The Swedish gambling regulator, Spelinspektionen, has published a report showing an increase in young people’s gambling.
Spelinspektionen was commissioned in 2024 to undertake an investigation into gambling among young people and also minors. The Gambling Authority notes that there has been an increase in gambling not only among 18-24-year-olds but also among those under the age of 18.
The report published questions the underlying factors behind the increase in young people’s gambling and how they relate to the current gambling landscape. It suggests that lottery-like games serve as an introduction to games and marketing in the form of influencers and streaming.
Key Findings: How and Why Young People Are Gambling More
Data from the Swedish Public Health Agency’s 2021 study shows that 34% of those surveyed between the ages of 16 and 17 had gambled in the past year, up from 20% in 2015. The rise was predominantly in young male students, whereas the proportion of females remained steady.
Spelinspektionen notes that the number of males under 18 recorded as having gambled is at the highest since records began, and whilst participation in females has increased since 2019, the rise is not as significant.
Interviews with participants revealed that gambling discussions and activities are common at schools. Students reported placing bets on football matches during breaks; others revealed secretly gambling in the classroom.
A 19-year-old respondent admitted, “You sit at the back of the classroom, and as soon as the teacher comes in, you remove the pages you are playing on.”
The sense of community and peer pressure is also a contributing factor, with a 25-year-old revealing (translated), “I was in high school at the time, and back then it was kind of a thing that when everyone turned 18 they started betting and that’s when I played. Football matches, and there was a lot of talk about it at school. People discussed it and then people got hung up on it. Be part of the community.”
How Gambling Companies Target Young Players
Gambling companies’ marketing is also shown to expose younger people to gambling products. A study showed that 45% of Instagram gambling posts were visible to minors, as were 37% of Facebook posts. One respondent to the survey noted, “There are almost only betting companies that advertise in the sports podcasts I listen to.”
The predominant method of financing gambling amongst young people is salary and student loans or study funds. Given that this is the primary income for most people in the surveyed age bracket, it is unsurprising. For those in ‘Spelpaus,’ the Swedish equivalent of self-exclusion, the proportion of young people who had delved into savings or taken out finance increased dramatically.
High-interest loans, or ‘pay-day loans,’ were more common amongst men aged 23-24 who have admitted finding it difficult to control their gambling. The overall figure for those under the age of 25 seeking help for gambling problems has also shown an increase, per Swedish records.
Given the reported increase in gambling among younger people, the Swedish Gambling Authority investigated whether licensees were implementing special measures aimed at players under the age of 25. It reported that 47 out of 67 licensees go beyond the minimum requirements of the Gambling Act for responsible gambling measures.
The problem is only aggravated by the possibility for the young Swedes to gamble at casinos without a Swedish license. 92% of respondents stated “other measures” and mentioned special attention being paid to young people in the free text answers on the survey.
The survey also shows that operators take other measures under the Spelinspektionen remit, such as lower deposit limits, limited marketing mailings, and even introducing a higher age limit than the statutory 18-year age limit for gambling participation.
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