Johan Sandow got hooked on online casinos in 2010, and soon he took out loans to cover his losses.
– When it was at its worst around 2019, I could lock myself in the toilet to be able to play, he says.
The Swedish gaming market had a turnover of close to SEK 7 billion during the second quarter of the year, according to brand new, preliminary figures from the Swedish Gaming Authority. The segment for online games and betting is increasing strongly – the area increases by 9.2 percent in turnover and reaches the highest level since the licensing system was introduced in 2019.
At the same time, more people are seeking help for their gambling addiction, recent figures show Economic Agency produced.
– Traditionally, there is usually a small dip during the summer, but that was not the case this year. Major events such as the European Championships and the Olympics increase gambling, says Madeleine Tügel, chairwoman of the Gambling Addiction Riksförbund to the Economic Agency.
Fights relapse
Johan Sandow estimates that he gambled away a total of over one million kroner. In the event of a relapse, he gambled away SEK 500,000 within a month.
– I went for several days and thought about how to tell – or whether to tell my wife at the time – the shame was so great that I thought about ending my life, he says.
Today, Johan Sandow has received debt settlement and he has been in therapy. Now he is fighting the risk of relapse – hear how in the video above.