Authors

• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Keywords

addiction, gambling, gaming machines, information needs, lotteries, social care, social services

Abstract

The aim of this survey was to chart the treatment of gambling addicts in Finnish municipalities. The respondents were asked to name municipal services addressing gambling problems and indicate if there was a special service point for gambling addicts or their relatives in their municipality. Some questions pertained to taking gambling addicts into account in the municipal service system, acquiring the know-how on the treatment of gambling addicts, and the need to increase that know-how. In addition, views on the prevention and treatment of gambling problems were probed, as well as the frequency of gambling addicts turning up in municipal services.

Background variables included respondent's status and activity sector in the municipality, province, size of municipality, and to which service point the service point form attached to the questionnaire was forwarded.