Swedish lottery and gaming operator commits to 5 year gambling research project
Svenska Spel, a Swedish lottery and gaming operator has announced today that they will pledge a further $4 million to the research of gambling addiction. The company has for some time now been conducting research in collaboration with Lund University and this latest monetary boost will extend the research until at least 2027.
The goal of the project is to conduct independent research which will help to understand and implement more effective forms of preventing and treating gambling addiction.
Patrik Hofbauer, Svenska Spel’s president and chief executive said: “The Research Council has been a driving force and a central part in establishing the research field around gambling problems in Sweden. There are still many unanswered questions about how best to prevent and treat gambling addiction. With that in mind, our continued support feels right both from a business and a humanitarian perspective.To develop the right interventions for those who need it most requires patience, commitment, and research at the forefront.”
Sweden’s ‘restaurant casinos’ in particular have come under fire for operating with what Hofbauer claims is ‘no rules or control’ and so the research will go some way to explore how such establishments can improve compliance and social responsibility.
However, Svenska Spel is not alone – this follows a common theme across Europe as recently many countries across the continent have been announcing stricter gambling rules and restrictions, particularly when it comes to advertising.