Sweden’s Ministry of Finance has tabled a proposal that would allow customer data sharing among licensed operators to prevent problem gambling. The measure, if approved, will be implemented in 2024.
Data Sharing to Help Operators Prevent Gambling Harm
Under new changes to Swedish gambling law put forward by the Minister of Financial Markets Niklas Wykman, gambling firms would be granted expanded access to personal player information, including gambling behavior.
The new measure will ensure strong consumer protection in the regulated gambling market, as well as better help for those suffering from gambling addiction, Wykman said. The proposal came about after the State Treasury previously stressed that operators “must have good knowledge of their customers” to combat problem gambling.
According to Wykman, data-sharing will also enable gambling firms to track players’ gambling habits, as well as their health and finances, which is essential in identifying signs of gambling addiction. Operators will only be allowed to use the information solely for the purpose of preventing gambling harm, Wykman noted.
Gambling Reform in Sweden
Customer data sharing is the latest in a string of player protection measures being considered by the Swedish Parliament, the Riksdag, as part of the country’s gambling reforms.
Recent proposals approved by the parliament include implementing moderation in advertising and promotions, and giving the Swedish gambling regulator the authority to “shut out the black market”.
GambleAware continues to sound the alarm over problem gambling stats in the UK. The independent charity, which commissions research, prevention, and treatment services relating to problem gambling, made the statement after releasing the latest statistics for the National Gambling Treatment Service (NGTS).
More than 7,000 Contacted the NGTS in 2021/22
GambleAware said that the NGTS catered to more than 7,000 people from April 2021 to March 2022, and 92% of them have since shown some progress concerning their harmful gambling behavior. The latest figures show that 63% of those who ended treatment in 2021/22 managed to complete their scheduled treatment programs, and the majority of them (86%) stated that their psychological well-being surrounding their gambling behavior had improved.
But GambleAware noted that 37% of those who sought help from the NGTS had not completed their treatment programs. The charity also observed an increasing number of women contacting the service, with most service users belonging to the younger age groups who are usually engaged in online gambling.
Gambling Harm A Public Health Concern
Despite the “encouraging” statistics that showcase the NGTS as a highly effective problem gambling treatment option, the latest data also show that gambling harm has evolved into a public health concern, according to GambleAware CEO Zoe Osmond. Hence, there is a need to raise more awareness on the issue and encourage people to immediately seek treatment and support if they feel they are affected by gambling harm, Osmond said.
The European Betting and Gaming Association (EGBA) said gambling operators across Europe are taking their safer gambling and sustainability commitments seriously, with the latest Sustainability Report showing positive results in both aspects.
Personalized Communication Jumps by 700%
The EGBA’s “Sustainability Report 2021/2022” shows that European operators sent safer gambling communications to customers in 2021 than in 2020, with the number jumping by 123% to 38 million.
Of that total, more than 20 million (60%) are personalized and targeted based on the customers’ individual gambling behavior. That figure represents a 700% increase from 2020.
In 2021, the number of players using at least one safer gambling tool also increased to 14.9 million, or about 50% of the total number of customers.
Operators Making Bigger Social Contributions
Operators are also boosting their support towards sports and social causes throughout Europe. In 2021, EGBA members increased their contributions to European sports by 38% to €598 million, €499 million of that were made voluntarily through streaming rights payments and sponsorships.
The latest report also shows that EGBA members contributed €23.5 million to problem gambling research, education, and treatment (RET) initiatives in 2021, up 125% from 2020. Charity donations also increased to €16.7 million.
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has just released its latest “Young People and Gambling Report” which showed a decline in the number of young people engaged in gambling activity in the past 12 months.
Latest Results “Encouraging”
The Commission surveyed 2,559 students within the 11-16 age group who were attending academies and maintained schools across the UK. Based on the report’s headline data, 31% of teens aged 11 to 16-year-olds used their own money to gamble in the past year, down from the 37% recorded in 2020, when the report was last released.
Topping the list of games popular among young people were arcade games (22% engagement), followed by bets with family or friends (15%). Engagement with National Lottery products dropped from 7% in 2020 to just 1% in the past 12 months. The UKGC described the latest data as “encouraging” but the fight against problem gambling is far from over.
Teens Still Suffer from Problem Gambling
The study found that 0.9% of the participants were problem gamblers, while 2.4% were at-risk gamblers. The report once again highlighted the influence family members have on their children, with 36% saying they’re more likely to spend their own money on gambling when they see their parents or a family member engaging in any gambling activity.
Most of those who had gambled in the past year (78%) said they had done it for fun, while 36% said they had done so out of their desire to win something.
The Nationale Postcode Loterij (NPL), the postcode lottery of the Netherlands, was issued a warning by the Dutch gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit (KSA) for violating the country’s advertising rules. From 30 June 2022, gambling operators were banned from using celebrities and sporting personalities popular among the youth in promoting their services.
KSA Broke KOA Advertising Rules
KSA issued the warning to NPL after its recent advertising campaign promoting a “Deal or No Deal” themed lottery game featured a popular celebrity. While lottery operators, which fall under the soft gambling category, can use celebrity endorsements, they are still required to investigate the reach of the person among underage audiences. The NPL failed in this aspect, as the KSA established that the celebrity used in the campaign has a “substantial reach among young people”.
The KSA did not fine the NPL for the said breach as the campaign had been pre-scheduled before the ban on celebrity endorsements was implemented. The NPL accepted the decision without objection.
Addiction Prevention Decree to be Published In6 Autumn
More advertising restrictions are on the way for Dutch gambling operators, some of which are contained in the “Addiction Prevention Decree” due to be released this autumn by Legal Protections Minister Franc Weerwind. Upcoming regulatory changes are aimed at minimizing gambling addiction and improving advertising standards.