Four years after the introduction of a new gambling law in Switzerland, anti-addiction groups say problematic online gambling habits have increased among the population.
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Los grupos de adicciones afirman que el juego problemático en línea se ha duplicado
In 2018, 25% of the 1,395 people polled by Addiction Switzerland and a regional addiction association from western Switzerland said they gambled online weekly; by 2021, this had risen to 30%, the organisations said on Thursday.
They are especially worried about the increase in what they called “problematic gamblers”, who have more than doubled from 2.3% to 5.2%.
People aged 18 to 29 are most affected: around 19% of them display signs of moderately risky or problematic behaviour. They also spend more money playing online: CHF162 ($173) on average per month, compared to the overall average of CHF105 per month.
Covid effect
A majority of those surveyed cited two factors for their behaviour: the sharp increase in Swiss online gambling offerings under the 2019 law (which blocked foreign websites from operating in Switzerland) and the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, which drove people online. Respondents also mentioned the intensive marketing strategies of online gaming outlets.
To raise awareness, especially among young people, of the risks of online gambling, the 26 Swiss cantons are launching a coordinated information campaign which will run for four weeks over social media.
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