As everyone probably knows, the new gambling law entered into force in Sweden on the first of January 2019. This was called a reregulation of the Swedish gambling market . After three years, it is really high time to see what effect this really had. Has the gaming market improved?
The government commissioned the State Treasury to examine the gambling market in the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. The goal was to evaluate the effects of the reregulation. They would look at, for example, channeling and consumer protection. Channelization means how large a percentage of gambling is with companies with a Swedish license. The evaluation is complete and we can share the results.
The gaming market has improved
Generally speaking, the result is that the gaming market has improved. It is now under public control, which is a great advantage. Consumer protection is considered strong, which is also really good. In addition, the income goes to the state and to the association life, which is also important.
The Swedish state's control has increased
The state's control over the Swedish gambling market has increased, which in itself is really good. One consequence is that channelization has increased considerably. This means that there are more Swedes than ever who play with companies with a Swedish license. These companies comply with Swedish law. This means, for example, that they pay tax in Sweden, which is important. With the state controlling the gambling market to an extended extent, it also becomes easier to work against match-fixing, limit gambling advertising and so on. It simply means safer games for us Swedes.
Both the prevention of match-fixing and limited advertising are included in consumer protection. It can also be called gaming responsibility on the part of the companies. The companies are responsible for the marketing not being so aggressive. They must not actively encourage players to play more. In addition, of course they cannot attract more bonuses or free spins. (It is only allowed with a bonus on a player's first deposit. After that it is not possible to get more bonuses.)
In addition to gambling responsibility, it can also be called a duty of care. This is the responsibility of the companies to counteract problematic gambling. A consequence of this is, for example, that the staff must pay attention to players who appear to display problematic playing patterns. This works today, but according to the report there is more to do in this particular area. Although the staff alerted the players to their playing patterns, there is nothing to really show that the players have changed their playing behaviour. One idea for improvement is that gambling companies' processing of personal data needs clearer regulation.
Last, but not least, the re-regulation has affected association life in a positive way. The associations that run bingo halls receive a share of these revenues. On online casinos, betting sites and more, the Swedish state receives income in the form of tax. (Remember that you as a player don't pay tax on profits, the companies do.) This is a big improvement. Before gambling regulation, the Swedish state did not receive a share of the revenue. The gambling companies did not pay tax in Sweden. In addition, the players mostly chose casinos with a license within the EU and then the winnings were tax-free.
Safer games for us Swedes
The conclusion is that it has become safer for us Swedes to play. There are still those who play on sites without a license in Sweden. One reason is that these players shut themselves off via Game Pause, but still want to continue playing. Another reason could be that they want to be able to play with bonuses and offers that are prohibited by companies with a license in Sweden. The vast majority of players, however, choose sites with a Swedish license. Surveys show that in 2018, fewer than 50 percent played with licensed companies in Sweden. Today, this figure is around 87 percent.
These companies operate legally in the gaming market. They follow the Swedish laws, which includes tax to the Swedish state. In addition, they are controlled by Swedish authorities in the form of the Gambling Inspectorate. If a company does not follow all the rules and restrictions, they will immediately receive a warning or remark from the Swedish Gaming Authority. There are also companies that have had their licenses revoked.
Improvements needed
As we wrote above, about 87 percent of all gambling takes place at licensed companies in Sweden. However, this means that around 13 percent of all gambling takes place with companies without a Swedish license. This is where an improvement is needed, so that this proportion becomes even smaller. There needs to be more effective work against the companies that do not have a Swedish license, but where Swedes can still play.
Some steps have been taken in this direction, but mainly towards the players. The Swedish Gaming Authority has launched the campaign "Games need rules", where they try to bring out the importance of choosing companies with a Swedish license. You can read a bit more about this campaign here. However, as said, this campaign is aimed at the players and not at the actors.
Other proposals made to stop companies without a Swedish license include blocking payments to these companies. This is again a measure that does not directly target the gambling companies, but only indirectly. There have also been ideas about licenses for gaming software.
As we mentioned above, companies have a duty of care. Most casinos follow this closely and, for example, inform their players about potentially harmful playing patterns. In addition, Spelpaus was launched, where the players themselves can turn themselves off from games if they want. Despite this, there are no figures that indicate that problem gambling in Sweden has really decreased. On the contrary, it is around 1.3 percent of Sweden's population who have problems with their gambling and that is the same as in 2018, before the gambling regulation. In this area, an improvement is therefore needed in order to really reduce gambling problems in society. One idea is to think about whether the processing of personal data can be changed from the company's side.
Summary three years after the gambling market was reregulated
1. The number of legal companies on the gambling market has increased.
2. The percentage of the population that gambles has decreased.
3. The number of players playing at companies with a Swedish license has increased significantly.
4. The government's income from gambling is more or less the same, only that it is distributed in a different way.
5. Non-profit organizations' income from gambling has increased slightly.
6. Consumer protection has been strengthened, as more companies comply with the Swedish law, which includes rules on gambling responsibility and marketing, among other things.
7. The extent of gambling problems is the same.
8. The costs for government authorities in connection with the gambling market have increased, in order to improve the safety and security of the players.
Advice from the State Treasury
In light of the report, the State Treasury has given some advice for the future. They propose increased cooperation with other EU countries to access companies without a license. They also recommend reviewing the processing of personal data. In addition, they believe that it might be a good idea to find out more about the consequences for players who withdraw from games.
Advice from us
We are happy that it has become a safer and more secure gaming market in Sweden. On the other hand, we are puzzled by the players who, after all, choose to play at casinos without a Swedish license.
For safe and secure play, we give you the following advice:
Only choose casinos with a license in Sweden
The two main reasons for not doing so are a ban on Spelpaus and the desire to play with bonuses that are not allowed within the Swedish license. As for Game Pause, a possible suspension there means you don't want to play, so don't. As for the bonuses, they are rarely as good as they may seem at first. Turnover requirements mean, for example, that any winnings are locked to the casino and cannot be withdrawn.
Set game limits according to your budget
Never mind how much your friends or neighbors play for. Set play limits that reflect how much you can afford to play with. You can always change your game limits. However, we prefer too low limits that you can raise than too high limits that lead to you getting rid of more money than you really want. Do the self-test if necessary.
The self-test behind the Support Line has been developed for you. Take advantage of the opportunity to get feedback on your gaming habits from an objective source. Just remember to answer all questions honestly. If you're not honest about your playing patterns, you won't get a fair picture either.
Contact the Helpline if necessary
If the result of the self-test is that you have problematic playing patterns, you can contact the Helpline for help. It is better to ask for help one extra time than once too little.
See Game break as an alternative
Game break has been created for the safety of the players. A report there is not the whole world. Of course, you do not need to register for a suspension until further notice. You can take a break for just one month if you want. Then you can figure out what you want with your playing and then continue. Just make sure not to play at unlicensed casinos in the meantime!
Enjoy fun and exciting games!
It is both fun and exciting to play at online casinos. As long as you play within your budget, it's a perfect pastime, relaxation, entertainment and fun. When you don't want to spend more money on your gaming, you can play most of the games for free. You will find free games at almost all Swedish casinos - completely unlimited!
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