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Swedish Issue Warning On Young Problem Gamblers

4 August 2011 by CasinoListings

This story was published more than 13 years ago.

The Swedish National Institute of Public Health (Folkhälsöinstitutet - FHI) has issued a warning regarding problem gambling following an increase of gambling addiction in males aged 18-24.

The study showed that while problem gambling rates have generally remained stable and declined with minors, there has been a sharp increase of male problem gamblers aged between 18-24. The increase was shocking, coming in at a 100% jump: about 40,000 men.

Sweden currently holds a monopoly on the gambling industry, although the government is reportedly looking at re-regulating the industry, breaking up the monopoly.

Marie Risbeck, FHI's Coordinator of Gaming Prevention said that more than 260,000 Swedes (about 2.7% of the population) see their lives impacted by people with gambling addiction problems. 75,000 of that 260,000 are children. The big shock however is the surge in young men who have problem gambling issues

"When we look at the evolution of different population groups, there are number of warning signs," said Risbeck.

"Among men aged 18-24, the proportion of problem gamblers has doubled in ten years and today amounts to around 10% of the age group - around 450,000 people in Sweden."