Unlicenced operators increase revenue in Sweden

The latest figures indicate that gross gaming revenue saw a 12% increase in the first nine months of 2018.

Sweden.- According to the latest report released by the Swedish gaming regulator, gross gaming revenue (GGR) totalled €1.5 billion during the first three quarters of the year, which represents a 1% year-on-year increase.

While operators with gaming licences reported a 2% decrease in revenues to €1.1 billion, unlicenced operators reported a 12% year-on-year increase to €436 million. State monopoly gaming operator Svenska Spel experienced a 2% decrease in revenues to €620 million, while land-based gaming also fell 9%.

The online sector showed good signs, as it reported a 23% increase during the nine-month period. The contribution from the sector also grew 13%, opposed to the land-based industry, which fell 8%.

The European country is set to debut its new gambling regulations on January 1, 2019, and has already received 60 licence applications, 55 of them concerning online gambling. The authority said last month that it expects as many game operators as possible to petition for a licence, as the bigger the number the greater the opportunities for a well-functioning gaming market in Sweden.