Challenges Facing the Video Game Industry Examined in Visby

Almedalen Week is upon us, and while it will be more vibrant in an election year, there will still be lively debate alongside forecasts. Topics such as consumer protection, market trends, and advertising regulations are expected to be highlighted.

For anyone who is interested to know about the future of the gaming industry, there is special reason to hear it out – three individual seminars regarding iGaming will be held during Almedalen Week, which this year takes place between June 23 and 27.

What Makes Young People Gamble

The first in the iGaming series is a seminar jointly organized by Svenska Spel's independent research council and Uppsala University: "Gamification, Dopamine, and the Dream of Getting Rich – Why Is Gambling Increasing?" The seminar will address why more and more young people are attracted to gambling – generally in environments that are more or less like normal computer games.

Gamification is the term used to describe how small rewards activate the reward system of the brain to encourage the player to keep playing. This is an environment young people are particularly vulnerable to, as their brains are in the process of maturation.

The seminar refers to current research into the connection among the pursuit of security, ideals about wealth, and gambling activity.

This morning seminar, at 08:30 on Wednesday, ends with a panel discussion of how youth can be further protected from dangerous gambling in the future.

Riskier Games, More Protection?

Thursday morning will be seminar time with Svenska Spel, where the emphasis is placed on the need for more focused responsible gambling efforts, whereby the risk dimension of different forms of gambling is the central issue.

The focus of "Higher Risk – Greater Responsibility? Do We Need a More Differentiated View of Future Gambling Responsibility?" will be put on the effect that some games – especially online casinos – have on the brain's reward system and why some individuals are more affected than others.

The argument will take into account why current policy is not more specifically focused on the actual risk level of any particular game.

Participants will exchange ideas on how particularly sensitive groups, such as youth and self-exclusion tool users, can be better protected and what needs to be done to create a safer gambling market.

Should Illegal Gambling Sites Be Blocked in Sweden?

The third and final iGaming seminar during Almedalen Week takes place on Thursday afternoon. It has been organized by SPER – The Swedish Gambling Industry Association.

At the seminar "How Do We Stop Unlicensed Gambling? Is Blocking Illegal Websites the Way Forward?" the growing problem of illegal gambling in Sweden will be discussed – one that continues to grow regardless of existing gambling legislation.

The focus is on what can be used to restrict access to illegal gambling sites, with web blocking presented as one option.

Participants will hear concrete examples from two neighboring countries: Norway and Denmark. The conference concludes with a panel debate of various perspectives and proposed action.

About Almedalen Week in Visby

Almedalen Week has become a unique forum where democratic debate is prioritized. It unites a wide range of actors from politics, businesses, and civil society.

Sweden's future is discussed in narrow alleys, open skies, and open seminars.

It is open to the public at no cost, and anyone is welcome to sit in, question, and respond. 

The Almedalen Week phenomenon began when then Education Minister Olof Palme spoke to a truck bed in Visby – an impromptu action that spurred what is now one of the world's most egalitarian public forums. 

How to Get to Almedalen

Traveling to Visby during the Almedalen Week? Arriving from the mainland, you have a full range of options:
Flight – Fly in from Stockholm, Gothenburg, or Malmö for the most direct route to Almedalen Week.
Car and Ferry – Destination Gotland will bring you from Nynäshamn, Oskarshamn, and Västervik to Visby, with several departures a day.

Bicycle and Local Transit in Visby – On foot, by bicycle, or by local public transport it's convenient to get around in Visby during the summer. Almost all events of Almedalen Week take place in and close to Visby.