Svenska Spel struggles despite online, mobile gambling gains

Sweden’s erstwhile gambling monopoly Svenska Spel saw its revenue shrink as it prepares for new competition in the country’s liberalized online market.

On Thursday, the state-owned Svenska Spel reported revenue of SEK2.08b (US$234m) in the three months ending June 30, a nearly 4% decline from the same period last year. Operating profit was down 11.4% to SEK975m as margins fell two points to 19.1%.

Svenska Spel’s digital division did its best to shoulder the burden with revenue of SEK621m, up one-fifth from Q2 2017 and accounting for 30% of the overall revenue pie. Mobile devices accounted for two-thirds of this digital slice, and mobile growth outpaced the overall digital number, rising 42% year-on-year.

Svenska Spel’s mainstay lottery revenue was flat, while the land-based Casino Cosmopol and Vegas divisions had a rougher ride. The Vegas video lottery terminal business reporting revenue down by one-quarter as more and more customers shift their action online.