Gambling problem in Finland

Gambling problem in Finland

In addition to the population survey, School Health Promotion studies are carried out every few years and the Adolescent Health and Lifestyle Survey also provide comparable data on gambling among young people.

Problem gambling and gambling addiction

• According to population data collected in 2019, 3% of Finns aged 15–74 suffer from various levels of gambling problems. This comes up to around 112 000 Finns. Their proportion has remained on the same level since 2007.
• The most serious form, probable pathological gambling, affects 1.4% or around 52 000 Finns.
• Men are almost twice as likely to have a gambling problem compared to women (men: 4.0%; women 2.1%).
• The prevalence of problem gambling is highest among young adults: 18–24-year-olds have the highest proportion of problem gamblers (5.5%); 24–34-year-olds have the second highest proportion (4.8%).

At-risk gambling and problem gambling

11% of Finns are considered at-risk gamblers. In the previous survey conducted in 2015, the proportion of at-risk gamblers was 15%. At-risk gambling has decreased among both men and women. Those who gambled once a month or more or played at least three different types of games were more likely to be at-risk gamblers.

Gambling frequency, its versatility and amount of money spent are clearly linked to gambling problems: when looking at different avenues of gambling, people who only gamble online or who gamble both online and offline are more likely to be problem gamblers or at-risk gamblers.

Those who gambled daily or several times a week and played at least four different types of games were more likely to have a gambling problem than other respondents.

In the 2015 population survey, gambling problems were more common among respondents who spent €21 or more on gambling per week.

Sources and further information:

Gambling and problem gambling : Finnish Gambling 2019 : Prevalence of at-risk gambling has decreased

Finnish Gambling 2015 THL, Report 16/2015.