SMART ANTI-PROBLEM GAMBLING MEASURES FOR SVENSKA SPEL

6 July 2007

Swedish online gambling organisation debuts new system

Radio Sweden is reporting that the Swedish government online gambling orgnaisation Svenska Spel is to introduce advanced artifical intelligence software in a bid to combat problem gambling.

Svenska Spel CEO Jesper Kärrbrink told the station that the system, designed by Sweden’s ICU Intelligence firm, analyses how each player places bets, how much money they bet with, under which circumstances, and how often. Use of the system is voluntary, and is currently designed to monitor online gambling, and bets placed by people using their personal Svenska Spel betting cards.

By comparing how those with a gambling problem wagered before they were hooked, ICU says the technology identifies individuals with a growing habit, before it becomes a serious problem by analysing playing patterns. ICU claims that extensive testing has shown that the system spots problem gamblers in 90 percent of cases.

Once a person is identified by the system as being at risk, Svenska Spel has pledged to shut-off all marketing to that person, urge the gambler to consider his or her gambling habits, work out the cost of personal gambling, and take a test for gambling addiction.

The player is also offered the chance of self exclusion from Svenska Spel’s betting products. As a state-run monopoly the government has attracted criticism for encouraging betting, while berating people who develop a gambling addiction.

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