Swedish Government Launches Inquiry Into Youth Gambling Harm

The Swedish government has launched an inquiry into gambling among children and young adults as it considers further measures to reduce gambling-related harm.

Zandra Milton, Chief Legal Officer at Karolinska Institutet, has been appointed to lead the investigation, which will examine gambling habits, marketing and existing player protection measures. Particular attention will be given to boys and young men, who the government says are disproportionately affected by risky gambling.

Inquiry To Examine Licensed And Illegal Gambling

The investigation will map the gambling habits of children and young adults across both Sweden's licensed market and operators without a Swedish licence. It will also examine marketing by licensed and unlicensed gambling companies and recommend measures to reduce exposure where considered necessary.

Any proposed restrictions will be assessed against the potential risk of pushing consumers towards illegal operators, with the government seeking to balance stronger protections with maintaining participation in the regulated market.

The inquiry will also consider whether mandatory gambling time limits should be introduced and whether greater scrutiny of young players' financial circumstances is required. Support available to consumers following suspension through Sweden's Spelpaus.se self-exclusion system will also be reviewed.

Health Minister Elisabet Lann said:

“In just a few years, risky gambling among young men has doubled and one in five is affected. Therefore, we need to strengthen protection and prevent gambling from leading to health issues, debt or being drawn into crime.”

Links Between Gambling And Crime To Be Assessed

Another part of the investigation will consider whether gambling environments are being used to identify and exploit vulnerable young people for criminal activity. The inquiry will be able to recommend measures intended to prevent such recruitment if evidence indicates further action is required.

Existing measures designed to limit children's access to lottery and casino-style features within video games will also be mapped, with Milton tasked with assessing whether additional protections are necessary.

Minister for Gender Equality Nina Larsson said:

“Boys and young men are greatly overrepresented among those who get caught up in gambling addiction. I am also concerned that the proportion of boys with risky gambling has doubled in recent years.

“We must reverse this negative trend. Preventing young men from getting caught up in problematic gambling is an important gender equality issue.”

Findings Due In February 2028

The investigation will additionally analyse gambling legislation and approaches adopted in other countries as Sweden considers potential changes to its own framework.

Its findings and recommendations must be submitted to the Ministry of Health by February 2028, after which the government will consider whether further regulatory measures are required to address gambling-related harm among younger consumers.