A study has found New Zealand problem gamblers tend to be older, include more women and are more evenly spread across socio-economic groups than their Swedish counterparts. 

The research, published in the Journal of Gambling Studies, compares findings from national surveys in Sweden and New Zealand. 

Head researcher, Professor Max Abbott, said the findings are unexpected because the two countries have similar gambling expenditure and problem gambling rates. 

In Sweden, Abbott said, most problem gamblers are under the age of 25 and male. 

However, Abbott's study found people with serious gambling addictions in New Zealand range in age from 25 to 34, are Maori or Pacific Islanders and live mainly in Auckland or Christchurch.