Shortcomings in central government efforts to combat gambling problems – especially among young people

In Sweden, more than 350,000 people are estimated to have some form of gambling problem, costing society roughly SEK 11.5 billion per year. The Swedish National Audit Office has therefore examined central government efforts to reduce gambling problems.

The audit shows that government agencies’ knowledge resources do not meet the needs of municipalities and healthcare services in terms of practical guidance for detecting, preventing and treating gambling problems.

The most serious aspect in this context is that central government initiatives do not significantly contribute to counteracting gambling among children and young people. Digital progress has enabled gambling around the clock, and more and more computer games now have features that resemble gambling.

The problem is the lack of effective and operational support to detect and prevent gambling among children and young people. Several studies show that gambling and related problems among children and young people are on the rise, despite them being a designated protection group. Government agencies need to develop knowledge resources in this field.

Agencies point out that there are few scientifically proven methods. In the absence of research, the Public Health Agency should therefore develop approaches based on proven experience, so that existing knowledge can be translated into operational and concrete support for municipalities.

“This could include, for example, which risk groups should be prioritised and the methods, interventions and approaches that could be used to detect and prevent gambling problems among children and young people,” says Nedim Colo, Project Leader for the audit.

The National Board of Health and Welfare, in turn, needs to develop recommendations for activities within social services and the healthcare sector to detect and treat children and young people. Recommendations for combating gambling problems also need to be included in the national guidelines on abuse and addiction, which would strengthen overall efforts to combat harmful use and addiction, while also clearly highlighting gambling problems.

Although schools are an important arena for reducing gambling problems among young people, gambling problems do not fall under their remit or their efforts to combat alcohol, narcotics, doping and tobacco (ANDT). Efforts to combat gambling problems among young people could be strengthened if the National Agency for Education included gambling in its knowledge resources for schools within their work on ANDT.

Gambling problems are often associated with other serious problems such as suicide and mental illness. The Swedish National Audit Office recommends that gambling problems be highlighted in initiatives in these areas.

“Efforts to combat gambling problems need to be more effective. There are measures that both the Government and government agencies can and should take,” says Deputy Auditor General Claudia Gardberg Morner.