With Casino Cosmopol being the last land-based venue in Sweden, its closure would effectively mark the end of traditional casino gaming in the country.

The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS), representing 18 Swedish gambling companies, has voiced its opinion on the proposed closure of the state-owned Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm.

BOS Calls for Government Approval of Private Casinos

The BOS has expressed support for the closure, agreeing with the government’s stance that it should not be in the business of operating casinos. However, with Casino Cosmopol being the only remaining land-based casino in Sweden, its closure would bring an end to traditional casino gaming within the country.

Given this, the BOS has urged the government to consider allowing private land-based casinos to operate in Sweden. Currently, such establishments are prohibited, with Casino Cosmopol holding a state-run monopoly on land-based casino gaming.

At present, Sweden has no concrete plans to permit commercial casinos run by private companies. The BOS has raised concerns about this position, pointing out that if Casino Cosmopol is shut down, Sweden will be left without a single legal land-based casino.

Casinos Play a Vital Role in the Gambling Ecosystem

Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of the BOS, commented on the situation, emphasising the importance of land-based casinos. While he acknowledged that these venues contribute only a small portion of overall gambling revenue, he highlighted their significant role within the broader gambling ecosystem.

Hoffstedt further argued that land-based casinos attract tourists, reinforcing Sweden’s standing as a tourist destination. Additionally, he noted that the presence of legal casinos serves to deter the operation of illegal gambling clubs.

For these reasons, Hoffstedt is adamant that Sweden should legalise privately owned casinos.

“We propose that the government, at the same time as they close their own government casino, open up for private companies to offer land-based casinos in Sweden,” said Gustaf Hoffstedt, secretary general of the BOS.

This is not the first occasion on which the BOS has disagreed with the Swedish government’s decisions. Previously, the organisation expressed its dissatisfaction with Sweden’s gambling tax increase. Hoffstedt, who labelled the measure a “gift to the black market,” argued that it would reduce the competitiveness of legal operators, thereby allowing their offshore counterparts to flourish.

In other news related to gaming regulation in Sweden, the country’s regulator, Spelinspektionen, recently banned Small House BV for targeting the Swedish market without a licence. Earlier, the authority issued a warning and a financial penalty against Folkspel for breaching regulations by failing to implement adequate procedures to prevent underage gambling.