2024-06-122023/24:NU19 · p.7NUBusiness & energy
Promotion of games and video game industry
A dedicated national strategy for the video game industry
What's at stake: Swedish game studios generate billions in export revenue but, unlike competitor countries such as Denmark, lack a dedicated strategy, institute and clear access to state export support. The decision affects whether game developers get targeted support and recognition as a cultural industry or continue to rely on general business-support schemes.
Case texts and AI reasoning are AI-translated from the Swedish originals; the Swedish text is authoritative.
What the vote decides
The question is whether the video game industry should get its own national strategy and a dedicated institute for support and financing, or whether the sector should continue to be covered by the government's broader strategy for the cultural and creative industries.
Yes Yes — the committee proposal
The committee welcomes the government's broad strategy and 2033 vision for the cultural and creative industries and holds that systems of advice, support and financing for businesses should be general rather than sector-specific. The committee therefore rejects the motions calling for a dedicated strategy for the video game industry.
No No — the reservations
Reservation 13 (C)
The reservation (C) wants the government to supplement its strategy for the cultural and creative industries with a dedicated national strategy for gaming and the video game industry, and to consider a national gaming institute similar to Denmark's. The reasoning is that the industry is often confused with gambling and therefore misses out on the business-policy support other industries receive despite strong export success; a dedicated strategy would legitimize the industry and open doors to research funding, and Vinnova and the Swedish Export Credit Agency (EKN) should be opened up to digital, export-oriented companies.
Summarised from the committee report. Party labels in the summary come from the report, not from the vote.
What do the votes mean here?
Yes The committee proposal: rejecting the motions (keeping things as they are).
No Backing the counter-proposal: reservation 13 by C.
Abstain The party marks a position of its own that is not one of the two final alternatives.
What each plan points to — and how the party voted
For each party: the vote its own election manifesto and party programme point to in this case, next to how the party actually voted. A plan can only point to Yes or No; a party can also abstain.
| Plan | Vote | Confidence | Evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| V | No | Yes 19/0/0/5 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| S | No | Yes 90/0/0/16 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| MP | No | Abstain 0/0/15/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | not addressed |
| C | Yes | No 0/21/0/3 | departs from the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| L | Yes | Yes 12/0/0/4 | follows the plan | confidence: low | derived |
| KD | Yes | Yes 16/0/0/3 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| M | Yes | Yes 58/0/0/10 | follows the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
| SD | No | Yes 63/0/0/9 | departs from the plan | confidence: medium | derived |
Committee proposal
The Riksdag rejects the motions 2023/24:2885 by Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist and Rickard Nordin (both C) claims 6-8 and 2023/24:2889 by Elin Söderberg and Amanda Lind (both MP) claims 10-12.
Original (Swedish)
Riksdagen avslår motionerna 2023/24:2885 av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist och Rickard Nordin (båda C) yrkandena 6-8 och 2023/24:2889 av Elin Söderberg och Amanda Lind (båda MP) yrkandena 10-12.
Riksdag decision: The Riksdag has treated a communication from the government on strategy for enterprises in cultural and creative industries. The strategy contains the government's overarching vision, six strategic goals and an equal number of priority areas. One of the goals is, among other things, targeted advice and financing, targeted support and reduced regulatory costs. Another goal is good competence provision, lifelong learning and good conditions in the social security systems. The Riksdag believes that the strategy as a whole provides a good foundation for continued work on promoting enterprises in cultural and creative industries. Thus, the Riksdag placed the communication with the files, that is, closed the case. The Riksdag also said no to motion claims.
Counter-proposals
- The counter-proposal wants to lower employer contributions and marginal tax to improve the business climate for cultural and creative industries. (C) — Reservation 13
Plan vs actual vote
Every party, in chamber order: what its own plan pointed to, how it voted, and the reasoning behind both. Highlighted rows are where the two differ — but a vote that follows the plan is a result too, so the reasoning is there for every party.
The plan has no policy for the video game industry, but commits to cultural policy creating good economic conditions for both institutions and new cultural forms, that healthy companies should have good conditions and that large collective investments are made in technology development.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan has no policy for the video game industry, but commits to cultural policy creating good economic conditions for both institutions and new cultural forms, that healthy companies should have good conditions and that large collective investments are made in technology development. The counter-proposal's demands for a special strategy and a national game institute, and that support and export financing be opened for digital companies, lie in that direction. The underlying rationale is however general.
Original (Swedish)
Planen har ingen politik för dataspelsbranschen, men åtar sig att kulturpolitiken ska skapa goda ekonomiska villkor för såväl institutioner som nya kulturformer, att sunda företag ska ha goda villkor och att stora gemensamma satsningar görs på teknikutveckling. Motförslagets krav på en särskild strategi och ett nationellt spelinstitut, samt att stöd- och exportfinansiering öppnas för digitala företag, ligger i den riktningen. Underlaget är dock allmänt.
- good conditions even for new cultural formsdecisive»Kulturpolitiken behöver skapa goda ekonomiska villkor för såväl« (party programme ↗)“Cultural policy needs to create good economic conditions for both”
- good conditions for healthy companies»Vi vill se goda villkor för sunda företag, som tar tillvara på människors drivkrafter att bygga upp egna verksamheter och riktar dem mot« (party programme ↗)“We want to see good conditions for healthy companies, which take advantage of people's drive to build their own operations and direct them towards”
- collective investments in technology development»Vi vill se stora gemensamma satsningar på den teknikutveckling« (party programme ↗)“We want to see large collective investments in the technology development”
- culture's value for everyone»Kultur som konst, musik och film bidrar till att skapa ett rikare samhälle att leva i för alla.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Culture as art, music and film contribute to creating a richer society to live in for everyone.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The election manifesto wants to invest in digitalisation and education to strengthen the business climate and competence supply, and safeguards a vibrant cultural life.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The election manifesto wants to invest in digitalisation and education to strengthen the business climate and competence supply, and safeguards a vibrant cultural life. A special strategy and an institute for the gaming industry are means to lift an export-strong digital industry in that direction. The plan does not take a position on whether support should be sector-specific, which is why the conclusion is derived and uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Valmanifestet vill satsa på digitalisering och utbildning för att stärka företagsklimatet och kompetensförsörjningen, och slår vakt om ett levande kulturliv. En särskild strategi och ett institut för spelbranschen är medel för att lyfta en exportstark digital näring i den riktningen. Planen tar inte ställning till om stöd ska vara branschspecifikt, varför slutsatsen är härledd och osäker.
- investment in digitalisationdecisive»Vi vill satsa på grön teknik, digitalisering och utbildning så att företagsklimatet stärks och kompetensförsörjningen förbättras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to invest in green technology, digitalisation and education to strengthen the business climate and improve competence supply.”
- vibrant cultural life»Sverige ska ha ett levande, fritt och obundet kulturliv som både stärker samhörigheten och utmanar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden shall have a vibrant, free and independent cultural life that both strengthens cohesion and challenges.”
- stimulate enterprise»entreprenörskap och kooperativ och social företagsamhet ska stimuleras« (party programme ↗)“entrepreneurship and cooperatives and social enterprise must be stimulated”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan lacks its own writing on the video game industry, but it commits to broad and active support for cultural life and for creative small businesses, and explicitly sees digital forms of expression as something that stimulates entrepreneurship and job creation.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan lacks its own writing on the video game industry, but it commits to broad and active support for cultural life and for creative small businesses, and explicitly sees digital forms of expression as something that stimulates entrepreneurship and job creation. A strategy that legitimizes the industry and opens support and export financing for digital companies thus aligns with the plan's commitments. Because the plan does not take a position on industry-specific versus general support systems, the support is derived and uncertain.
Original (Swedish)
Planen saknar en egen skrivning om dataspelsbranschen, men den utfäster ett brett och aktivt stöd till kulturlivet och till kreativa småföretag, och ser uttryckligen digitala uttrycksformer som något som stimulerar företagande och jobbskapande. En strategi som legitimerar branschen och öppnar stöd- och exportfinansiering för digitala företag ligger därmed i linje med planens åtaganden. Eftersom planen inte tar ställning till branschspecifika kontra generella stödsystem blir stödet härlett och osäkert.
- broad support for cultural lifedecisive»satsa på en bred återhämtningsplan för kulturlivet i hela landet, som omfattar både offentliga, fria, professionella och ideella aktörer.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“invest in a broad recovery plan for cultural life throughout the country, encompassing both public, independent, professional and non-profit actors.”
- support for small business»Vi vill stärka möjligheterna för människor med goda idéer att starta och driva företag.« (party programme ↗)“We want to strengthen opportunities for people with good ideas to start and run businesses.”
- digital creative business»Vi ser positivt på öppen källkod och öppen hårdvara som ett sätt att stimulera kreativitet, företagande och jobbskapande.« (party programme ↗)“We view open source and open hardware positively as a way to stimulate creativity, entrepreneurship and job creation.”
- faster commercialization»Steget från idé och innovation till prototyp, produkt och kommersialisering måste bli kortare.« (party programme ↗)“The step from idea and innovation to prototype, product and commercialization must become shorter.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan's business policy line is general conditions: lower taxes, less red tape and more efficient state venture capital, not industry-specific strategies and new state institutes.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's business policy line is general conditions: lower taxes, less red tape and more efficient state venture capital, not industry-specific strategies and new state institutes. The party programme also warns against the state acting as an arbiter of cultural expression. A special state gaming strategy with a national gaming institute thus goes beyond what the plan advocates, although more open export financing for digital enterprises is close to the plan's view on capital supply.
Original (Swedish)
Planens näringspolitiska linje är generella villkor: lägre skatt, mindre regelkrångel och effektivare statligt riskkapital, inte branschspecifika strategier och nya statliga institut. Partiprogrammet varnar dessutom för att politiken agerar smakdomare över kulturyttringar. En särskild statlig spelstrategi med ett nationellt spelinstitut går därför utöver vad planen förespråkar, även om öppnare exportfinansiering för digitala företag ligger nära planens syn på kapitalförsörjning.
- general regulatory simplificationsdecisive»Rensa upp i regelträsket för entreprenörer, stora som små.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Clean up the regulatory thicket for entrepreneurs, large and small.”
- general tax cuts»Sänk skatten på jobb och företagande, särskilt för småföretag och egenföretagare.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Lower taxes on jobs and enterprise, especially for small businesses and self-employed.”
- no political control of culture»Skaparglädje frodas i frihet. Politiken ska akta sig för att agera smakdomare och diktera kulturens innehåll.« (party programme ↗)“Creative joy flourishes in freedom. Politics should be careful not to act as an arbiter and dictate the content of culture.”
- more efficient capital supply»Vi vill att det statliga riskkapitalet blir mer effektivt och att investeraravdraget breddas och fördjupas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want the state venture capital to become more efficient and the investor deduction to be broadened and deepened.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
The plan sets general conditions for enterprise before sector-specific support: it is regulatory burden, taxes and business climate that should be improved for all businesses.
Plan documents: party programme · 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan sets general conditions for enterprise before sector-specific support: it is regulatory burden, taxes and business climate that should be improved for all businesses. A separate national strategy and a state gaming institute for a single sector do not follow from that. That the plan wants to appoint a startup commission shows that targeted initiatives are not entirely excluded, but it does not support a sector strategy.
Original (Swedish)
Planen sätter generella villkor för företagande framför branschspecifika stöd: det är regelbörda, skatter och företagsklimat som ska förbättras för alla företag. En egen nationell strategi och ett statligt spelinstitut för en enskild bransch följer inte av det. Att planen vill tillsätta en startup-kommission visar att riktade initiativ inte är helt uteslutna, men det bär inte en branschstrategi.
- general measures most importantdecisive»Viktigast är generella åtgärder för« (party programme ↗)“Most important are general measures for”
- reduced regulatory burden»Regelbördan för små företag ska minska« (party programme ↗)“Regulatory burden for small businesses shall decrease”
- competitive general taxes»Sveriges skattenivåer ska vara konkurrenskraftiga och lättförståeliga för att uppmuntra till företagande, utbildning och investeringar.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's tax levels shall be competitive and easy to understand to encourage enterprise, education and investment.”
- targeted startup commission»En startup-kommission ska tillsättas och skattesystemet anpassas bättre till den växande delningsekonomin.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“A startup commission shall be appointed and the tax system adapted better to the growing sharing economy.”
The plan stipulates that business policy shall be conducted with general means and that direct business subsidies are rejected.
Plan documents: party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan stipulates that business policy shall be conducted with general means and that direct business subsidies are rejected. A separate national strategy and a state institute for the gaming industry are targeted industry policy of the kind the plan distances itself from. The plan instead wishes the state to create a good climate for innovation and that risk capital be available for growing enterprises generally.
Original (Swedish)
Planen slår fast att näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel och att direkta företagssubventioner avvisas. En egen nationell strategi och ett statligt institut för spelbranschen är riktad branschpolitik av det slag planen tar avstånd från. Planen vill i stället att staten skapar ett gott innovationsklimat och att riskkapital finns tillgängligt för växande företag generellt.
- general business policydecisive»Näringspolitiken ska bedrivas med generella medel,« (party programme ↗)“Business policy shall be conducted with general means,”
- no direct subsidies»Direkta företagssubventioner avvisas.« (party programme ↗)“Direct business subsidies are rejected.”
- good climate for innovation»gott klimat för innovationer samt produkt- och marknadsutveckling.« (party programme ↗)“good climate for innovations and product and market development.”
- access to risk capital»att nödvändigt riskkapital finns tillgängligt« (party programme ↗)“that necessary risk capital is available”
The plan's business policy is general: lower taxes on enterprise, significantly reduced regulatory red tape and better conditions for everyone who wants to grow, not sector-wise support structures.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto · party programme
Reasoning and quotes
The plan's business policy is general: lower taxes on enterprise, significantly reduced regulatory red tape and better conditions for everyone who wants to grow, not sector-wise support structures. The counter-proposal requires a special national strategy for the gaming sector and a national gaming institute. The programme also emphasises that independent institutions must stand free from state and politics, which is why the plan rejects the demand.
Original (Swedish)
Planens näringspolitik är generell: lägre skatter på företagande, kraftigt minskat regelkrångel och bättre villkor för alla som vill växa, inte branschvisa stödstrukturer. Motförslaget kräver en särskild nationell strategi för spelbranschen och ett nationellt spelinstitut. Programmet framhåller dessutom att självständiga institutioner ska stå fria från stat och politik, varför planen avvisar kravet.
- general business conditionsdecisive»Stärka drivkrafterna för investeringar, forskning och entreprenörskap, genom lägre skatter på företagande« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen the drivers for investments, research and entrepreneurship, through lower taxes on enterprise”
- regulatory simplification over sector support»Ta bort en tredjedel av företagens administrationskostnader och en tredjedel av regelkrånglet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Remove a third of businesses' administrative costs and a third of regulatory red tape”
- institutions free from politics»Målet ska vara självständiga institutioner som i sin verksamhet står fria från stat och politik.« (party programme ↗)“The goal must be independent institutions that in their operations stand free from state and politics.”
- prioritise state core tasks»Politiken har en viktig uppgift att prioritera och välja bort,« (party programme ↗)“Politics has an important task to prioritise and leave out,”
The plan explicitly takes the interest in computer games seriously, wants to improve the position of e-sports and adapt copyright to how content is created digitally.
Plan documents: 2022 manifesto
Reasoning and quotes
The plan explicitly takes the interest in computer games seriously, wants to improve the position of e-sports and adapt copyright to how content is created digitally. A separate strategy that distinguishes computer games from games of chance and opens support and export financing for digital, internationally-oriented companies follows from that commitment and the plan's will to facilitate new business formation.
Original (Swedish)
Planen tar uttryckligen dataspelsintresset på allvar, vill förbättra e-sportens ställning och anpassa upphovsrätten till hur innehåll skapas digitalt. En egen strategi som skiljer dataspel från spel om pengar och öppnar stöd- och exportfinansiering för digitala, internationellt inriktade företag följer det åtagandet och planens vilja att underlätta nyföretagande.
- the position of e-sportsdecisive»Förbättra e-sportens ställning« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Improve the position of e-sports”
- computer games as societal asset»Det stora datorintresse som återfinns bland många unga kan också utgöra en stor tillgång i vårt allt mer digitaliserade samhälle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The great interest in computers found among many young people can also be a major asset in our increasingly digitalized society.”
- business-promoting»Skapa förutsättningar för nyföretagande och entreprenörskap« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Create conditions for new business formation and entrepreneurship”
- modernized copyright»Föråldrade regler om upphovsrätt behöver också anpassas efter hur människor konsumerar och skapar innehåll i det digitala samhället.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Outdated copyright rules also need to be adapted to how people consume and create content in the digital society.”
The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.
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Sources and documents
- The committee report on riksdagen.se (2023/24:NU19)
- Committee report full text (HB01NU19)
- Per-MP voting data (API)
- Case status (API)
Documents under consideration
- Motion 2023/24:2883 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:111 Strategi för företag i kulturella och kreativa branscher av Fredrik Olovsson m.fl. (S)
- Motion 2023/24:2885 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:111 Strategi för företag i kulturella och kreativa branscher av Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist och Rickard Nordin (båda C)
- Motion 2023/24:2889 — med anledning av skr. 2023/24:111 Strategi för företag i kulturella och kreativa branscher av Elin Söderberg och Amanda Lind (båda MP)
- Regeringens skrivelse 2023/24:111 — Strategi för företag i kulturella och kreativa branscher
Source: The Swedish Parliament