Sweden’s Online Gambling Market Growth Balances Revenue Declines In Q1

Sweden recorded slight gambling market growth during the first quarter of 2026, with online gambling outperforming most other sectors.

According to the Swedish Gambling Authority, total gambling revenue reached SEK6.68bn (€613m) during the three months to March, up by 0.8% year-on-year. However, revenue was lower than each of the final three quarters of 2025.

Commercial online gaming, including casino and sports betting, remained the dominant segment in the market. Revenue from the sector climbed 3.4% year-on-year to SEK4.44bn, accounting for the majority of gambling activity in Sweden.

Most gambling sectors report yearly decline

While online gambling grew, several other areas of the Swedish market declined during Q1. Revenue from state lottery and slot machine gaming fell 3.4% year-on-year to SEK1.27bn. The games and lotteries with the “public benefit” sector also dropped 2.6% to SEK863m.

Land-based commercial gaming posted modest growth, with revenue from activities such as restaurant casinos increasing 3.6% to SEK57m. No revenue was recorded from land-based casinos following the closure of the final Casino Cosmopol venue earlier in 2025.

The regulator does not publish operator-specific data, instead combining revenue figures from all licensed operators into a single market overview.

Sweden’s self-exclusion register continues to grow

The Swedish regulator also reported another increase in the number of players registered with the national self-exclusion system, Spelpaus.se. By the end of Q1, almost 138,000 individuals had signed up to the scheme, representing a 2.6% increase from the previous quarter.

Sweden launched its regulated online gambling market in January 2019, opening the sector to licensed private operators after years under a state-controlled system.

Sweden has released a Q1 report highlighting online gambling as its highest source of revenue. While this segment grew, others experienced declines. However, the authority still reported a 0.8% boost in total revenue. There was also a rise in players registered under the Spelpaus self-exclusion system.