. A limit applies to future stakes, and you withdraw as usual.
Can a limit at Unibet or bet365 be lifted?
Rarely. The bookmaker does not have to reconsider its decision, and it does not have to explain it. What you can do is ask customer service in writing what applies to your account. Does the limit cover all markets or only some? Save the answer.
If you think the bookmaker has broken its own terms, that is a question about the contract, and it can be tried in court. If you have views on the terms, you turn to the Consumer Agency. Do not count on the limit disappearing. Instead, work out what the account is worth with the new limit, and place the rest of your volume somewhere else.
How do you avoid being limited?
There is no way to be sure. Anyone who compares odds and only places bets where one bookmaker sits above the market should expect it to happen. At most bookmakers, sooner or later. It is the cost of having a statistical edge over the bookmakers. That cost is far cheaper than losing money to the bookmakers.
What you can control is how the volume is spread. 65 companies hold a licence for commercial betting in Sweden, and 45 of them are in at least one of the tool's systems. Spread the bets across many bookmakers and no single account carries the whole volume.
New licences keep coming. 12 betting licences have start dates within the last twelve months. Some are renewals and some are new, and 9 of those companies have a welcome bonus in the app today.
What you must not do is open more accounts at the same bookmaker or bet in someone else's name. That breaks the terms and the requirement that the account belongs to the person who bets, and it can close all your accounts. KYC, the bookmaker's check of who you are and where the money comes from, cannot be avoided.
What do you do when every account is limited?
It is very unusual to be limited at every bookmaker. Usually there are sites with a Swedish licence you have never heard of, and they take your bets. Every site with a sports bonus is in our list of sports bonuses. There you see where you are limited and where you are not.
If you have somehow been limited on every Swedish site, there are still ways to beat the bookmakers. Two strategies remain.
Strategy 1. Find a list of every site with a Swedish gambling licence and keep track of when companies get a new licence. As soon as a company has a new licence you can value bet there without trouble at first. If the company has a new welcome bonus you can take it, even if you had an account there before the new licence. The terms are on the card in our list. The strategy is to wait. Within the last twelve months 12 betting licences got start dates. That is about one a month, and some of them are renewals. If your account lasts until the next licence arrives, in theory you can keep going for as long as you like.
Strategy 2. You have been limited, but not to zero. Many betting sites share an odds supplier, and some of them almost always have the same odds. ATG and Svenska Spel had the same odds in 99 cases out of 100 when we measured on 3 November 2026. Want to place a value bet for 250 kronor but may only stake 130 kronor at ATG? Then you place 125 kronor at ATG and 125 kronor at Svenska Spel. Then you bet as if you were not limited.
Do you have a problem with gambling?
Are you opening accounts at new bookmakers so you can keep betting larger sums? Then that is a sign to take seriously.
Always seek help. Stödlinjen, the Swedish gambling helpline, answers on 020-81 91 00, free of charge and anonymously. Through Spelpaus you can exclude yourself from all gambling that requires registration with companies licensed in Sweden. Gambling for money is only for those aged 18 or over.
How we produced the figures
The Swedish Gambling Authority's pages for players on betting, gaming accounts and payouts were read on 3 November 2026. Unibet's rules and terms are version 4 of 28 September 2026. The figures on licensed companies, the tool's coverage, licences with start dates and the bonuses come from our own measurement, calculated on 30 October 2026. That ATG and Svenska Spel have the same odds we measured in our own odds collection on 3 November 2026. The information on Smarkets is in the guide on Smarkets, with sources.
Common questions about limited accounts
Why do bookmakers limit accounts?
Because your bets on average sit at odds above the market's. The bookmaker earns on the margin in the odds, and a customer who removes the margin is a cost. The terms give the bookmaker the right to lower your maximum stake.
Are bookmakers allowed to limit winners under Swedish law?
Yes. The Swedish Gambling Authority writes that limiting is not regulated in gambling legislation. The Consumer Agency can review the company's terms, and the reading of the contract can be tried in court. A dispute about a payout can be taken to the National Board for Consumer Disputes.
I have been limited at Unibet, what do I do now?
The money in the account is yours, and you withdraw as usual. Ask customer service in writing what the limit covers. Then place your volume with the bookmakers that still take your stake and on Smarkets. Take the boosts and welcome bonuses at bookmakers you have not bet with.
Limited at bet365, can it be lifted?
Rarely. The bookmaker does not have to reconsider the decision. You can ask customer service in writing, and if you think the bookmaker has broken its terms the contract can be tried in court. Expect the limit to stay.
Do bookmakers close winning accounts?
It happens. Then you must be informed in writing with the reason. The money must be paid out no later than five working days after the account is closed, according to the Swedish Gambling Authority. Winning is not misbehaviour.
How do you avoid being limited?
There is no way to be sure. Spread the bets across many bookmakers, so that no single account carries the whole volume. 65 companies hold a betting licence in Sweden, and new licences arrive every year. Never bet in someone else's name.
Which bookmakers limit the least in Sweden?
We publish no list. The bookmakers do not say how they assess accounts, and the limit is set per account, so a list would be a guess. Smarkets is a betting exchange and takes no position against you, so it has no reason to limit someone who wins.
What do you do when every account is limited?
It is very unusual. Usually there are sites with a Swedish licence you have not tried, and our list of sports bonuses shows them. Otherwise you wait for the next new licence, about one a month, or split the stake between bookmakers that share an odds supplier.