Since 2010, Svenska Spel has invested over SEK 60m ($5.7m) in gambling research, with the operator confirming that an additional SEK 42m will be delivered over the next five years.
The move will work to financially support Svenska Spel’s independent Research Council, as well as Professor of addiction medicine Anders Håkansson's gaming professorship at Lund University, until 2027.
Of the money pledged, SEK 25m is intended to directly fund research grants, with the operator setting aside SEK 8.5m annually to support research work.
Svenska Spel President and CEO Patrik Hofbauer 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.”
The Research Council was founded in 2010, with the intention of further increasing knowledge and awareness of gambling problems, and developing solutions to prevent them.
The Council, comprised of researchers and representatives, acts independently and without influence from Svenska Spel.
Håkansson added: “Our research is about making early discoveries when it comes to gambling problems. The investment means that we can deepen and strengthen that work.”
