The positive development continues for Svenska Spel’s digital business. During the second quarter, there is also a recovery in customer growth and revenue compared with the beginning of the year. 

Net gaming revenues decreased during the second quarter to MSEK 2,039, which is two percent lower than the same quarter last year, but an improvement compared to the previous quarter. The net operating margin of 26 per cent is considerably lower due to the new gaming tax than in the previous year. With adjustment for gaming tax, it amounted to 45 percent.

The Sports & Casino business area – which operates on the new market for online gaming and betting – is increasing by more than five percent compared to the same quarter last year. The Tour business area declines by almost one percent, but this is a pick-up and stabilization compared with the previous quarter. The Casino Cosmopol & Vegas business area declines by almost 12 percent, and Vegas has the largest impact on net gaming revenues, which declines by SEK 37 million or almost 17 percent.

Svenska Spel’s digital business is increasing by 14 per cent compared with the same quarter last year, of which mobile phone sales are increasing by just over 21 per cent. The digital deal now accounts for 35 percent of the Group’s net gaming revenue.

Svenska Spel’s operations have stabilized after the transition to the new gaming market and we see a recovery in customer growth and revenues. The customers we lost at the end of the year in connection with the division of the Group and the transition to separate gaming accounts can now be found back to us. We are pleased that customers choose Svenska Spel because they appreciate our products and because it is safe and secure to play with us, ”says Patrik Hofbauer, President and CEO of Svenska Spel.

The Sports & Casino business area has during the period, among other things, launched virtual sports, many new casino games and the Play Together service, where customers can buy shares for various sports games. With the ombudsmen, rollout of self-service has begun, a new service with touch screens where customers can fill in their sports betting via digital coupons and then pay at the checkout. The Tour business area has, among other things, launched a subscription to Eurojackpot and Vikinglotto. The Casino Cosmopol & Vegas business area replaced during the quarter 1,300 Vegas automatic dispensers with new ones that include a stronger consumer protection since Playscan’s risk assessment is offered directly in the machine.

During the quarter, Svenska Spel’s Research Council granted five million SEK to new research projects on gambling addiction. Svenska Spel has expanded the team that works with care talks, ie calls to customers with an identified increased risk behavior. The gambling index, which measures the proportion of Svenska Spel’s customers who are aware of their gambling and make conscious choices, is at the high level 85 in the first half of this year.

It has been an intensive quarter in the new gaming market where the Gaming Inspectorate acted vigorously. This is positive for all Swedish consumers as it shows that consumer protection has been strengthened. As the entire Swedish people’s gaming company, our vision is that games should be for everyone’s pleasure. This means that our focus ahead is offensive, but with continued consideration of our customers, says Patrik Hofbauer.