A Swedish gaming enterprise has reported that risky gaming activities in Sweden did not rise in 2023, even though the nation is experiencing economic hardship.
The government-owned firm reached this conclusion after examining gaming data from the first two months of 2023.
Kaisa Nylander, the head of sustainability at Svenska Spel, attributed this finding to a series of safety measures implemented by the company in 2021 and 2022, in a blog post.
These measures included: mandatory income verification for customers aged 18 or 19 if they wished to set their monthly gaming limit above 1,000 Swedish kronor (£78.91/$90.01/€96.71), and for others who wanted to set their monthly gaming limit above 100,000 Swedish kronor.
The company also implemented a mandatory 10-minute break for players using its Las Vegas slot machines, and launched a redesigned version of its gaming harm prevention tool Min spelkoll.
Cost of living crisis
Nylander stated that Svenska Spel decided to conduct the study because the rising cost of living was impacting food supplies, energy prices and other aspects of daily life in the country.
“Many individuals are currently concerned about their finances,” Nylander said.
The escalating cost of living and mortgage rates have placed a significant strain on households.
Consequently, there are worries that this heightened susceptibility could result in a greater number of individuals developing gambling issues.
However, Svenska Spel has observed that not only has problematic gambling not risen, but the number of individuals exhibiting signs of risky gambling has declined in January-February 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. This pattern is particularly noticeable in online casinos.
Additional actions
Nylander states that to sustain this positive trend, Svenska Spel is placing a greater emphasis on its game check calls, a measure they also implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Game check calls are a preventative measure that Svenska Spel employs when they detect concerning gambling behavior in new clients.
“We want customers to participate in a planned and secure manner, so we frequently emphasize the importance of establishing reasonable limits in these discussions,” Nylander clarifies. “We also discuss the risks associated with the specific game formats they are engaging in with them and introduce them to our game control tools to ensure their adequate protection.”
Nylander also mentions that the service has intercepted problematic gambling behavior from certain individuals struggling with the cost of living crisis.
“In some of these discussions, we have intercepted individuals who have mentioned, for example, that they are encountering difficulties paying their electricity bills or that they are running low on food,” she states.
While the overall risk associated with wagering is declining, it’s crucial to continue emphasizing preventative measures. This empowers individuals to maintain vigilance over their betting patterns.
In the previous week, the Swedish gambling regulatory body, Spelinspektionen, reported a 5% increase in gambling income for the nation in 2022.
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