Sweden’s parliament, the Riksdag, has voted to eliminate land-based casino gambling across the country. This decision will result in the closure of the last remaining Casino Cosmopol venue, which is state-owned and located in Stockholm.
On 2 April, the Riksdag announced that land-based casinos in Sweden no longer fulfill their intended role. The decision cited falling profitability and a steady decline in visitors at Casino Cosmopol venues.
Svenska Spel, which holds the exclusive rights to operate land-based casinos in Sweden, manages the Casino Cosmopol brand under state directive. With the new law set to take effect, no other operators will be allowed to obtain licenses to open or run physical casinos in the country.
The proposal to shut down Casino Cosmopol was first introduced in May last year. Following through with those initial plans, the Riksdag has confirmed that the amendment will take effect on 1 January 2026. From that date onward, land-based casinos will no longer be allowed to operate in Sweden.
Svenska Spel supports closure of land-based casinos
Following the announcement, Svenska Spel expressed its support for the decision to phase out land-based casinos. The operator will now begin winding down operations at the final Casino Cosmopol location in preparation for its permanent closure.
However, it confirmed that the Stockholm branch of Casino Cosmopol will remain open “until further notice.”
Casino Cosmopol CEO Ola Enquist acknowledged the government's concerns about the casino division’s recent performance, noting that the growth of online gambling in Sweden has contributed to declining interest in physical casinos.
“We agree with the government’s assessment and were prepared for the Riksdag’s decision,” Enquist said. “Still, it’s emotionally difficult, as the eventual closure of the Stockholm casino marks the end of an era.”
“Our current focus is on supporting our staff while continuing to operate and care for our guests.”
Liquidation talks already under way
At its peak, Casino Cosmopol operated four locations across Sweden. However, the Sundsvall branch closed in 2020, and Svenska Spel announced the permanent shutdown of its Gothenburg and Malmö casinos in January last year.
Today, the Stockholm casino remains the only operational land-based casino in the country, employing just under 240 staff members. Discussions are already underway regarding the liquidation process and how Svenska Spel will support affected employees.
“We’ve started union negotiations and are in ongoing dialogue to ensure the liquidation process is handled as smoothly as possible,” said CEO Ola Enquist. “We are also committed to helping our staff transition to new opportunities after the closure.”
In 2024, Casino Cosmopol reported revenue of SEK165 million (£12.9 million/€15.4 million/$16.9 million), marking a 65% decline from the previous year. The drop was largely due to the earlier closures of the Gothenburg and Malmö locations. By contrast, Svenska Spel’s Tur lottery division generated SEK5.14 billion in revenue during the same period.
Regulator concerns over casino closures
The decision to move forward with the closure of Sweden’s land-based casinos comes despite objections from market regulator Spelinspektionen. In August, the regulator warned that shutting down Casino Cosmopol could trigger an increase in illegal gambling activity within the country’s land-based sector.
While Spelinspektionen stated it had “no substantive views” on the closure itself, it expressed concern over the potential consequences, particularly a surge in unregulated gambling. The Swedish Police Authority echoed these concerns in its own response.
The regulator also noted that addressing a rise in illegal gambling would require additional funding and could lead to the reallocation of existing resources.
As of now, Spelinspektionen has not yet commented on the latest announcement.
