Conventional wagering promotional expenditures in Sweden plummeted to their lowest point in seven years during 2022.
Gaming operators in Sweden allocated a total of 3.4 billion Swedish kronor (244.6 million pounds/286.3 million euros/311.1 million dollars) on conventional advertising in 2022, representing a 15% decline from the preceding year.
Information released by the regulatory body Spelinspektionen reveals that this figure also marks the lowest spending since the initial data was made public in 2016. The aggregate spending in 2022 is also significantly lower than the peak of 7.3 million Swedish kronor in 2018.
Sweden experienced two consecutive years of expenditure reductions in 2019 and 2020, at 5.7 billion Swedish kronor and 3.7 billion Swedish kronor, respectively. Spending rose slightly in 2021 but decreased again last year.
“Conventional” advertising
Spelinspektionen highlights that the data reflects total promotional investment, implying that it does not encompass discounts. The data also solely pertains to “conventional” media, including printed materials, television, radio, and outdoor advertising. This also encompasses certain digital assets.
However, the data does not encompass advertising on digital media such as social networks, keyword advertising, and online video.
The breakdown of advertising expenditures in 2022, with the majority (30%) concentrated on casinos, with most of that being for online casinos.
In addition to equestrian racing, wagering on sporting events accounted for 28% of promotional expenditures in the previous year.
Lottery games made up approximately 26% of spending, horse racing betting 12%, and bingo 4%, primarily online.
Market Oversight
Since 2018, conventional promotional spending has continued to decrease, which is linked to the relaunch of the Swedish regulated market. The new market officially began on January 1, 2019, and numerous unauthorized brands left the nation at that time.
With a significant number of brands withdrawing from Sweden, coupled with the Swedish Gambling Authority’s crackdown on unauthorized operations, promotional spending has declined. This pattern continued for the following two years as focus shifted to regulated activities.
However, the decrease in conventional promotional spending may also be partly attributed to the shift toward digital marketing. As more and more operators utilize digital platforms such as social media to connect with consumers, they are spending less on traditional media advertising.
Digital advertising is frequently less expensive than traditional platforms and enables brands to target specific groups of consumers. It also allows operators to post direct links to their websites and platforms, allowing players to quickly access gambling services.
Concerns about Channelization
While Sweden’s gambling regulation has undoubtedly helped address the issue of unlicensed gambling, as well as the marketing of such gambling, there are still concerns about the nation’s channelization issues.
In the past month, a study from the Swedish Online Gaming Association (BOS) showed that the rate of licensed gambling products in the Swedish online gambling market is only 77%. BOS considers this figure “alarmingly low” and is urging for action.
Sweden’s target for licensed gambling products – the proportion it aims to have available in the market – is currently set at 90%.
BOS Executive Director Gustav Hofstedt emphasized the gravity of the low channelization rate.
He stated: “There is no question that the Swedish licensing system is facing significant challenges. The government has invested considerable resources in enforcing regulations for licensed gambling companies, but these regulations have not been accepted by gambling consumers.”
Spelinspektionen’s regulatory reach expanded
Just before the report was published, the Swedish government declared a series of new measures intended to assist Spelinspektionen in suppressing illegal gambling activities.
These changes primarily involve payment providers and Spelinspektionen’s regulatory authority in this area.
Payment providers now need to provide Spelinspektionen with specific information. This includes information about whether their systems are being used to process payments to unlicensed operators in Sweden.
Earlier this month, Spelinspektionen began charging fees to supplier license holders. Starting July 1, Spelinspektionen will charge a fixed fee to organizations holding licenses to provide gambling software to operators in Sweden.
Supervisory bodies are demanding that businesses pay a distinct charge for each permit they possess, unless they qualify for a specific exception.
Moreover, Swedish legislators revealed last month that they would contemplate a proposition to enhance penalties for gaming operators who breach the nation’s anti-money laundering regulations.
Under this proposition, infringements of gambling regulations would be subject to the same maximum fines as violations of anti-money laundering regulations.
Presently, the maximum penalties levied on operators for transgressing anti-money laundering regulations are considerably lower than those for infringing gambling regulations. The memorandum asserts that this is “unsatisfactory” because in numerous instances, violations of anti-money laundering regulations can be deemed more severe than violations related to gambling regulations.
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