Sweden’s Channelisation Rate Nears but Fails to Reach 90% Goal

A recent report from the Swedish Treasury reveals that Sweden’s aim of directing 90% of all gambling activity to licensed operators remains unmet. Channelisation—the proportion of bets placed with approved, regulated companies—climbed from 50% in 2018 to 87% in 2021 but still fell short of the 90% benchmark. This improvement shows the licensing system is making progress, yet highlights the need for further action to close the gap.

When Sweden reopened its market in 2019, policymakers sought to shift gambling into a safer, regulated environment. Since then, licensed operators have seen their share of play nearly double, rising from half of all gambling in 2018 to almost nine out of ten wagers by 2021. That upward trend underscores the system’s strengths: any company that meets Sweden’s demanding rules may offer games to local players. Even so, the 87% rate remains under the 90% target and slightly below the 88% mark achieved in 2019.

The Treasury cautions against treating channelisation as an end in itself. Rather, it should serve broader goals—protecting consumers, reducing illegal play and curbing problem gambling. Three years into the reformed market, channelisation has delivered many intended outcomes, even if the headline figure is still shy of the goal.

Unlicensed gambling remains a sticking point. Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s regulator, can block payments and deny access to offshore sites, but must first prove “special reasons” and secure a court order for each payment block. This slow process limits enforcement. In response, the government proposes new measures: introducing licences for B2B software providers and classifying all unlicensed gambling available in Sweden as illegal.

Affiliate marketers also draw scrutiny. Websites and influencers guide players to gambling companies, yet paid promotions on comparison pages and review sites often lack clear disclosure. This ambiguity can mislead consumers into believing they’re reading impartial advice. To address this, the Law Council suggests outlawing the promotion of unlicensed sites, while the Treasury recommends that affiliates be required to label sponsored content unambiguously.

To support these efforts, regulators and operators can turn to specialized compliance tools. Rightlander, for example, offers affiliate monitoring solutions that scan websites and social channels to ensure marketing adheres to Swedish rules. By flagging unlabelled promotions or links to unlicensed operators, Rightlander’s platform helps maintain transparency and keeps players within the regulated market.

The report calls for Spelinspektionen to publish quarterly breakdowns of channelisation rates—by game type, operator and other factors—to increase transparency. It also urges closer cooperation with European regulators to tackle cross-border illegal gambling. Sharing data and best practices would strengthen enforcement and discourage offshore operators from targeting Swedish players.

Consumer protections have improved under the new regime. All licensed operators must integrate Sweden’s self-exclusion programme, Spelpaus, and are restricted in offering bonuses—now allowed only at sign-up. Despite these measures, the Treasury found no clear evidence that problem gambling has declined. Obstacles include rules that limit operators’ access to players’ financial data and the tendency of high-stakes gamblers to spread their activity across multiple platforms.

Restricting bonuses to initial offers may even drive some players to seek more generous deals on unlicensed sites or open multiple accounts. Ambiguous affiliate content compounds the issue, potentially encouraging risky behaviour. Stronger oversight of affiliate marketing—supported by tools like Rightlander—could ensure that all promotions are responsible, transparent and compliant.