Licensed Swedish Gambling Operators Generate $625M in GGR in Q22022

Spelinspektionen, the Swedish Gambling Authority, has announced the financial results for the regulated gambling market for the second quarter of 2022.

Swedish Licensed Gambling Operators’ GGR 4% Higher Year-On-Year

The Swedish Gambling Authority reported that the total GGR for all licensed gambling operators in Sweden for the second quarter of 2022 totaled SEK 6.8 billion ($625 million), which is 4% higher than the 6.5 billion ($599.8 million) reported for the same period last year.

iGaming together with online sports wagering brought in SEK 4.20 billion ($386 million) in the second quarter of 2022, marking an increase of 2.8% in comparison to the same period last year.

The Swedish lottery, which is being provided by Svenska Spel together with slot machines that are also operated by the state-owned company contributed with revenue of SEK 1.41 billion ($129.7 billion), which was almost 1% higher than the SEK 1.40 billion ($128.8 billion) reported in the second quarter of 2021.

Brick-and-mortar casinos generated SEK 145 million ($13 million) in Q2, 2022, however, in the second quarter of 2021 casinos were closed due to the pandemic and it is not possible to compare results year-on-year.

The Swedish Gambling Authority also noted that at the end of the second quarter 76,400 people had used the services of the regulator’s self-exclusion program, Spelpaus, a 4% increase compared to the previous quarter.

85% of Gamblers in Sweden Are Familiar with Spelpaus

The Swedish Gaming Authority, in collaboration with SKOP, also published the results of a survey on Swedes’ online gambling habits. 4,400 people aged 18 or over were interviewed about their online gambling habits from May until June 2022.

One of the key findings of the survey was that one in three Swedes gamble online at least once a quarter and that 85% of the respondents were familiar with Spelpaus and its purpose. The survey also revealed that the main reasons for choosing gambling operators with a Swedish license are safety, security, and control.

Still, not all Swedes gamble only on licensed websites. 8% of gamblers who play online at least once a quarter has stated that they used the services of a website without a Swedish license. It must be noted, however, that some of the respondents pointed to licensed websites when listing the unlicensed operators they have used.

It turned out that poker and online casinos were particularly popular among those who say that they play on sites without a Swedish gaming license.

According to the study, the main reason why Swedes choose unlicensed websites is, of course, bonus offers. Other reasons are that the player has blocked himself/herself via Spelpaus or because of preferable odds and winning opportunities.