Gambling
The proportion with some degree of gambling problems in the past year is around 4 percent in the Swedish population. 130 000 people share a household with someone experiencing gambling problems.
Approximately three-quarters of problem gamblers are replaced over the course of a year. A large turnover among problem gamblers indicates that the proportion of people experiencing negative consequences of their gambling problems is larger than the proportion experiencing gambling problems at a single point in time. Gambling problems also affect other people including family, friends and the society at large.
Gambling problems exist in all population groups but are more common among men than among women. Young people gamble despite age limits.
More results from the Swedish longitudinal gambling study (Swelogs) are summarized in published reports.
Swelogs (The Swedish Longitudinal Gambling Study)
Our mission
The Public Health Agency of Sweden is assigned to implement efforts to strengthen and develop the work of preventing gambling problems. We therefore work to increase knowledge of excessive gambling and its consequences.
Our assignment includes:
- developing and disseminating national knowledge support regarding gambling problems and prevention
- promoting coordination of gambling prevention at a national level
- monitoring of gambling and gambling problems, primarily by conducting the Swedish longitudinal gambling study (Swelogs)
- observing the link between gambling and phenomena in the grey area between gambling and video games, e.g., loot boxes, that show a clear association with gambling problems.
We also allocate funds to nonprofit organizations offering mutual support groups and to the national Helpline.