Swedish Gambling Firm Reports No Surge In High-Risk Gambling Despite Cost Of Living Crisis

The Swedish national lottery enterprise, Svenska Spel, has asserted that despite the nation’s challenging economic climate, there has been no surge in high-risk gambling conduct in Sweden as of 2023.

Svenska Spel arrived at this conclusion after examining gambling data from the initial two months of 2023.

Kajsa Nylander, Svenska Spel’s director of sustainability, attributed this discovery to a series of safer gambling initiatives enacted by the organization in 2021 and 2022, in a weblog entry on the company’s online platform.

These actions encompassed mandatory income assessments for patrons aged 18 or 19 who desire to set a gambling restriction exceeding 1,000 Swedish kronor (£78.91/€90.01/$96.71) per month, as well as verifications for other customers seeking to establish a gambling limit exceeding 100,000 Swedish kronor per month.

The company also implemented mandatory 10-minute pauses for players utilizing its Las Vegas slot machines and introduced a rebranded version of its gambling harm prevention instrument, Min spelkoll.

Living expenses crisis
Nylander stated that Svenska Spel opted to undertake this investigation due to the escalating cost of living, which has affected the nation’s food supply, energy prices, and other facets of daily existence.

“Numerous individuals are presently concerned about their financial circumstances,” Nylander remarked.

The surge in inflation and home loan rates has significantly impacted households.

Consequently, there are fears that this heightened susceptibility could result in a greater number of individuals developing gambling issues.

Nevertheless, Svenska Spel has observed that despite worries about increased gambling problems, the number of individuals exhibiting signs of risky gambling actually declined in January-February 2023 in comparison to the same period in 2022. This pattern was particularly noticeable in online casinos.

Additional action

Nylander asserts that to sustain this favorable trend, Svenska Spel is placing greater emphasis on its game check calls, a preventative measure also implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Game check calls are initiated when Svenska Spel detects concerning gambling behavior among new patrons.

“We aim for customers to engage in gaming in a planned and secure manner, hence we frequently stress the importance of establishing sensible limits during these interactions,” Nylander clarifies. “We also discuss the risks associated with the type of game they are participating in with customers and introduce them to our game control tools to ensure their well-being.”

Nylander also mentions that the service has prevented certain individuals grappling with the cost of living crisis from developing problematic gambling behavior.

“In some of these conversations, we have intervened with individuals who have mentioned, for instance, that they are struggling to pay their energy bills or that they have run out of food,” she states.

It is crucial to emphasize the significance of preventative measures in addressing gambling habits, even as the overall risk associated with gambling has decreased.

The Swedish gambling authority, Spelinspektionen, reported a 5% increase in gambling revenue in 2022.

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