In the beginning of summer, Sweden's Savings Banks start an education for 3,500 of their employees across the country in order to counteract gaming problems among customers. The initiative comes from the Savings Banks' Association, whose CEO Björn Elfstrand says that it combines social responsibility with the banks' own interest.
It's about tackling a major social problem that causes suffering, over-indebtedness and often also family problems among gaming-dependent bank customers, he says to TT.
Isn't it an invasion of privacy to seek out and map customers' habits based on transactions?
We do not scan our customers. But if a customer has perhaps taken many small loans, temporary SMS loans or wants to increase the loan amount on their house, we can ask about gaming dependency and give advice, says Björn Elfstrand.
He admits that the bank may not intervene in a phase when a customer makes a series of large winnings.
It's only when a customer starts losing money and the gaming addiction gets out of hand that it may be discovered. If customers risk playing away large amounts, it's also a reason to deny them loans, says Björn Elfstrand.
How do you think customers will react when the bank starts interfering with their gaming habits?
We hope they see it as an opportunity to get support in time. As a bank, it's important to take responsibility by giving financial advice, but we can also guide them to more help if the customer wants it, says Björn Elfstrand.
