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Svenska Spel vows to deepen monitoring of ‘at-risk behaviours’ as Swedish cost-of-living concerns have grown since the start of the year.
Sweden’s state-owned gambling operator announced that it had registered no increase in problematic gambling behaviours in its business activities during the first two months of 2023.
The assessment comes despite the ongoing financial challenges Swedish citizens face due to the rising cost of living. The company reached this conclusion after analysing gambling data from January and February 2023.
In a recent blog post, Kajsa Nylander, Head of Sustainability at Svenska Spel, attributed the findings to the safer gambling measures implemented by the organisation in 2021 and 2022.
Among the measures introduced were mandatory income reviews for customers aged 18 or 19 who wish to set a monthly gambling limit of over SEK1,000 (€90) and for other customers with a limit of over SEK100,000 per month.
Additionally, a compulsory 10-minute break was implemented for players using Vegas slot machines, and the company launched a rebranded version of its gambling harm prevention tool, Min-Spelkoll.
Concerns about the rising cost of living – affecting food supplies, energy prices, and other daily necessities – prompted Svenska Spel to conduct the study.
Nylander acknowledged growing consumer concerns about their financial situation, with inflation and increased housing interest rates hitting households hard.
Despite these challenges, the study revealed that those exhibiting signs of risky gambling gambled less during January-February 2023 than in the same period in 2022, particularly in online casinos.
To maintain these positive trends, Svenska Spel has focused more on its game check calls, a preventive measure employed when concerning gambling behaviour is observed in a new customer. The company also utilised this approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During these calls, Svenska Spel emphasises the importance of setting reasonable limits and educates customers about the risks associated with their chosen games while informing them about available game control tools.
Nylander highlighted that the game check calls have helped identify problem gambling behaviours in individuals struggling with the cost of living crisis.
She emphasised the importance of continuing preventive talks to assist customers in managing their gambling habits responsibly.
2023 will see Svenska Spel cooperate with Kindred Group Plc and ATG – as Sweden’s three biggest gambling operators will utilise a data-sharing scheme to improve gambling-harm prevention outcomes.
