A report in Sweden, commissioned by the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling (BOS) and prepared by economist Ola Nevander, identifies a downward trend in problem gambling levels in Sweden over the last few decades. The study covered the last quarter of a century and relied on official statistics, government documents, and specialized literature, offering one of the most comprehensive snapshots of the Swedish gambling market in recent decades.
Read more Mendoza enabled online self-exclusion from gambling platforms
What makes this finding especially relevant is the context in which the reduction occurred: the online gambling market experienced accelerated growth during that same period, a significant increase in advertising spending, and greater technological accessibility driven by the mass adoption of smartphones and internet connectivity.
How the gambling problem was measured in Sweden
The report used the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), a widely recognized international assessment tool for measuring the prevalence and intensity of problem gambling in the adult population. This methodology allows players to be classified according to different risk levels and data to be compared over time with greater precision.
Gambling addiction is steadily declining
The study results are conclusive. The proportion of Swedish adults classified as problem gamblers—those scoring 3 or higher on the PGSI index—fell from 2,2% recorded in 2008-2009 to 1,3% in 2021. In absolute terms, this equates to a decrease of approximately 57.000 people with gambling problems, representing a 35% drop during the analyzed period.
The broader category of at-risk players, which includes those scoring 1 or higher on the PGSI, also saw a reduction of around 200.000 people in the same period.
Among adults who gambled online during the year prior to the survey, the prevalence of problem gambling fell particularly sharply: from 12% in 2008-2009 to approximately 4% between 2018 and 2021. However, the report warns that the most severe cases have remained virtually unchanged, suggesting that current policies have a limited impact on the most vulnerable profiles.
Read more Macau adds new gaming intermediaries, but the model still operates below capacity
Swedes continue to gamble actively
Despite the positive trend regarding gambling addiction, data confirms that gambling participation remains high in Sweden. A recent survey by Casinofeber revealed that nearly one in six Swedes, 18%, played online casino games in 2025, while more than one in five, 24%, placed online bets during that same year.
These figures followed two decades of profound transformations in the market. Marketing spending in the sector increased ninefold in real terms between 2000 and 2024, peaking in 2018 before declining as a result of the licensing reform Sweden implemented in 2019. The supply of online casino games increased more than tenfold between the mid-2000s and 2019, and internet and mobile device penetration reached near-universal levels by 2020.
Channeling and self-exclusion: two pillars of regulation
The report highlights channeling toward licensed operators as a primary institutional factor. Greater channeling facilitates the consistent application of consumer protections, which include due diligence obligations, self-exclusion tools, and data-based monitoring of bettor behavior.
BOS reported an overall channeling rate of approximately 85% in Sweden. In comparison, Norway and Denmark have higher rates, 91,5 and 91% respectively, while Finland recorded significantly lower rates, 48%, before the planned licensing reforms in that country.
Regarding self-exclusion, the Swedish national system called Spelpaus had about 136.000 registered users in March 2026, equivalent to 1,6% of the adult population. However, data from surveys and helplines indicate that approximately half of self-excluded individuals continue to gamble, mainly through unlicensed operators, evidencing a structural limitation of the system that the report identifies as an area for pending improvement.
Read more Dominican Republic promotes comprehensive regulation of gambling and betting
