Unlicensed gaming operations exposed in Sweden

Whilst the online gaming market is growing in Sweden, the unauthorised activities tend to achieve better results than legal operations. The Swedish Gambling Authority, Lotteriinspektionen, released the latest report on the industry, which shows the local sector is one of the biggest in Europe.

However, international operators seem more likely to offer their platforms without the proper license. As the gaming industry grows, so does the illegal operations. As revealed by Casino News Daily, the national authority estimated the average amount bet per resident is SEK$ 2,158 (US$266.50).

According to Lotteriinspektionen, illegal operations represented 23 percent of total iGaming revenue in 2016. In total, the unauthorised platforms generated SEK$ 5.1 billion (US$629,728,471) in 2016, whilst the whole market reported a total of SEK22.2 billion (US$2.7 billion) in the same period.

Based on the official report released by the lottery entity, unauthorised casino and betting activities in the country have risen up to 57 percent during the 2012-2016 period. Lotteriinspektionen revealed that illegal companies have been offering alternative online casino platforms, which are not registered officially in the governmental regulation. Around US$590 million have been generated during 2016’s activities, although the Swedish authorities have not perceived any profits.