In this article, we deep dive into the impact of self-exclusion schemes on both online gambling sites and players

Online gambling is a vast industry in Sweden. The government in the country has established a regulatory authority to monitor gambling activities within Sweden. In fact, the government has also come up with a self-exclusion scheme to promote responsible gambling and help players tackle gambling addiction.

In this article, we find out the impact of such self-exclusion schemes on both online gambling sites and players. With the help of this informative article, you can also learn more about the laws and regulations regarding online gambling in Sweden and how they have negatively impacted the industry. Keep reading to learn all the necessary information related to Spelpaus and its impacts.

What is Spelpaus?

Spelpaus is a well-known self-exclusion scheme that you can find at online gambling sites registered under the Swedish Gambling Authority. Usually, online casinos, whether they are licensed or unlicensed, offer a diverse form of entertainment to people across the country. Now, if you are playing on an online casino that is licensed under the , then the casino will allow you to exclude yourself from gambling activities for the time interval you want. The Swedish government has launched this self-exclusion scheme, especially for players who are eager to take a break from casinos and gambling for a while. Let us tell you that self-exclusion works differently in different countries. The meaning of ‘self-exclusion’ is the game break. If you want to remove your gambling addiction and play responsibly, then you can easily exclude yourself from the casino that you are playing at.

How Does Spelpaus Work?

Players who think that they are spending too much money or time on online casino platforms can benefit from Spelpaus. This scheme was mainly designed to prevent the detrimental effects of online gambling. Self-exclusion works differently in Sweden. Let us find out how you can use spelpaus to exclude yourself from the Swedish-licensed online casinos.

In simpler terms, you just have to ask the casino to exclude yourself from gambling on their platform for a certain amount of time, and you can do this through Spelpaus. Whenever you visit an online casino with a Swedish license, you can see an option of ‘Spelpaus’ on the website.

Once you join the self-exclusion scheme, you will not be allowed to gamble online on that platform for the set time period. The time for self-exclusion may vary from one casino to another. However, the common time limits that you will find can be three months, six months, or longer. Once you have opted into the Spelpaus scheme, you will have to wait for the time to start gambling again on that platform.

How Is Spelpaus Impacting Online Casinos?

While the scheme of also exists in different countries, in Sweden, the rules are considered more strict than the others. In fact, considering the rise of offshore casinos in Sweden, self-exclusion can be more difficult to enforce. According to the Swedish-based website,  online casinos without a Swedish license are on the rise in Sweden. These casinos often do not have any self-exclusion schemes on their websites. So, even though players have excluded them from gambling at Swedish-licensed casinos, they can visit any offshore casino and start gambling again. Although Spelpaus may fail in promoting responsible gambling due to unlicensed casinos, this scheme has certainly impacted online casinos. The Swedish gambling sites that offer Spelpaus often have to face the negative impact of this scheme. This is because the gamblers are excluding them from the casino for a while. Aside from this, the other strict laws and regulations implemented by the Swedish Gambling Authority also affect online casinos licensed under them.

Impact of Self-Exclusion on Swedish Players

Many gambling experts and professionals suggest that self-exclusion schemes like Spelpaus cannot be considered a foolproof way to completely protect players from gambling addiction. However, they consider it a good start and suggest that it should be on a much wider scale to actually protect players. Aside from this, Spelpaus often comes as a hindrance for players who want to enjoy gambling on Swedish-licensed gambling sites. Also, even though players who have excluded them from gambling on a particular casino site can visit any other online casino if they really want to gamble online. They can always find a way despite being opted into a self-exclusion scheme. Further, players can even move to other forms of gambling like sports betting or lotteries. As we all know, the internet is the ocean where players can find hundreds of online gambling to play on. However, self-exclusion can still be an important step towards responsible gambling and providing a balanced gambling experience to players. Spelpaus or self-exclusion can work more effectively if there is a support system to help players find a way of life, they like better.

Is Spelpaus free?

Yes. Spelpaus is completely free for Swedish players. You can use this national self-exclusion tool free of cost and help yourself by preventing gambling addiction.

What is the duration of Spelpaus’ self-exclusion scheme?

The duration of self-exclusion may vary depending on the player’s choice. You can exclude yourself from the gambling platform for a month, three months, six months, or even longer. However, you should keep in mind that once you have excluded yourself from gambling, you will not be able to play any casino game for the time period you choose.

Can Players Remove Spelpaus?

As per the Swedish government, the self-exclusion scheme of Spelpaus is a voluntary program. Players can use this program whenever they want, and no casino or authority will force them to do so. However, once a player has opted for Spelpaus, they cannot remove it until it has completed the set time limit. Players can sign up at Spelpaus anytime they want, but there is no way to get out of it without completing the entire term. The time limit of self-exclusion depends on players for how long they want to stay away from online gambling. They can choose any time from one to six months. Then, they are required to wait for the self-exclusion term to complete. There are many offshore gambling sites where players can enjoy online gambling without even going through the registration and verification process. As these gambling sites do not collect the information of players, they can enjoy gambling despite being on a self-exclusion scheme.

Alternatives to Spelpaus in Different Countries

As we have already mentioned that Spelpaus is the self-exclusion scheme launched by the Swedish government, other countries have their self-exclusion strategies and programs. Here we are mentioning the popular alternatives to Sweden’s Spelpaus scheme.

GamBan

GamBan is a popular self-exclusion program that is available on EU gambling sites. Players at EU online casinos and gambling sites can use GamBan to take a break from online gambling. However, players can also find many online casinos that do not have GamBan on their sites. Gamban is basically a software application that players can install on their mobile and desktop devices. Once the app is installed, it will block access to different online gambling sites. This self-exclusion app also allows players to add the sites to the Gamban library that they want to block.

GamStop

This self-exclusion tool is from the . The UK Gambling Commission launched GamStop to promote responsible gambling on the online casinos in the country. GamStop also allows players to exclude themselves from online casinos licensed under the UK Gambling Commission. Similar to Swedish SpelPaus, GamStop is also free for players. This self-exclusion scheme is only applied to UK-based casino operators. As per the law and regulations, all the online casinos in the UK should participate in the GamStop scheme.

Final Thoughts

If you are a Swedish player looking for a way to tackle gambling addiction, then Spelpaus can be helpful to you. Here, we discussed what Spelpaus is and how it works. With the help of this information, you can also benefit from this self-exclusion scheme. While it may stop you from enjoying gambling, it can also help you get rid of gambling addiction.

Players can sign up at any time for this voluntary program and experience online gambling in a much more controlled manner. One thing that you should remember is that once you opt for Spelpaus, you will not be able to wager on any casino game on that particular gambling site. You can take a break from gambling whenever you want and come back once you feel you have gained a little control over gambling habits. While this voluntary program has impacted both online casinos and players, the regulatory authorities in Sweden can make the regulations more friendly to make players stay on Swedish-licensed gambling sites. If we talk about the potential of Spelpaus, it can work effectively if the players want to stop gambling.

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