The Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA) has estimated the 2024 channelisation rate in the Nordic market was 85%, down one percentage point from 2023.
The estimate was determined via surveys and internet traffic observations, with fiscal information from the regulator also used throughout.
While the decline in channelisation rate was noted, the SGA did state that 96% of Swedish players did play with licensed sites in 2024.
The SGA added that turnover being channelled into the legal market is only 88%, with that figure falling to 72% for online casino at the midpoint.
In a worst-case scenario, the SGA estimated the channelised online casino turnover could be as low as 64%.
Those figures were derived by internet traffic and SEO analysis by the SGA, with sports betting turnover in the legal sector at a stronger 96% midpoint.
The SGA’s study showed the most common form of unlicensed gambling in Sweden was via skin betting sites (43%), followed by online casino and sports betting sites (32%) and online casino-only sites (23%).
When surveying consumers, the SGA’s study found that better odds, self-exclusion subversion and bonuses were key reasons for players engaging with black-market sites.
The report comes against the backdrop of Sweden’s 90% channelisation target which was set when the market re-regulated in 2019.
The regulator noted that prior to 2019, the channelisation rate in the market was around 50%.
Camilla Rosenberg, SGA director general, said: “The channelisation rate in 2024 is estimated at 85%, which shows that the majority of Swedish gambling takes place with operators licensed in Sweden.
“Only a small part of the traffic to unlicensed websites consists of websites that the Swedish Gambling Authority has assessed through prohibition orders to be actively targeting Sweden without the necessary licence.”
Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general at the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS), said: “With this assessment, the SGA confirms that Sweden’s major problem in the gambling market is online casino.
“It is unacceptable that around a quarter of all online casino gambling is leaking out of the licensed market.
“It is equally unacceptable that this has been accepted by political decision-makers for half a decade, since the channelisation has also been low in previous assessments, without effective regulatory measures being taken.”
The post Swedish channelisation rate falls to 85%, according to regulator first appeared on EGR Intel.
Swedish Gambling Authority adds that online casino channelisation could be as low as 64%, with bonuses and lack of self-exclusion checks noted as key drivers for black-market engagement
The post Swedish channelisation rate falls to 85%, according to regulator first appeared on EGR Intel.