Vegas business area

The business area is responsible for Vegas Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs), which have been installed in 2,230 restaurants and bingo halls (2,187) nationwide that have concluded partnership agreements with Svenska Spel. A total of 6,563 VLTs (6,576) have been installed at the premises of these business partners.

Net gaming revenue declined in 2010 to SEK 2,039 million (2,081), corresponding to about 21 % (21) of Svenska Spel ‘s total of SEK 9,614 million (9,905). Vegas remains Sweden’s single largest game in terms of net gaming revenue. Net sales from gaming and other operations totalled SEK 1,198 million (1,223). Operating profit was SEK 811 million (840).

Responsibility programmes in 2010

Vegas is one of the riskiest games as regards addiction, and thus the business area consistently pursues efforts designed to strengthen responsibility programmes in order to assist players in controlling their gaming.

Vegas is marketed to a very limited extent in a bid to avoid the emergence of problem gambling.

The business area trains business partners and employees in responsible gaming and also raises awareness via campaigns, information material and Spelinstitutet’s (a responsible gaming company) website, spelansvar.nu. A responsibility campaign in 2010 featuring Henrik Lundqvist – a well-known Swedish ice-hockey goalkeeper – was aimed at training business partners and their employees in programmes involving age-limit checks for playing on Vegas VLTs.

The business area conducted a study designed to reduce energy consumption for VLTs, resulting in the introduction of an energy-savings function in October 2010. Energy consumption is expected to be reduced by about 1,300,000 kWh/year.

In 2010, the Vegas business area was ranked "The CSR Relationship of the Year" by the Harry’s restaurant chain following its contribution to Harry’s programme for African youth.

Age verification and age-limit checks

The minimum age for playing Vegas games is 18. The installation of an age verification system on Vegas VLTs was completed in 2009, which means that customers must state their date of birth before gaming can commence. If the customer is under 18, the game cannot begin. In the event of a win, the date of birth is indicated on the winning ticket, which is produced along with identification when the winnings are paid out.

During 2010, the Vegas business area conducted 2,485 test purchases among business partners. Two types of checks are conducted to ensure that minors do not play on the Vegas VLTs. One is a test purchase when a person between the age of 18 and 20 plays a Vegas game and is expected to be asked by the personnel to produce identification. The second type is a game site check, which involves a general inspection of the layout of the area around the gaming site.

Svenska Spel also checks for the presence of any illegal gaming machines among its business partners. In relevant cases, the Swedish Gaming Board is informed and the business partner is requested to remove such machines. Failure to do so means that Svenska Spel terminates the partnership. Efforts to check that Svenska Spel’s business partners comply with the rules are pursued continuously. This is done in combination with broad-based campaign, training and information programmes aimed at business partners, their employees and players. The purpose of these broad-based opinion-shaping programmes is to change attitudes and working methods.

Several new investments during 2010

During the course of 2010, 1,170 Vegas VLTs were modernised. In addition, five new games were launched.

Tests of a new central system were conducted throughout the year. The project has been delayed due to performance and quality shortcomings. While awaiting to correct these faults, the business area has drawn up a technical specification for responsible gaming tools for Vegas games, which will be the next phase when the new central system has been installed. The system will permit business operations to be more flexible in terms of, for example, responsible gaming tools, as well as simplifying the task of new game installation. It will also offer the potential to launch games from third-party suppliers, thereby facilitating the attainment of the business area’s future objective, namely, to offer a more varied game range with a greater social content. The ultimate aim is that customers will voluntarily set a gaming limit in terms of time and money.