Swedish game provider Play’n Go has conducted an exclusive poll in Sweden, revealing 55% of slot players, and a whopping 69% of the general public support a ban on bonus buy games.
According to the study, the majority of Swedes believe these games exploit vulnerable gamblers, with 63% of players believing that bonus buy games lead to higher losses for players.
Bonus buy gams have become increasingly popular in recent years, allowing players to bypass the base game of a slot game and pay a fixed cost for instant entry to the main free spins or bonus round. In recent years, many game developers have started to offer bonus buy mechanics within their games – often costing players hundreds of times their original stake.
A Controversial Game Type Already Banned In Several Jurisdictions
Games with a bonus buy have already been banned in several countries, and regulators including the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) and the KSA of the Netherlands have outlawed them completely. The latest findings from Play’n Go appear to show that Swedish players and residents are in support of a bonus buy buy now, too, with the study revealing;
- 61% of Swedes favor a regulatory ban on bonus buy games, claiming it’s “the responsible thing to do.”
- 63% of Swedes believe if the Swedish governemnt were to step in and ban bonus buy games, it would show they’re taking responsible gambling seriously.
- 53% of Swedes would be “proud” if their gambling regulator banned bonus buy games.
Sweden has, for many years, been at the forefront of new responsible gambling measures – folllowing in the footsteps of the UKGC’s GAMSTOP scheme by releasing their own nationwide self-exclusion scheme, Spelpaus. Three months ago, the Swedish regulator Spelinspektionen reported that the number of Swedes who’d used the self-exclusion scheme has surpassed 100,000, so it’s clear this is a topic the country’s regulator will look to take seriously.
A Conflict of Interest?
While it’s good to see game developers like Play’n Go conducting these studies, it’s worth noting that it may not be entirely good-natured. Play’n Go has opted not to incorporate bonus buys into any of their games – and this could be significantly stunting their growth, with most of their competitors choosing to offer bonus buys. As such, while it’s commendable that Play’n Go are taking a strong responsible gambling stance, it’s unclear whether this comes from a place of concern, or a realization that they’re struggling to compete.
However, to give Play’n Go credit, Johan Törnqvist, the company’s CEO and Co-founder, stated:
“I pledged as far back as 2021 that Play’n GO would never make a Bonus Buy game³ – a decision that has cost us hundreds of millions of Swedish Krona – but I stand by that decision. Bonus buy games are harmful to players, and to the long-term health and sustainability of the entire industry, and they should be excluded from the regulated Swedish market.”
Could this be a case of an iGaming business truly caring about their players? It remains to be seen whether Swedish regulators will take action, but in an increasingly regulated industry, it does seem certain that we’ll see new jurisdictions outlawing bonus buy games in the future.
Dave Sawyer has nearly 25 years experience working within the iGaming Industry. Initially starting out with Ladbrokes based in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar in 2000, after 5 years with the tier one operator in his role of IT Services Manager, Dave left to setup his own casino affiliate site.
During the years Dave has spoken at several industry events, including the Casino Affiliate Convention held in Amsterdam in 2006, where Dave appeared on the forum panel. Other events Dave has been a speaker at include the iGB London Affiliate Conference.
More recently Dave has written for Casinomeister.com and has been a moderator on the popular Casinomeister Forum since 2010, where he posts under the user handle Webzcas.