Three Swedish operators publish first joint report on problem gambling interventions

Kindred Group, ATG and Svenska Spel have published their first joint key metrics report.

Sweden.- Following a commitment made in October, the three biggest Swedish gaming operators – the state-controlled Svenska Spel, ATG and private operator Kindred Group – have published their first joint report on problem gambling interventions. The key metric report outlines each operator’s problem gambling rates and interventions.

The report will be submitted to the Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen every six months. It provides updates on four metrics with the aim to “contribute to a facts-based dialogue on what is being done to reduce gambling harm”.

The report provides data on the percentage of customers contacted for suspected problem gambling behaviour and on self-exclusion ratios following customer care interventions.

The three operators account for more than half of Sweden’s regulated gambling marketplace. According to the first report, Kindred, the biggest online gambling operator in Sweden, contacted 0.5 per cent of customers due to suspicions of problematic behaviours.

More than three-quarters of those contacted reduced their gambling and reduced average deposits. Meanwhile, 1.4 per cent self-excluded from gambling for under six months and 0.5 per cent for more than six months.

Svenska Spel reported contacting 4.2 per cent of customers in its sports and casino division and 0.3 per cent of Tur customers. In both cases, around three-quarters of those contacted reduced their spending. ATG reported contacting 1.4 per cent of customers. A little over half reduced their gambling and 64.9 per cent lowered their average spend.

While Kindred and Svenska Spel had the highest rate of customers that reduced their gambling after contact, Svenska Spel saw the largest proportion of contacted players self-exclude, with 9 per cent signing up to self-exclude for under six months and 3 per cent for six months or more.

The three operators encourage others to join the reporting. They said: “These reports will hopefully inspire more Swedish licensed operators to publish the same key metrics and thereby contribute to a more transparent and fact-based dialogue.” 

Kindred CEO Henrik Tjärnström said: “Our decision together with ATG and Svenska Spel to openly publish important customer behaviour data, in addition to our journey towards zero ambition, will make it easier for our stakeholders to follow and understand how we, with the help of regulation, technology, research and human interaction, work to prevent harmful gambling.

“We believe that a more fact-based and open dialogue contributes to a more sustainable industry and we hope other operators will follow.”