Swedish Audit Office Flags Inadequacy of Current RG Measures

The Swedish National Audit Office has issued a warning stating that current responsible gambling protections are falling short. It is estimated that around 350,000 individuals in Sweden suffer from some form of gambling issue.

A critical new report from the Swedish National Audit Office suggests that Sweden may need to enhance its consumer protection and responsible gambling protocols.

The watchdog stated that current safeguards have shown to be inadequate, pointing to a rise in gambling-related issues among vulnerable groups, including children and young adults.

Recommendations have been made for both the Public Health Agency and the National Board of Health and Welfare to develop a fresh framework that aligns knowledge and efforts to safeguard these demographics.

Watchdog seeks practical guidance to shield vulnerable consumers

This report arrives as estimates indicate 350,000 people in Sweden are dealing with some level of gambling-related difficulty, with the watchdog noting:

> "The review shows, among other things, that the authorities' knowledge support does not meet the municipalities' and healthcare providers' needs for practical guidance to detect, prevent, and treat gambling problems."

A central concept of the report is the localization of efforts, increasing the number of parties responsible for identifying and preventing gambling-related harm.

The watchdog proposes that the Public Health Agency create guidelines grounded in empirical evidence to be shared with municipalities. These municipalities can then implement them, prioritizing the protection of children and young people from gambling harms.

The watchdog highlighted the problem in a statement, noting a deficiency in operational and effective support despite rising figures of gambling harm within the specified risk groups.

A significant portion of these problems stems from a shortage of solid scientific research to support the necessary safeguards for helping vulnerable groups and consumers avoid harm. The report also advised that the National Board of Health and Welfare should contribute by issuing recommendations to healthcare operations and social services for detecting and treating young people and children.

In a statement that was translated, the watchdog advised: "Recommendations for gambling problems also need to be included in the national guidelines for abuse and addiction, which would strengthen the overall work against harmful use and addiction, while clearly highlighting gambling problems."

Active review of gambling regulations and laws in Sweden

Sweden has been engaged in an active debate regarding its iGaming regulations, with numerous proposals introduced over recent months and years.

A significant proposal involves implementing stricter limitations on products posing a higher risk to players, specifically casino games associated with a greater incidence of gambling addiction.

The Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling has criticized this idea, arguing that targeting specific verticals would merely strengthen the black market by diminishing the competitiveness of regulated operators.

In a separate development, Sweden has launched a broader crackdown on illegal domestic gambling, with authorities dismantling an illegal operation in December. Spanish police and Europol assisted local authorities in this effort.