Gala Coral scraps Sweden-facing brand

Gala Coral Interactive has scrapped its Sweden-facing casino Gala.se just 18 months after launch, eGaming Review has learned.

Speaking to eGR, a spokesperson for the firm said the decision was made due to the small contribution Gala.se had made to the overall business while Sweden-based players were still able to log-on to its Galacasino.com site.

“Sweden was a relatively small business for Gala Coral and we took the decision to consolidate our casino offering under the Galacasino.com brand, which our Swedish customers are continuing to play, and which offers a broader range of content and promotions for our Swedish, UK and international customers,” a Gala Coral spokesperson said.

Gala.se received its full launch in April 2014 under former Gala Interactive managing director Per Widerstrom, who at the time promised “big plans for the brand”, including a major marketing exercise.

Gala Coral said it had targeted the Swedish market due to its growth potential, however today’s news would suggest Gala.se had failed to perform as management would have expected.

The Swedish casino market is considered to be ultra-competitive with a large number of major operators active, including a raft of indigenous brands such as Betsson, LeoVegas, Vera&John and Mr Green, making success all the more difficult.

The scrapping of Gala.se may also be seen as something of a tidying-up exercise, ahead of Gala Coral’s expected merger with Ladbrokes next year.

Gala Coral is due to publish its full-year results next month when it is expected to announce a significant rise in revenues and profits – online net revenues for the year-to-date were up 50% at Q3.