Sweden Report Shows Drop in Problem Gambling Rates

A new report commissioned by the Swedish Trade Association for Online Gambling, BOS, says problem gambling in Sweden has fallen over the past two decades even as online gambling became easier to access and more heavily marketed. The report was written by economist Ola Nevander and used the Problem Gambling Severity Index, or PGSI, to track changes over time.

Good to Know

• The share of Swedish adults classed as problem gamblers fell from 2.2% in 2008-09 to 1.3% in 2021.
• That equals roughly 57,000 fewer problem gamblers, a 35% drop.
• Sweden self-exclusion system Spelpaus had about 136,000 registered users as of March 2026.

Sweden Experiences Lower Problem Gambling Even as Online Gambling Expanded

The report says the overall rate of problem gambling among Swedish adults moved down over time, while the wider group of at-risk gamblers also shrank. People with a PGSI score of 3 or higher dropped from 2.2% to 1.3% between 2008-09 and 2021. The number of at-risk gamblers, meaning PGSI 1 or higher, fell by an estimated 200,000 over the same period.

Among adults who gambled online in the previous year, the fall was even steeper. Problem gambling in that group dropped from 12% in 2008-09 to around 4% across the four years from 2018 to 2021. At the same time, gambling activity itself did not disappear. A separate survey cited in the report found that 18% of Swedes played online casino games in 2025, while 24% placed online bets.

The report places that trend against a much bigger market. Gambling marketing spend rose around ninefold in real terms from 2000 to 2024. Online casino game supply grew more than tenfold between the mid-2000s and 2019. Internet and smartphone access also became close to universal by 2020. Even with all of that, severe problem gambling stayed fairly stable, moving between 0.3% and 0.6% of the population over the years reviewed.

A central point in the report is channelisation, meaning how much gambling activity takes place with licensed operators instead of offshore sites. BOS said Sweden overall channelisation rate sits around 85%, though online casino runs a bit lower. The report argues that stronger channelisation makes it easier to apply consumer protections such as duty of care, self-exclusion, and data-based monitoring. It also compared Sweden with nearby markets, noting rates of 91.5% in Norway and 91% in Denmark, while Finland was placed far lower at 48% ahead of licensing changes.

Spelpaus also gets close attention in the report. The national self-exclusion register had about 136,000 users in March 2026, or 1.6% of the adult population. Even so, the report says survey data and helpline information suggest around half of self-excluded users still gamble, mostly through unlicensed sites.

On treatment and prevention, the report says machine learning tools built around transaction data look promising for spotting risky behavior, though long-term results still need more testing. CBT stood out more clearly. The report said: “Meta-analyses show that CBT can reduce the extent of gambling, gambling frequency and symptoms of addiction compared with control groups.” Sweden re-regulated online gambling in 2019, bringing in a licensing system with set duties for operators, and the report suggests that framework has helped build a stronger base for harm reduction.

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