72% of Swedish Gamblers Cannot Distinguish Between Legal and Illegal Gambling Sites
According to a survey by Spelinspektionen, conducted in April 2025 among more than 1,600 respondents, the majority of players are unable to distinguish between licensed operators and illegal ones. This situation poses risks for players and challenges for regulatory bodies.
Key Survey Data
Here are some of the most important findings from the survey:
- 91% of players place bets online from home.
- 15% view gambling as a way to earn money.
- 69% of players gamble for entertainment, while 40% do it for winnings.
- 42% of players aged 18 to 19 emphasize the importance of having a local license.
- 52% of players over 65 also stress the importance of a local license.
- All land-based casinos, including the last Svenska Spel branch, are closing.
- The share of legal online gambling in the country ranges from 69% to 82%, which is significantly below the regulator’s target of 90%.
- Opinions on the benefits of playing with licensed operators are divided: 47% see advantages, the same percentage could not answer, and 6% see no difference.
- 6% of players have used the self-exclusion platform Spelpaus, while a third were unaware of its existence.
- The main reasons for self-exclusion: excessive involvement (63%) and intrusive advertising (36%).
- The share of bettors increased from 15% to 19%, while online casino players grew from 10% to 12%.
Closure of Land-Based Casinos and the Shift to Online
Not only is online gambling continuing to gain popularity, but traditional land-based casinos in Sweden are also facing difficulties. The last branch of Svenska Spel was closed, confirming the trend of a shrinking land-based casino market. This change also highlights the growing dominance of online operators in the country.
Risks for Players: Illegal Operators
One of the main problems identified in the survey is the inability to distinguish between legal and illegal operators. This creates risks for players, as illegal platforms may not provide adequate protection and may hide financial and other risks.
Self-Exclusion and the Impact of Advertising
It is interesting to note that a significant portion of players use the self-exclusion platform Spelpaus to limit their involvement in gambling. The main reasons for self-exclusion are excessive engagement in the gambling process and intrusive advertising. This raises the question of how much advertising influences players and how it may create additional risks for gambling in Sweden.
The Future of Licensed Operators
Although opinions about licensed operators are divided, there is a clear need to strengthen the position of such companies in the market. Industry representatives continue to call on the government to improve player awareness about licensed platforms and to increase trust in these operators. A proposal for a trust mark for licensed operators was made, but this idea was rejected due to the risk of counterfeiting such marks.
Call to Action
One of the tasks facing the authorities is to raise awareness among players about which operators are legal and which are illegal. It is also important to continue the fight against illegal platforms, as their presence on the market creates additional threats to player security.