Swedish online gambling channelisation fell again in 2025, according to Spelinspektionen. The regulator put the main rate at 84%, but a traffic based method placed the figure much lower at 78%.
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Spelinspektionen said the true channelisation rate likely sits between 78% and 89%, depending on the method used. The 84% headline figure comes from an average of two measurements, and the regulator wants that average used in government budget proposals.
The lower 78% figure came from web traffic and turnover estimates. That method tracks visits to licensed sites, then applies turnover per visit data supplied by licensed operators. It also showed a wide gap between betting and casino. Sports betting reached 95%, but online casino reached only 68%.
Sweden posted SEK28.2 billion, or about $3 billion, in licensed gambling net turnover in 2025. The competitive market, which includes iGaming and online betting, accounted for SEK18.7 billion.
The 2025 report, published on June 15, used the same combined approach introduced for the 2024 review. One part came from a player survey. The other came from internet traffic and turnover estimates.
Verian ran the player survey between February and March. It asked people about their most recent gambling activity and whether they used a licensed operator. The sample covered 6,744 respondents, including 4,175 who had gambled during the past 12 months.
That survey gave a stronger result for the licensed market. It put channelisation in the competitive sector at 89%.
Spelinspektionen still reported 84% as the main benchmark for Swedish online gambling in 2025. That rate was down from 85% in 2024 and 86% in 2023.
The regulator identified 2,186 active gambling websites without Swedish licences as of April 30. Online casino dominated the group. Spelinspektionen counted 976 sites that offered only online casino games, while 800 sites offered both online casino and sports betting.
Skin betting also played a large role in offshore traffic. Around 42% of visits to unlicensed gambling websites involved skin betting platforms, where players use in game virtual items as betting currency.
However, Spelinspektionen excluded skin betting from the main channelisation indicators. The regulator said these sites often mix gambling with NFTs, crypto trading and other services, which makes clean measurement harder.
The player survey pointed to several reasons for offshore gambling in Sweden. Some players used unlicensed operators after self exclusion through Spelpaus. Others believed offshore sites offered better winning chances. Some also looked for games that licensed Swedish gambling sites do not offer.
Swedish rules still focus on whether an online gambling site targets Swedish players. A site can fall under Swedish law when it uses Swedish language or local currency.
In September 2025, the Swedish government proposed changes to the Gambling Act to give enforcement more reach against illegal gambling. Industry lobbying then led to a government review and revised rules.
Spelinspektionen also wants better measurement tools. The regulator called for stronger app traffic tracking and better ways to identify unlicensed gambling sites.