What do they say they are doing? a mixed-methods analysis of Swedish gambling operators’ duty of care action plans

The findings highlight the influence of RG frameworks, with many operators emphasizing individual responsibility rather than systemic harm reduction. In addition, there is a need for clearer, more robust guidelines, as higher compliance was linked to well-defined requirements. Instrumental templates, such as the critique tool developed in this study, can support designing measurable requirements and evaluating their implementation. Finally, duty of care directives can play a dual role: establishing harm reduction specifications and reshaping the narratives that define gambling. Framing them as both regulatory tools and narrative-making platforms can provide policymakers with a powerful means to reorient the discourse around gambling and enhance harm reduction outcomes.