Sweden’s regulated gambling market continued to grow in the second quarter, with licensed operators generating SEK7.4 billion in turnover as online gaming and sports betting drove the increase.
Figures from Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen show that turnover rose 5.1% year on year in Q2 2026, reaching around SEK7.4 billion ($776 million).
The strongest performance came from online gambling and sports betting, which generated SEK4.96 billion during the quarter, more than 7% above the same period last year.
Online gambling leads the market
State-run lotteries and gaming machines remained relatively stable, generating SEK1.43 billion.
Meanwhile, gambling activities operated for public benefit, including lotteries and bingo, brought in a combined SEK863 million. Hall bingo remained almost unchanged at around SEK51 million.
Land-based commercial gambling also recorded growth. Turnover reached SEK73 million, up almost 13% from SEK64 million a year earlier.
The figures come as Sweden continues to reshape its gambling market following the closure of Svenska Spel’s final Casino Cosmopol venue in 2025.
Nearly 138,000 players self-excluded
Spelinspektionen’s latest figures also provide an update on Sweden’s national self-exclusion system, Spelpaus.
Just under 138,000 people were registered as self-excluded from gambling at the end of Q2. That represents a modest 0.7% decline compared with the previous quarter.
The system has also been subject to tighter technical requirements, with new rules introduced in April to standardise how licensed operators connect to Spelpaus and verify customers.
The black market remains a concern
Despite the growth of the regulated sector, Sweden continues to face challenges from unlicensed gambling.
Spelinspektionen identified 2,186 active gambling websites without Swedish licences as of April 30. The regulator also highlighted the role of influencers in promoting unlicensed gambling services to Swedish consumers.
Affiliate networks and so-called link farms, which redirect users towards offshore casino sites, have also emerged as a particular concern.
The pressure is reflected in Sweden’s channelisation rate. The proportion of online gambling taking place with licensed operators fell to 84% in 2025, down from 86% in 2023.
The Q2 figures therefore paint a mixed picture: Sweden’s regulated market is expanding, but regulators still have significant ground to cover if they want to keep more players within the licensed sector.