Swedish report praises decline in problem gambling rates

(AsiaGameHub) –   Economist Ola Nevander authored a report on behalf of the gaming trade association BOS.

Sweden – A study commissioned by BOS, the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, indicates that rates of problem gambling in Sweden have significantly declined since the late 2000s, despite substantial growth in the online gambling sector. Conducted by economist Ola Nevander, the report highlights that increased marketing efforts and broader digital access have not led to a rise in problem gambling among the population.

The research utilized the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI). Findings reveal that the proportion of Swedish adults scoring 3 or higher on the PGSI decreased from 2.2 per cent in 2008–09 to 1.3 per cent in 2021. This represents approximately 57,000 fewer individuals affected by problem gambling—a reduction of around 35 per cent—even though the total number of gamblers has likely grown.

The wider “at-risk” category, defined as those with a PGSI score of 1 or more, saw a decline of an estimated 200,000 people. In contrast, the most severe cases (those scoring 8 or above on the PGSI) appear to have remained stable, fluctuating between 0.3 per cent and 0.6 per cent over time.

Among online gamblers specifically, the drop in problem gambling prevalence was even steeper: it fell from 12 per cent in 2008–09 to about 4 per cent between 2018 and 2021, despite no decrease in participation levels.

According to the report, gambling marketing expenditure surged nearly ninefold between 2000 and 2024, reaching its peak in 2018 before declining following the introduction of regulated online gambling in 2019. Meanwhile, online casino offerings expanded more than tenfold from the mid-2000s through 2019, coinciding with near-universal internet and smartphone adoption by 2020.

In terms of channelisation to licensed platforms, BOS reports an overall figure of roughly 85 per cent, though this is slightly lower within the online casino segment. Comparatively, Norway and Denmark report higher channelisation rates at 91.5 per cent and 91 per cent respectively, while Finland lags behind at 48 per cent ahead of its planned regulation of online gambling.

Sweden’s national self-exclusion system, Spelpaus, had 136,000 registrants by March 2026—representing 1.6 per cent of all adults. However, surveys and helpline data suggest that approximately half of those who enroll continue gambling, often using unlicensed operators.

The report also examined prevention and treatment strategies. Machine-learning models analyzing transaction data show promise in detecting risky behaviour, although long-term effectiveness remains under evaluation. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is supported by strong evidence; meta-analyses indicate it can reduce both the frequency and intensity of gambling, as well as symptoms of addiction, compared with control groups, according to the report.

Psychologist Jakob Jonsson emphasized the need for centralized systems to reduce the anonymity associated with online gambling.