The Swedish casino map is changing. Casino customers have been welcomed by online gambling companies with welcome offers for several years, but stricter bonus rules are changing the playing field. In an attempt to strengthen consumer protection in the gambling market, the government has, among other things, introduced stricter restrictions on bonuses.

The changes are an attempt to counteract the growth of gambling addiction as more people spend more time alone. There are mixed opinions on whether the government's move to introduce these changes is a good one. The Gaming Industry Association has been extremely vocal in criticizing the changes, although many welcome the proposal.

Changing the Swedish casino map through gaming regulation

One of the most powerful weapons the government has had at its disposal to combat the growing addiction to gambling is the restriction of the welcome bonus that is often offered to new players. After Sweden introduced its own gambling regulations in 2019, players had significantly fewer opportunities to receive bonuses from gambling companies. Read about 10 strategies to increase your chances at online casinos in this post - https://www.kamerabild.se/partner/10-strategier-for-att-oka-dina-chanser-pa-online-casinon/1553003.

Many experts claimed that it was bonuses for players with individual problems that largely encouraged them to increase their gambling. In order to protect the gambling consumer, it was decided to allow only one welcome bonus. After a customer had registered an account, no other bonuses could be provided, for example to encourage an inactive player to continue playing.

Factors that increase the risk of gambling addiction

As the global Covid-19 epidemic forces more and more people to stay at home, the risk of developing gambling addiction in several people in society has increased. Not only because people are lonely, as the Public Health Agency, among other things, has called for social distancing. Other factors that can trigger unhealthy gambling have also benefited from the spread of the epidemic.

A significant part of the workforce has been forced to lose their jobs, mainly in the restaurant and hotel industry. This, of course, leads many people to look for other types of sources of income, and some turn to casino gambling.

Unfortunately, increased financial stress is also associated with an increased risk of gambling addiction. Thus, a person who has lost their job or is threatened with dismissal is at risk of falling into unhealthy gambling. It is this combination of factors that has led to the somewhat hasty government proposal to amend the Swedish gambling license legislation.

The impact of the changes on the Swedish casino map

The Swedish population, which largely gambles online, has had mixed reactions to the changes. Some of the less well-informed believe that the proposal, which includes not only smaller bonuses but also deposit limits, is healthy.

There have been concerns among professional gamblers that the new rules risk stifling their sources of income. The deposit limit means they cannot have large enough deposits to be able to live off their profits. But it is not just online casino players who are worried.

Gambling companies that have a Swedish gambling license have been extremely critical of the government's new proposal. One of the people most frequently seen in the media on the issue of online gambling is the CEO of gaming operator Kindred, Henrik Tjarnström. He, like several of his industry colleagues, has expressed serious concerns about the stability of the licensing system.

Gambling customers are being diverted to unlicensed gambling companies

One of the main arguments that Henrik Tjarnström has put forward to emphasize the importance of withdrawing the government’s new proposal is channeling. This is a term used when the industry discusses which gaming companies customers choose to play with.

The new rules risk reducing channeling, i.e. the proportion of gaming customers in the Swedish gaming market who choose to play at gaming companies with a Swedish license.

This could have serious consequences and undermine the gambling operators’ trust in the license. They claim that instead of playing at gambling companies regulated by the Swedish Gambling Authority, players are turning to unlicensed operators. See also: Online casino or land-based casino? what's the difference

Loss of tax revenue and reduced consumer protection

The result of the reduction in channels is that the Swedish state is losing tax revenue from regulated players on the Swedish casino map. But it's not just the state that is suffering from the crack in the gambling market. Consumers are also at greater risk if they choose to play with unregulated operators than with Swedish gambling companies.