Svenska Spel to fund five studies on gambling addiction

The Swedish gambling operator has announced that its independent research council will contribute SEK4.1m.

Sweden.- The Swedish gambling operator Svenska Spel has announced that it will provide SEK4.1m (€347,000) in funding for five studies into gambling addiction. It will provide the funds via its independent research council. 

The five studies will be conducted by different academic institutions and partners. They will cover topics such as the impact of self-exclusion and the challenges posed by fast payments.

Sara Lindholm Larsson, chairperson of Svenska Spel’s independent research council, said: “This year’s granted research project will contribute both to increased knowledge about gambling addiction and which gambling responsibility measures work. It is important for society that we can continue to support this research.”

The funding includes SEK1m for a study on the impact of fast payment solutions on problem gambling to be carried out by Nathan Lakew of the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet. Meanwhile, the Department of Psychology at University of Gothenburg will receive SEK800,000 for research into craving among problem gamblers. 

The Department of Clinical Sciences at Lund University has been granted funding for two projects. It will receive SEK800,000 for a study into family-centred treatment for gambling addiction. The same department will receive an identical sum for a study into how gamblers and significant others are affected by Sweden’s Spelpaus self-exclusion tool. 

The final study will look at gambling among university students. This will be conducted by the Department of Criminology at Malmö University, which has been granted SEK700,000. Led by Claes Andersson, this study forms part of a larger international project that includes the participation of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Since 2010, Svenska Spel’s research council has distributed SEK45m to 35 studies and research projects.

Last month, Svenska Spel announced that it will restructure its land-based gaming business after a drop in revenue in H1. The segment comprises the Casino Cosmopol venues and its Vegas slot machine operations.

Svenska Spel reported net gaming revenue of SEK 1.97bn (€170m) for H1, up slightly from SEK1.96bn in H1 2022. Online revenue was up by 9 per cent, now accounting for over half (52 per cent) of the company’s total. However, revenue from the land-based Casino Cosmopol chain and Vegas slot machine business fell by 13 per cent (down SEK29m) to a SEK52m loss. 

Revenue from the Tur lottery business remained steady, up just 1 per cent at SEK1.21bn.