Equip your bank to tackle gambling harms
On-demand courses that help banking staff understand problem gambling and provide practical tools to prevent and respond to gambling harms. Created by leading international experts in problem gambling.
Sveriges Sparbanker are community-focused institutions with responsibilities that go beyond traditional banking services. Problem gambling affects people’s lives and finances deeply, and through this training initiative, we aim to empower Sparbanken staff to recognise, understand, and take action—always with the customer’s best interests at heart.
– Björn Elfstrand, CEO, Sparbankernas Riksförbund
Problem gambling has wide-reaching effects and impacts many aspects of life. Those who gamble excessively often experience personal distress, while their finances and relationships are negatively affected. In Sweden, around 40,000 children grow up in households where someone has a gambling problem. This creates insecurity in daily life and increases the risk of developing gambling problems later in life.
Problem gambling is not just a personal tragedy—it is also a societal issue with significant economic consequences. The total social cost in Sweden was approximately SEK 11.5 billion in 2021, while tax revenues from gambling amounted to SEK 7 billion the same year.
Problem gambling: a serious societal issue
Almost all people with gambling problems have debts of varying sizes, many of which they carry for the rest of their lives. These may be debts to the bank, payday loans taken in desperation, overdrawn credit cards, advances from work, or valuables pawned for cash. The list could go on. I am completely convinced that educating staff about problem gambling will contribute to a better and more responsible gambling market.”
– Thomas Nilsson, licensed psychologist
A holistic approach can play a central role in addressing and preventing gambling problems.
Gambling problems are not always visible, but their consequences are. By taking action early, societal actors can make a real difference—for the individual, for society, and for their own financial sustainability.
– Johan Brandsten, CEO, Sustainable Interaction
Gambling problems in Sweden
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350 000
Swedes experience some level of gambling problems.
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/statistik/statistik-over-spelproblem/
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40 000
children grow up in homes with gambling problems.
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/statistik/statistik-over-spelproblem/
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SEK 11.5 billion
in societal costs (2021).
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/om-spelproblem/samhallskostnader-for-spelproblem/
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860
individuals received support from social services for problem gambling (2023).
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/statistik/statistik-over-spelproblem/ -
SEK 7 billion
in tax revenue from gambling (2021).
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/om-spelproblem/samhallskostnader-for-spelproblem/ -
29%
of people with gambling problems have taken out payday loans (2021).
Source: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/spelprevention/om-spelproblem/ekonomi-och-spelproblem/
Understanding problem gambling helps us respond effectively and prevent harm
Banking professionals are in a unique position to recognise early warning signs of problem gambling. These courses equip staff with the knowledge and tools to identify, understand, and effectively address situations where gambling problems may be present.
Foundations in problem gambling
✅ Learn about problem gambling and its consequences
✅ Identify early warning signs and risk factors
✅ Direct affected individuals to support resources
Course outline
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Welcome to the training!
What do you think?
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What is problem gambling?
Why we enjoy gambling
Four different types of gamblers
Certain groups are at higher risk of developing gambling problems
Problem gambling in different countries
Negative consequences of gambling
How problem gambling affects finances
Problem gambling and financial crime
Test your knowledge
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How chance works
Common gambling myths
Characteristics of games
Sort the characteristics
Test your knowledge
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Support in society and the bank’s role
What does the gambling law say?
Recognize the signs of problem gambling
How banks can prevent and address problem gambling
Problem gambling in the workplace
Support and advice for players and their families
Test your knowledge
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What do you think?
Help us improve the training
A few final words
Practical training for customer-facing staff
✅ Master effective conversation techniques
✅ Discuss problem gambling with customers
✅ Apply self-care strategies after challenging conversations
Course outline
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Welcome to the training!
What do you think?
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Conversation techniques and approach
Do you recognise these techniques?
Talking about gambling problems
“Sure, it gets a bit much sometimes, but I’m in control.”
“My son has gotten himself into a bit of trouble.”
When someone shares a gambling problem
Test your knowledge
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Threats of self-harm or suicide
Support after difficult conversations
Support and advice for players and their families
Test your knowledge
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What do you think?
Help us improve the training
A few final words
Features
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Track individual progress
Our administration system is included in all of our trainings. It gives you full insight into who has completed the training as well as the opportunity to extract reports, evaluation data and statistics.
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Video, animations and interactivity
Our trainings are made up of videos, text and interactive content such as interviews, stories, quizzes, animations and various applications.
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Available on all devices
It doesn’t matter whether you’re using a computer, a tablet or a smartphone, the online trainings can be accessed from any device.
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Expert knowledge
Our trainings are based on the latest research. We keep up to date with experts in the respective areas.
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Measurable impact
All participants take part in a pre- and post-evaluation. This allows for the opportunity to measure the effect of the training.
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No installation
We manage all the tech-y stuff. Your IT team can sit back and relax: all trainings are accessed via our servers.
Jakob Jonsson is a licensed psychologist and one of Sweden’s leading experts in problem gambling and responsible gambling.
Jakob has over 25 years of experience of research, education, investigations, and policy development in the field. He is affiliated with Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm.
Jakob has published several scientific articles, regularly lectures at conferences and seminars in Sweden and internationally, and often contributes as an expert in the media.
Meet Dr. Jakob Jonsson, expert in gambling harm prevention
Frequently asked questions
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Yes, you can definitely customise the courses to suit your needs. Customisation could involve branding to your company profile, text adjustments, video interviews with your staff, or any other additions you would like to make – everything is possible.
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We offer flexible pricing models that can be tailored to your needs. You can choose either a fixed price for the course or a per-participant fee.
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Yes, you can absolutely try the training beforehand. Just reach out to us, and we’ll be happy to either set up a meeting to walk you through a demo or send you a link so you can view it at your convenience.
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Our training programs can be delivered either through our learning management system (LMS) or as a SCORM package, ready to be published in the LMS of your choice.
If you choose to offer the training via our LMS, you’ll be able to track participants’ completion status and results. The system also includes a reporting feature, making it easy to extract reports for authorities or audit purposes.
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The training material is fully available during the agreed-upon licensing period. This means participants can revisit the course to refresh their knowledge whenever needed.
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Sustainable Interaction is responsible for the training programs. We’ve been working with gambling harm prevention since 2003 and employ leading experts and researchers in problem gambling and responsible gambling. Our clients range from treatment providers and gambling operators to gambling suppliers and banks.
What participants say
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“Really useful to get concrete, step-by-step tips in bullet form on how to approach conversations with customers.”
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“I valued the hands-on advice on how to spot signs, for example movements on bank accounts, and how to interpret them.”
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“A very good training, especially because it highlights the issue. Problem gambling isn’t just about gambling—it can also be a pathway into financial and other forms of crime.”
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“An interesting topic. More examples would be helpful on how to talk with customers in meetings when gambling problems are identified (for instance, when there are two borrowers—how to address it without breaching banking confidentiality).”
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“Excellent structure, with lots of practical scenarios, Q&A, and role-playing. Very well done.”
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“It was great to gain insight from all different angles, from those who have struggled with gambling addiction to understanding it from a psychological perspective. The training provided useful tips and helped develop a deeper understanding of problem gambling. Very good training.”