Gambling revenue in Sweden increased 0.5% year-on-year to SEK6.71 billion ($712.6 million) during the third quarter, driven by growth within the country’s iGaming market.

Revenue for the three months to the end of September was marginally higher than SEK6.68 billion in Q3 2024. However, the monthly total fell 4.4% short of the SEK7.02 billion posted in Q2 of this year.

Figures from regulator Spelinspektionen showed commercial online gambling remained the primary source of gambling revenue by some margin. Total revenue from the sector, which includes online casino, topped SEK4.51 billion in Q3, up 3.5% year-on-year.

This segment also covers online sports betting, with the increase coming despite a tough comparable period last year. Q3 of 2024 included the latter stages of football’s Euro 2024 tournament, as well as the 2024 summer Olympic Games.

Mixed news from the land-based sector in Sweden

Turning to land-based gambling, revenue from the state lottery and physical slot machines was 7.2% lower year-on-year at SEK1.26 billion.

Revenue from lotteries classified as “gaming for public benefit” edged up 0.5% to SEK822 million. Meanwhile, bingo games under the public benefit umbrella generated SEK48 million, which was level year-on-year.

Elsewhere, land-based commercial gaming, including restaurant casinos, drew SEK67 million in revenue, a rise of 3.1%.

Finally, Q3 was the first quarter in which the former Casino Cosmopol land-based operations did not generate any gambling revenue. Svenska Spel closed its final physical casino in April, just weeks after Sweden’s government voted to abolish land-based casinos. 

Land-based casinos will officially be banned in Sweden from 1 January 2026.

Extended credit gambling ban edges closer in Sweden

Also soon to be banned in Sweden will be gambling with credit. The Swedish Gambling Act already prevents players from using credit to gamble with licensed operators. However, a change in regulation will take this further.

From 1 April 2026, both licensees and gambling agents will be banned from processing transactions that involve any form of credit. This will extend to credit agreements with other actors, such as loan agreements and bank overdrafts, where they may be misappropriated for the purpose of gambling.

Licensees and agents must also take measures to counteract gambling with credit. This could include blocking credit card payments and not promoting third-party lenders to customers.

However, the government said Spelinspektionen could make certain exceptions to the ban. This may cover licensed operators running gambling for public benefit, like charity lotteries.