Swedish self-exclusion register hits 20,000

Swedish gambling regulator Spelinspektionen has revealed that its Spelpaus.se self-exclusion programme has now attracted more than 20,000 registrations.

Launched on January 1 to coincide with the roll-out of the country’s regulated iGaming market, the service allows users to block themselves from accessing online gambling services and opt out of any related marketing campaigns.

The scheme also covers in-person betting at approved stores, bingo facilities, on gambling machines and at all land-based casinos operated by Casino Cosmopol.

Spelpaus.se only applies to operators that hold a licence in the newly regulated Swedish market. Spelinspektionen has so far awarded licences to 69 companies, with this list expected to grow as more operators secure approval.

One of the conditions of these new licences is for operators to ensure that they are fully integrated with the Spelpaus.se initiative.

However, Spelinspektionen has been forced to issue a number of reminders to its licensed operators about this requirement after noting a series of failures during the first month of full regulation in January.

The regulator named Genesis Global and AG Communications, a subsidiary of Aspire Global, as licensed operators that had breached this measure. Both companies have since taken action to ensure they are fully compliant with the self-exclusion rules.

Spelinspektionen has warned that if any licensed operators continue to breach this licence measure, it could begin to rescind online gambling licences and also issue financial penalties.

Image: Max Pixel