Swedish gambling regulations make it easier for problem gamblers to self-exclude from casinos

On January 1st, 2019, the Swedish Gambling Act was implemented after its introduction in May 2018. The outcome of the new act was a reregulation of the Swedish gambling market. In this new gambling regime, the Swedish Gambling Authority has taken more control and imposed stricter gaming and gambling market measures. The goals of the authority continue to be to guarantee the legality and safety of gambling, more so on online platforms, as well as manage and minimize the potential harm Swedes may experience from gambling.

As of the end of 2023, the global gambling market size was approximately $263 billion - nearly double that in 2019. It is no wonder states have vested interests in the gambling industry and are keen to put in place measures to regulate this industry, which is among the fastest growing globally. That said, this exponential growth has also come with a significant social impact with regard to gambling problems.

To mitigate this potential risk of gambling problems in Sweden, the Swedish Gambling Authority established Spelpaus, a free national self-exclusion service. As per the Swedish gambling regulations, all licensed gambling operators, both online and land-based, are required to offer their clients access to Spelpaus. This is how Spelpaus works.

Spelpaus Explained

The “Spelpaus” service is designed to allow Swedes to register to exclude themselves from all gambling activities on Sweden's licensed gambling platforms for a specific period. Self-exclusion through the service means that you will not be able to access any form of gambling through:

• online casinos
• online lotteries
• online betting
• online bingo
• land-based casinos such as Casino Cosmopol.
• gambling agents in shops, racecourses, etc.

All gambling operators licensed to operate by the Swedish Gambling Authority must cross-check that any clients they share gambling marketing material with, or any players who try to register or log in to their platforms are not registered for self-exclusion on Spelpaus. If a player is registered on Spelpaus, they must be barred from accessing the platforms.

You can choose to self-exclude for 1, 3, or 6 months or until further notice. It is important to note that you can not cancel or end your self-exclusion before your due date, but you can extend it. Once you enroll in the self-exclusion service, you are expected to log out of all the gambling platforms you use, but you will not be granted access to them until the specified self-exclusion period has elapsed.

As of October 2023, 99,496 individuals had enrolled on Spelpaus to exclude themselves from gambling. These figures attest to the efforts made by the Swedish Gambling Authority to raise awareness of problem gambling as well as promote the national self-exclusion program as an effective solution. This innovative approach to problem gambling in Sweden has allowed for the creation of a healthy environment for gambling to be a great form of entertainment and pastime activity for the Swedes. Furthermore, the love for gambling, specifically online gambling, has been fueled by innovations unique to Swedish-regulated casinos. Some of these exceptional features are:

Casino with BankID Verification

The Swedish casino market employs a unique and revolutionary online user verification technology known as BankID. BankID allows Swedes to prove their identity in a digital environment. The best casinos, such as those listed on casino-bankid.org, offer gamblers this quick, easy, and secure registration option, making access to their favorite casino games a breeze.

A casino with BankID verification will have first-time users sign up and play in less than a minute. This is because all you need to do is key in your social security number and verify your identity on the BankID app, and your account is ready to go.

Fast Money Transfers

The BankID technology also easily links your digital accounts across different Swedish platforms. The casino industry has taken advantage of this feature to guarantee fast money transfers from your bank to online gambling platforms and vice versa.

Top-rated casinos such as those you will find on snabbauttagcasino.nu/ ensure that your deposits are reflected in your casino account with the click of a button. Similarly, your winnings are reflected in your bank account with a simple click. This process takes anywhere from two to 15 minutes, depending on your payment method.

This innovative Swedish technology, BankID, has greatly served the casino market by improving access to online gambling platforms and increasing the number of users. In 2024, the country's online gambling market is expected to reach a market volume of $0.80bn and generate $1.85bn in revenue in 2024.

With the Swedish gambling regulations and Spelpaus in place, the state is committed to ensuring that even as the casino market in the country thrives, access to solutions for problem gamblers to exclude themselves from gambling platforms and gambling locations to take back control of their time and finances.