What is SNSUS?

SNSUS is a Nordic Foundation, Stiftelsen Nordiska Sällskapet för Upplysning om Spelberoende, The Nordic Society Foundation for Information about Problem gambling. It was founded in year 1999 to spread knowledge and information about Problem gambling. The foundation has no affiliations with any political party or religious group. Since the beginning SNSUS has now increased to represent all five Nordic countries.

The foundation was to yearly arrange a Nordic conference with the theme treatment of problem gamblers and their relatives. The first conference was held in Oslo, Norway in the year of 2000, since then we have had conferences yearly until 2005.In the future SNSUS will arrange conferences every other year.

We, the originators of this foundation, work with treatment of problem gamblers in Denmark , Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. When we have met at different conferences around the world the idea of setting up a network between the Nordic countries has awoke. We are not that many who work with gamblers and their relatives up here in North so why not get together and exchange experiences and knowledge in these issues. We are convinced that there is a need even among others to meet and discuss treatment of problem gamblers and their relatives.

Game conferences are arranged around the world of gaming industries, institutions connected to Universities, other industries with no affiliations to any other company or organization, regulated government authorities or other with interests in gaming issues. At many of these conferences problem gambling is on the agenda but seldom or never they discuss problem gambling as a theme it self and seldom or never treatment.

We will therefore every other year arrange a conference that goes under the theme gambling problems and treatment. During two days we will be able to discuss different kind of treatment, network issues, diagnostics, relapse prevention and other important and interesting themes for those who work with treatment for gamblers.

In the board of directors you find:

	Tapio Jaakkola Tapio Jaakkola is leading as development coordinator the project to set up gambling clinic for Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The clinic will be a treatment and development centre for gambling related problems not only for the metropolitan area but also for whole of Finland. Behind this project there are The National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), cities of Helsinki, Vantaa, Kauniainen and three NGO’s the A-clinic Foundation, the Finnish Blue Cross and The Foundation of Social Pedagogy. And also the Peluuri Gambling Helpline will part of the clinic. E-mail: tapio.jaakkola@hel.fi Phone: +35 8931046885 Cellphone: +35 401758244
	Michael Bay Jørsel Michael Bay Jørsel is Superintendent at the Center för Ludomani in Odense, Denmark. They have treatment, that has turned out to be very successful, for problem gamblers. E-mail: michael@ludomani.dk Phone: +45 63111810 Cellphone: +45 20161810
	Thomas Nilsson Thomas Nilsson, CEO at Spelinstitutet in Piteå, Sweden. Spelinstitutet is commissioned by FHI, Swedish governments Health department, to support a helpline for problem gamblers. For the last two years Spelinstitutet has also implemented a huge national internetbased education about gambling and problem gambling. E-mail: thomas@spelinstitutet.se Phone: +46 91176190 Cellphone: +46 703330570
	Daniel Tor Olasen Daniel Tor Olasen is Assistant professor, at the Psychology Department at the University of Iceland. He has implemented a number of surveys that got the attention to the occurrence of problem gambling in Iceland. E-mail: dto@hi.is Phone: +354 5255265
	Kåre Rørhus I have for nearly ten years been head of Kompetansesenter rus - region øst (Centre for Addiction Issues) at Sykehuset Innlandet near Hamar. The Centre has a national responibility for coordinating and developing competance on problem gambling in Norway. That involves i.a. disseminating knowledge, network development and contributing in etablishing new treatment programs. E-mail: kare.rorhus@sykehuset-innlandet.no Phone: +47 62581750 Cellphone: +47 91386069
	Sten Rönnberg Member of honour
	Finn Gyllström Member of honour