Part 3: The position of the monopolies
Chart 4: Svenska Spel online poker NGR 2006-17 (SEKm)
450
400
385
372
350
305
300
250
200
231
206
214
175
150
152
133 125 118
2014 2015 2016
100
101
50
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2017
Source:
unfortunately wasn’t broken out
in the 2017 version) was that it
was the sports betting segment
(including its pool-betting brands)
where it was seeing its online
growth. In total, just under 50%
of sports betting revenues in 2016
(which totalled SEK1.69bn) came
from online, or circa SEK850m. If
we assume a growth in the online
share to 55% of the total for 2017,
which does not seem unreasonable,
this would give a 2017 total of circa
SEK985m. Add in the SEK101m
from poker and the estimated
online total rises to SEK1.09bn or
circa €105m.
ATG and horseracing
The debate regarding a possible
sports levy brings into focus
the position of the horseracing
monopoly operator AB Trav och
Galopp (ATG). Under the new
law, it will lose its monopoly in
horseracing and indeed, ahead
of the new market opening the
20
company in currently in talks with
sport backend supplier Kambi to
provide a platform in readiness
for 1 January.
The finance ministry report
pointed out that the move away
from its monopoly position would
entail changes to the funding
ATG is owned by
Swedish Travsport
(90%) and Swedish
Galopp (10%), but the
state elects the majority
of the members of the
company’s board, which
means it has a decisive
influence over the
business
of horseracing and therefore
the review should look into
how a new mechanism could
be introduced that was in line
with EU state aid rules. Funding
models in Denmark and the UK,
which both have a horserace
betting levy, will be considered.
As it stands, ATG is owned by
Swedish Travsport (90%) and
Swedish Galopp (10%), but the
state elects the majority of the
members of the company’s board,
which means that the state has
a decisive influence over the
business. Its entire surplus revenues
are currently distributed to racing.
“The Government’s proposal
for reorganisation of the gaming
market entails the termination
of the ATG’s exclusive right,”
the report states. “All players
who qualify for a licence can
thus offer betting on horses.
This fundamentally changes the
conditions for ATG and trotting and
racing sports funding.”
Sweden: The transition to regulation in one of Europe’s most advanced digital markets