Sweden Votes to Discontinue Land-Based Casino Gambling
The Riksdag, Sweden’s parliament, has decided to abolish land-based casino gaming. As a result, the state’s monopoly, Svenska Spel, will shutter its last casino located in Stockholm.
A proposal to discontinue Casino Cosmopol was first made last May. The Riksdag said the amendment will become effective from January, banning land-based casinos in Sweden.
The operator has begun the process of liquidating the final Casino Cosmopol location.
Commenting on the decision, Casino Cosmopol CEO Ola Enquist shared the government’s concerns over the division’s performance in recent years. Enquist said the rise of online gambling in Sweden has turned more players away from land-based casinos.
Sweden’s ATG, Finnish Suomen Hippos Create Sportsbook JV
Sweden’s racing monopoly AB Trav och Galopp (ATG) and Finnish equestrian association Suomen Hippos have created a sportsbook joint venture in Finland.
Finland is reforming its online gambling market and opening it up to private operators. Under the new model, the state monopoly Veikkaus will maintain its monopoly over lotteries, scratchcards and physical gaming machines.
However, starting January 2027 private operators will be allowed to offer online betting and casino games, as well as horse racing.
“We believe that our new joint Finnish company gives us the best opportunity to actively and responsibly influence the future of the horse industry,” Suomen Hippos CEO Minna Mäenpää said in a statement issued April 1.
France’s Regulator Approves Harm Reduction Action Plans
France’s l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has given the green light to mandated industry harm reduction action plans.
Since October 2019, French gambling operators have been obligated to submit to the ANJ action plans to prevent excessive play and underage gambling for review and approval.
The ANJ reviewed the action plans of the country’s monopolies PMU and FDJ United between January and March this year. It also looked at plans from online operators and land-based sites. France has 16 licensed online gaming operators and 203 casinos.
While the ANJ has approved the industry’s action plans, it wants stricter compliance, such as on the ban of sales to children. It has recommended this could be done by deploying more “demanding” policies on points of sale monitoring.
U.K. Gambling Harms Researchers Call for Ad Restrictions
A panel of gambling harm researchers have called for greater restrictions on gambling adverts and casino games. The call was made during a parliamentary health and social care committee meeting April 2.
It has suggested that the U.K. government should enforce greater restrictions on land-based slots, as well as other casino games.
The panel also expressed worries around the sector’s influence on research funded by the statutory levy.
“I think we need to have much more severe restrictions and greater protections at a population level, particularly for children and young people, but also for those who are harmed and to not normalise this behavior,” panel member Heather Wardle, professor of gambling research and policy, University of Glasgow said.
Gaming Realms Reports International Growth
Licensing and games supplier Gaming Realms has reported growth in North America of 59 percent, reaching £12.9 million in licensing revenue.
In its full-year results for 2024, it reported revenue of £28.5 million ($36.8 million), up 22 percent year-on-year. Group EBITDA also increased by 25 percent to £12.3 million.
The supplier, which produces the game series Slingo, posted a flat 1 percent growth in the U.K. last year.
