As the Swedish Gambling Act gains a stronger hold on the market and among Swedish consumers, there is now also an increase in their awareness of Spelpaus - a vital service in terms of Swedish gambling protection.

According to the report on Swedes' online gambling habits, produced by Skandinavisk Opinion (SKOP) earlier this year, today there are almost 30 percent more people who know that Spelpaus exists and what it is used for. An increase of 26 percentage points between 2021 and 2022 (59 and 85 percent, respectively).  

Game pause – The Swedish Gambling Authority's self-suspension register 

In connection with the Swedish gaming market being reregulated in 2019, a series of rules were introduced where the gaming companies are now faced with more extensive work to reduce gambling problems and increase consumer protection. This includes Spelpaus – a self-exclusion register developed by the Swedish Gambling Authority where players can block themselves from licensed games for any period of their choice, but the shortest period of one month. 

Despite the fact that more and more people are aware that the service is available, there are still many who still choose platforms where you can play without a game break . That is, with actors who today do not fall under the Swedish regulatory framework.   

Casinos without Game Break attract players 

The reason why Swedish players look outside the Swedish market is that many believe that casinos without a Swedish license offer more lucrative gambling opportunities. Mainly this is because the bonuses awarded to the players tend to be bigger and more numerous than in the domestic market, where only one bonus is allowed per player and license holder.  In any case, to find a really cool casino, you can go to the website https://mobiltelefonspel.com.

In addition to this, many Swedes play with unlicensed players because they are not covered by the Spelpaus register. This is because the service only affects the gambling companies that operate under the Swedish gambling license . Thus, players who visit casinos without a Swedish license can continue to play despite an ongoing suspension. Something that is considered to give greater freedom of choice among players who blocked themselves by mistake, or for a longer period than intended.  

According to SKOP's report, this is one of the biggest reasons why players feel attracted, along with the fact that foreign gaming sites often also offer other winning opportunities and odds, or that players are unsure whether the casino actually holds a Swedish license or not.  

Looking at the profit opportunities, it is not infrequent that these are more, compared to the Swedish counterparts, as the supply tends to be larger. Among other things, more types of casino games are offered that may not have had the same impact in Sweden, together with so-called hybrid casinos, which also offer some form of sports betting in parallel with the classic games. On these you can therefore find the opportunity to bet on both major and minor matches, which may not be as popular in Sweden as abroad.  

Campaigns should raise awareness further 

That the number of people who know Spelpaus is increasing is of course positive. However, both the government and the Swedish Gambling Authority want to see a further increase in players who choose Swedish-licensed parties over the unlicensed parties, and create a higher degree of channeling than before.  

The goal is to create a greater understanding among Swedish players about gambling problems through campaigns for Spelpaus . But also how they themselves can detect signs of whether their gambling is having a negative impact on their private, social and financial lives.