Betsson has reported record high revenue for the second quarter of 2026, even as the Swedish gambling giant saw its profitability take a significant hit in the first half of the year.
The online betting and gaming group recorded total revenue of €595.5m for the January to June 2026 period, with €310.2m of that coming in the second quarter alone.
Those figures represented growth of 5% from €597.3m in H1 2025 and 6% from €303.7m in Q2 2025 respectively, signalling continued momentum in top-line performance across the business.
However, the revenue growth was not matched by earnings, with EBITDA falling sharply by 33% to €108.4m in H1 2026, compared to €161.8m in the same period last year.
The Q2 EBITDA figure also dropped 31% to €58.5m, a considerable decline that will draw scrutiny from investors despite the encouraging revenue trajectory.
Chief Executive Officer Pontus Lindwall pointed to the FIFA World Cup as a key factor shaping trading conditions heading into the second half of 2026.
“The second quarter was characterised by continued healthy growth in our B2C business, positively impacted by the FIFA World Cup that kicked off in June,” Lindwall said.
Casino revenue emerged as the strongest growth driver during the period, rising 2% in H1 2026, while sportsbook revenue posted a more modest 1% increase across the group.
Italy continues to be a particularly important market for Betsson, with the country representing a growing share of the group’s overall performance in 2026.
The possibility of marketing cutbacks was also raised as operators across major betting markets contend with heavier tax burdens, with Betsson directly exposed to taxation in the Netherlands.
Questions around the predictions market also surfaced, with Betsson monitoring developments in Gibraltar as that jurisdiction lays foundations for European growth in that space.
Lindwall was measured in his assessment of whether predictions could translate meaningfully into Betsson’s core regulated markets outside of the United States.
“In most of the markets where we are strong the prediction market model doesn’t really fit in the same fashion as it does in the US, where they follow different regulations than the gaming regulations,” Lindwall said.
“In our markets, if it was to be allowed it would fall under gaming regulations and then it is not much different from sports betting,” the CEO added, tempering expectations around any near-term move into that space.
