Casino Cosmopol celebrates its tenth anniversary

There were several reasons for the Social Democratic Government in the late 1990s to propose the launch of state-run international casinos in Sweden. It could reduce illegal gaming and increase the state income. Another reason was that casinos locally created more jobs. They would also have a positive impact on Sweden as a tourist destination.

The proposal was initially met with considerable resistance, particularly internally from several Social Democratic members of Parliament, who feared that the casinos would increase gambling addiction, attract criminal elements and cause serious social disorder.

1999

On 1 June 1999, the Swedish parliament decided on allowing up to six casinos in Sweden. The Government granted licenses to start four casinos. Six months later, Svenska Spel’s subsidiary Casino Cosmopol was formed. By the autumn of 1999, 24 municipalities had submitted applications for casinos.

2001

Among other rules, the Swedish Casino Act stipulated an age limit of 20. On 1 July 2001, Sweden’s first international casino opened in Sundsvall. A few months later, on 8 December 2001, the casino in Malmö was opened.

2002

In Gothenburg, the casino premiered on 31 August 2002.

2003

The casino in Stockholm opened on 14 March 2003 in the same building that once housed Stockholm’s first movie theatre, the Palladium on Kungsgatan. Within a short period, Svenska Spel had opened not less than four casinos.

2005

Since 2005, all four casinos have generated a profit.

2011

In ten years, more than ten million visitors have been registered at Svenska Spel’s four casinos. In 2011, Casino Cosmopol reported net gaming revenue of about SEK 1.2 billion and the highest number of visitors ever.