The parliament of Sweden, Riksdag, has voted to ban land-based casino gaming, hinting at the upcoming and imminent closure of the last remaining Casino Cosmopol based in Stockholm.
The shutdown will officially come into effect on 1 January 2026, thus marking the end of regulated land-based casino operators in the country.
At the moment, the state-owned Svenska Spel holds the exclusive rights to run land-based casinos in Sweden under the brand Casino Cosmopol. By implementing the new legislation, there will be no other operators aside from Svenska Spel that will be allowed to obtain licences for land-based gambling, consequently ending land-based casino gambling across the country.
The proposal to shut down Casino Cosmopol was first introduced in May 2024, with Svenska Spel expressing its support for the decision. Additionally, this will start the process of selling its final casino location, yet despite this, the Stockholm venue will remain operational “until further notice,” the operator revealed.
One look at the finances at Casino Cosmopol in 2024 and the decline of the operator is very evident.
More specifically, Casino Cosmopol generated SEK165 million ($16.9 million) in 2024, which is a 65% decline compared to the previous year, something that is mostly due to the shutdown of two of its locations earlier in 2024.
In comparison, Svenska Spel’s Tur lottery division alone reported a record revenue of SEK5.14 billion, something that undeniably shows a huge difference in performance.
Despite the decision by the parliament, the development has raised criticism from Sweden’s official gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, with the authority warning that the move could drive an increase in illegal gambling activities within the land-based sector.
As Sweden prepares to close the chapter on its land-based casinos, the country’s focus is expected to shift further toward digital and regulated online gambling platforms.
