Exclusive Swedish poll conducted today by Play'n GO also reveals overwhelming general public support for banning “Bonus Buy” slot games
Play'n GO, the world leader in casino entertainment, today revealed an exclusive survey conducted in Sweden showing overwhelming support for banning the controversial slots mechanic featured in “Bonus Buy” games.
The results of a nationally representative survey in Sweden are stark:
- seven in ten members of the general Swedish public (69%) support changing the law to ban “Bonus Buy” games;
- incredibly, more than half of Swedish slots players (55%) want this type of gaming to be banned.
Among those surveyed who want the controversial slots game banned, two-thirds of the public (66%) and more than half of slots players in Sweden (52%) believe that “Bonus Buy” games exploit the most vulnerable players.
Additionally, nearly two-thirds of slots players themselves (63%) believe that “Bonus Buy” games result in greater losses for players.
So-called “Bonus Buy” games allow players to directly purchase a slot's bonus or free spins, in many cases for hundreds of times the initial stake for a single spin.
The controversial type of gaming is banned by some of the world's leading regulators, including the KSA of the Netherlands and the UK Gambling Commission, who reiterated their position in a memo to all online casino operators in January 2020, which stated that “gambling products must not actively encourage customers to increase their stake or increase the amount they choose to gamble”.
Play'n GO results also reveal that Swedish slots players largely think that:
- changing legislation to align with the UK and Netherlands regarding “Bonus Buy” games is the “responsible thing to do” (61%);
- a change in legislation demonstrates that “the Swedish government is taking gambling issues seriously” (63%);
- would be proud if the gambling regulator banned “Bonus Buy” games (53%).
In December, Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen reported that Spelpaus, the national centralized self-exclusion system, surpassed 100.000 registered users for the first time.
Commenting on the huge support gained in Sweden for the ban on “Bonus Buy” slot games, Johan Törnqvist, CEO and co-founder of Play'n GO, said: “For many years, Play'n GO has been a consistent and vocal advocate for a sustainable, regulated and thriving gaming industry, based on an “entertainment-first” mentality . I promised back in 2021 that Play'n GO would never make a Bonus Buy game – a decision that cost us hundreds of millions of SEK – but I stand by my decision. Bonus Buy games are harmful to players and the long-term health and sustainability of the entire industry, and should be excluded from the Swedish regulated market.”
Over half of the Swedish public (51%) called game providers who decided not to produce “Bonus Buy” games “responsible”, while more than a quarter chose “ethical” or “courageous”.
The exclusive research was conducted among Swedish citizens who said they play slots at least once a month.
