The Swiss have more freedom to gamble than Germans, but the problematic gambling behaviour is similar

Gambling is an interesting and important field of research. Its prevalence and (potential) problems are regularly the subject of specific surveys. This is also the case in Switzerland, where a study was recently published according to which an impressive 67 per cent of citizens have already used such services in their lives. In terms of the exact year of the study, the figure is slightly lower, but still considerably higher than the comparable figure in Germany. The trends for dangerous gambling behaviour are similar in both countries - despite different approaches to player protection.

The gambling sector is also a central field of research in Switzerland, which is becoming increasingly important due to the high participation rate and the potential social implications. A recently published study entitled ‘Gambling: Behaviour and Problems in Switzerland 2022’, conducted on behalf of the Swiss Federal Gaming Board (SFGB) and the Intercantonal Gambling Supervisory Authority (Gespa), provides new insights into the gambling behaviour of the population. The Swiss Institute for Addiction and Health Research (ISGF) was entrusted with the study, which uses a precise and detailed approach to shed light on deeper behavioural patterns.

The results show, among other things, that 63.7 per cent of respondents have participated in gambling at least once. This is a remarkably high proportion compared to other European countries. However, the study goes far beyond simple participation figures and also analyses specific preferences and the distribution of risk groups, for example.

What is striking is the fact that more people in Switzerland appear to gamble regularly over the course of a year than in Germany. This is made clear by the comparison with the 2023 Gambling Survey. Another result shows that the total amount of high-risk gambling behaviour in the period under review is not significantly higher despite the high participation rate: an indication that the Swiss model of gambling addiction prevention may be effective. The results therefore offer interesting insights and leave room for the question of the extent to which similar measures could also be useful in Germany.

The Swiss appear to gamble more than the Germans, but have similar favourites

The underlying data for the Swiss study comes from the Swiss Health Survey 2022 conducted by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The comparison with Germany is drawn here on the basis of the gambling survey. Both data collections reveal interesting insights into the preferences and usage patterns of gamblers. Incidentally, the gambling survey has already been heavily criticised in this country.

In Switzerland, almost half of those surveyed (44.5 per cent) stated that they had taken part in gambling activities during the survey period, which indicates widespread acceptance of such offers.

• Lotteries are particularly popular in Switzerland, with 39.4 per cent of players choosing them as their favourite option. This high proportion is certainly due to their significant presence in everyday life and strong cultural roots.
• Table games such as poker and blackjack also attract a solid player base (6.2 per cent) - especially in land-based Swiss casinos. Many Swiss casinos are active on the Internet.
• Slot machines (4.5 per cent) and sports betting (4.1 per cent) attract a constant but smaller group.

In comparison, gambling behaviour in Germany is somewhat more restrained overall: 36.5 percent of respondents took part in a game of chance in the year under review.

• Lottery games are also in the foreground here: LOTTO 6aus49 and the Eurojackpot are the most popular options with 19.8 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.
• Other forms of gambling, such as sports betting at 2.5 per cent and live betting at 1.1 per cent, achieve a comparatively lower level of participation.
• One striking detail is the far lower popularity of slot machines and online slot machine games in Germany, which are used by only 1.9 per cent and 0.5 per cent of players respectively (this is only as an aside: betting on horse racing is almost as popular as slots in Germany at 0.4 per cent). These figures are possibly related to the more restrictive German regulations and a differentiated social perception of these types of gambling.

The deviations in high-risk and pathological gambling behaviour are small

Despite the significantly different legal frameworks in Switzerland and Germany, the differences in high-risk or pathological gambling behaviour are surprisingly small.

Nevertheless, the proportion of players with risky or pathological behaviour remains at a similar level:

1. According to the Swiss study by the ESBK and Gespa, 5.8 percent of the gamblers surveyed exhibit risky behaviour and 0.8 percent meet the criteria for pathological gambling behaviour.
2. In Germany, on the other hand, the proportion of those with risky gambling behaviour is 6.1 percent, while 0.7 percent gamble at acute risk.

These almost identical figures indicate that strict regulation does not necessarily lead to lower rates of problem gambling behaviour, which in turn could indicate the effectiveness of Swiss prevention measures.

Another interesting finding in this context is the frequency of gambling and the amounts invested. In Switzerland, there has been a downward trend in the group of so-called frequent gamblers who engage in at least one form of gambling per month.

• The proportion fell from 16.4 per cent in 2017 to 14.5 per cent in 2022.
• In addition, spending on gambling remains low for the majority of users: almost half of participants spend less than 10 francs per month - and 37 per cent spend between 10 and 99 francs.

This speaks in favour of a relatively moderate risk assessment and shows that many players in Switzerland handle gambling responsibly, even with liberal legal requirements.

The Swiss Federal Gaming Board (SFGB) confirmed in a statement that Switzerland is in the middle to lower range compared to other European countries in terms of the proportion of high-risk and pathological gamblers.

Conclusion

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