Swedish government appoints inquiry into youth gambling
The research project will also involve mapping gambling operators’ marketing.
Sweden.- The government of Sweden has established an inquiry to submit proposals for measures to reduce the harmful effects of gambling. Investigator Zandra Milton, chief legal officer at Karolinska Institutet, a research-led medical school in Solna, will compile knowledge about gambling among children and young adults and submit proposals.
The government is particularly seeking measures to increase protection and safeguards against gambling harm for boys and young men. The project will also involve mapping gambling marketing and an analysis of legislation in other countries.
The scope of Sweden’s youth gambling inquiry
The investigator will map marketing from both unlicensed and licensed gaming companies, in order to propose measures aimed at reducing exposure if this is deemed necessary. The assignment also includes mapping the gambling habits of children and young adults on the licensed and unlicensed market.
The investigator will also investigate whether the gambling market is being used to find and exploit vulnerable young people in criminal activities. If necessary, the investigator will propose measures to counteract such recruitment. The investigator shall also map existing efforts to limit children and young people’s access to lottery features, casino features and the like in computer games and analyse the need for and conditions for further measures.
The investigator will weigh new protective measures against the risk of increased gambling at gambling companies without a Swedish licence, the government said. It will also review the possibility of support in the event of suspension on spelpaus.se. In addition, the investigation will analyse the need to review young players’ financial situation when gambling and consider mandatory time limits when gambling.
“In just a few years, risky gambling among young men has doubled and one in five is affected. Therefore, we need to strengthen protection and prevent gambling from leading to health issues, debt or being drawn into crime,” Health Minister Elisabet Lann (KD) in a statement.
“Boys and young men are greatly overrepresented among those who get caught up in gambling addiction. I am also concerned that the proportion of boys with risky gambling has doubled in recent years. We must reverse this negative trend. Preventing young men from getting caught up in problematic gambling is an important gender equality issue,” added Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson.
The inquiry must report back to the Ministry of Health by February 2028.
