TLDR
- Sweden’s gambling channelization rate dropped to 84% in 2025, down from 85% in 2024 and 86% in 2023
- Players excluded via the Spelpaus.se self-exclusion register are turning to unlicensed sites
- Over 2,100 unlicensed gambling websites were identified by April 2026
- Industry body ATG suggests the real rate could be as low as 73%
- Sweden’s gambling regulator is undergoing a leadership change, with a new Director General starting August 2026
Sweden’s gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has reported that 84% of online gambling in the country took place on licensed platforms in 2025. That is down from 85% in 2024 and 86% in 2023.
The regulator used two methods to reach this figure: player surveys about their most recent gambling session, and internet traffic analysis comparing visits to licensed and unlicensed sites.
Johan Röhr, acting director general at Spelinspektionen, said the figures show a “relatively stable market,” with most gambling still happening within the licensed system.
Why Players Are Going Offshore
The survey found several reasons why some Swedish players are choosing unlicensed sites.
The most common factor was the Spelpaus.se self-exclusion register. Players who sign up to the national self-exclusion tool are blocked from all licensed Swedish operators, which leads some to seek out foreign platforms instead.
Other players cited better bonuses, higher perceived payouts, or access to games not available in Sweden’s licensed market.
Internet traffic data backed this up, showing a large number of visits to unlicensed casino and betting sites. By April 2026, the regulator had identified more than 2,100 websites operating without a Swedish licence.
How Accurate Are the Numbers?
The official 84% figure is not without dispute.
Operators and trade groups have questioned Spelinspektionen’s methodology. ATG, a major Swedish gambling operator, published its own analysis suggesting channelization could be as low as 73% in late 2025.
The regulator acknowledges its methods have limits. Players do not always know whether a site is licensed, and app-based gambling is hard to measure through traffic analysis alone.
Channelization has been a core policy goal since Sweden reopened its gambling market in 2019, when less than half of all play was estimated to be on licensed platforms. Early progress was strong, but the last two years show that sustaining high compliance is difficult.
Spelinspektionen is required to measure and report channelization rates each year as part of its mandate from the government.
Policymakers are still looking at ways to reduce unlicensed play. A government-appointed investigator proposed new enforcement measures last September. Earlier in 2026, Spelinspektionen formally reported several unlicensed online gambling companies to Swedish authorities.
The regulator itself is in transition. Röhr has been running the agency since November 2025 following the resignation of previous director Camilla Rosenberg. Peter Knutsson is set to take over as Director General in August 2026.
