Sweden’ Regulator Releases 2018 Gaming Survey

• Spelinspektionen releases comprehensive gambling study for 2018
• Number of gamers in Sweden remains unchanged at rate of participation of 66%
• Gaming still takes place predominantly at land-based venue
• Over half of gamers not aware about self-exclusion schemes

Sweden’s gaming regulatory body, the Spelinspektionen, has released an annual survey analysing the country’s gaming habits in 2018.

Sweden’s Regulatory Gaming Survey for 2018

On Friday, January 11, the Spelinspektionen (the newly re-branded watchdog in Sweden) released a comprehensive annual study looking into the gaming and betting habits of Swedes. Based on the survey, estimated 66% of the population placed a wager in some form throughout 2018.

The numbers kept steady from a year before when it was established that a similar number of participants had placed a wager. The numbers in both last years are still lower than the 76% participation rate, and the numbers have been mostly falling since 2013. However, with 66% of the population engaging in lottery activities in one form or another, the market is a fresh opportunity for many operators.

MRG and Bethard Ready to Grow in Swedish Market

In fact, as many as 60 companies have secured a license from the regulator and are now either offering or in the process of developing their gaming portfolios in the country. The survey also focused on the present looking into January’s results, asking participants if they had gambled in the past week.

Swedish Gaming Self-Exclusion and Popular Verticals

Estimated 34% said that they had placed a wager, although there was also an increase in the number of players who said that they had not gambled in the slightest – 16%. There were other interesting metrics emerging from the survey, such as how trustworthy are gambling operations according to public (with some people 22% saying not at all).

There were also those who said that the current gambling products were boring to begin with (17%). This explains why NetEnt, one of the main iGaming software developers, have decided to let some staff go in order to focus on game creation. Most iGaming studios have focused on creating a more authentic gaming experience, which is increasingly beginning to resemble video games.

Interestingly enough, engagement with land-based properties was at 57% (most likely because of the lack of online alternatives) whereas 17% chose to go online. These numbers are likely to even out or reverse completely in 2019.

There’s been a marked increase in Smart TV gambling with the activity reaching 5% of the total. Gambling advertisement is very common on Swedish television. There were also 14% of activities that were lumped together in “other ways,” without any specification of what the activities were in the first place.

Swedes seems to be very sober in their gambling choices and practices, with only 3% of all interviewed persons admitting that they overdid gambling in the week leading up to the interview. Still, there is a big knowledge gap when it comes to self-exclusion schemes, with 52% of people not even aware of the existence of the option.