In the past year, Approximately three-quarters of the Swedish population have engaged in gambling for monetary stakes.
New Study from Swedish Gambling Oversight Body Reveals 3 out of 4 Swedes Gambled in Last Year
The Swedish Gambling Authority, known as Spelinspektionen, released findings from their latest study, titled "The Public on Gambling" [Swedish link], on January 10th. The study discovered that 75% of respondents had partaken in gambling activities involving money within the past 12 months. This represents a slight uptick compared to previous years.
The survey also highlighted that 41% of participants had engaged in gambling within the seven days preceding the survey, marking an increase in this area as well. In 2022, only 38% reported participating weekly.
As per the report, "Men gambled more in the previous week than women, and a higher proportion of those who gambled in the previous week are 50 years or older. The majority play one or more times a week, with occasional play throughout the month." – Swedish Gambling Authority, Spelinspektionen
The most frequently played form of gambling in Sweden is lotteries and number games, followed by betting on horse racing and Bingo. Concerning sports betting, men were found to bet more frequently than women.
Conducted from November 2023, 1,538 individuals aged 18 and above residing in Sweden participated in the survey via a web panel. Out of these, 1,143 individuals admitted to online gambling at least once every three months.
Gambling Tax Increase Proposal for Sweden?
Various media sources report that the Swedish government is pondering an increase in the gambling tax, with the current rate at 18%. Under the proposed plan, it may be raised to 22%.
The estimated additional revenue for the Swedish state from this increase would be €5 million. However, the Swedish parliament must approve the plans before they can be enacted in July 2024.
The Swedish Gambling Association opposes this increase, arguing that the current regulations are already stringent in Sweden. They fear that the planned tax increase could further weaken the market.
Swedish Players Aware of Assistance Offers
The report also delves into problematic gambling, with 69% of respondents assigning responsibility for gambling issues to operators.
One out of ten participants in the survey acknowledged excessive gambling in the previous 12 months, particularly prevalent among the younger demographic.
Regarding the self-exclusion registry, Spelpaus [Swedish link], 65% of respondents claimed awareness. Spelinspektionen considers this knowledge a success. However, only approximately 4% of players reported using the portal. These are mainly daily gamers.
It's interesting to note that while online gambling is popular in Sweden, with 1,143 individuals admitting to engaging in it at least once every three months, there's a significant gap between awareness and usage of the self-exclusion registry, Spelpaus. Only about 4% of players reported utilizing the portal.
Online casinos in Germany also attract a substantial user base, offering a different gaming landscape for Swedish gamblers exploring foreign platforms.
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