Sweden votes in favor of abolishing land-based casino gambling

Sweden has voted in favour of abolishing land-based casino gambling as the government deems that it no longer serves its purpose.

The decision by the Swedish government will lead to the closure of the country’s last remaining casino. following the country’s shift to online gambling over recent years.

The Riksdag announced the move to abolish casino gambling in Sweden on Wednesday due to declining profitability and visitor numbers at Casino Cosmopol. This is a state-owned casino brand operated by Svenska Spel.

Svenska Spel were the only operator allowed to operate a land-based casino in Sweden before the new ruling.

The move to close Casino Cosmopol in Stockholm was first proposed in May 2024 and the update marks the final chapter for the company which once had four locations located across Sweden.

Its site in Sundsvall closed in 2020 before casinos in Gothenburg and Malmo closed in January 2024. The casino in Stockholm is the last one remaining and employs just under 240 people.

The amendment on land-based casinos by the Swedish government will take effect from 1 January, 2026.

From that date no new casino licences will be handed out.

It remains unclear as to when the country’s final casino in Stockholm will close down. However, when that does take place, it will effectively end the presence of physical casinos in Sweden.

The decision by Sweden goes the opposite way of plans in Brazil, who revealed they are looking to legalise land-based casinos earlier this year

The CEO of Casino Cosmopol, Ola Enquist, has agreed with the Riksdag’s decision to discontinue state-casinos.

Ola Enquist, said: “We share the Government’s assessment and have been prepared for the Riksdag’s decision.

“Still, it is of course emotionally tough because it means that an era will end when the casino in Stockholm eventually closes. Our focus right now is to support our employees, and at the same time stay open and continue to take care of our guests.”

Enquist added that they have “initiated union negotiations” and are holding talks on “how liquidation should be carried out.”

The casino though has confirmed that they will remain open “until further notice”.

Although residents of Sweden will no longer be able to gamble at casinos, they can still do so online.

For many years state-owned Svenska Spel – the owner of Casino Cosmopol – was the only option for online betting. However, Sweden brought in new laws in January 2019 that opened the market to private operators.