SpelPaus Review

SpelPaus is the Swedish version of the popular UK self exclusion scheme, GameStop. This programme works exactly in the same way, as the Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator, required all online casinos and betting sites to integrate this service to keep their licenses active. This regulation has been outlined in earlier 2019, shortly after the committee declared that there are more than 10,000 users participated in this service and most of them have chosen to stop gambling until further notice. However, there are plenty of reliable casinos available for Swedish players that didn’t establish an active connection to Spelpaus yet.

List of Best Online Casinos

Your one stop guide to finding the very best Online Casinos.

🔒Safe 📱Mobile Friendly 🏆Licensed 💰Fastest Payouts

While they work on the same principle, the main difference between SpelPaus and GamStop is that the first doesn’t require users to set a specific shut down period as you can stop playing until further notice. When choosing this option, you can undo the limitation at any time you want.

In this article, we will discuss the SpelPaus program. Overview its pros and cons. Also, we will talk about the most important alternatives to this service.

What Is the SpelPaus Self Exclusion Scheme?

SpelPaus is a voluntary self exclusion scheme that is available for Swedish players only. This scheme has been launched by a charity in 2019. Then, it has been recognized and promoted by Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator. In the same year, the committee required all the Swedish gambling venues to integrate this service to retain their license.

This service offers its users various durations that you can choose from, as follows:

• 1 month – when you choose this plan, you will not be able to reach any sports betting casino or sportsbook site or receive any marketing content on your email or SMS messages for 1 month. Then, the ban disappears and you can resume playing at your favourite sites like before.
• 3 months – When choosing this plan, you will turn off all gambling games and sports betting for 3 months. Also, you will not receive any marketing content from online gambling sites.
• 6 months – When you choose this period, you will turn yourself off from all Swedish online casinos and betting sites for half of a year. Also, you will not receive any marketing content on your email or phone number 
• Until further notice – This plan might be the best for the hesitant players who don't want to be away from playing for a specific period. The ban will be in effect until the player cancels it and resume playing again. However, note that after 12 months, you must log in and choose to end the shutdown or continue it. 

This suspension applies to all online gambling venues which offer the following products:

1. Online casino games
2. In/ out store gambling games
3. Vegas slots machines
4. Bingo
5. Online lottos

Are All Gambling Providers in Sweden Cooperates With the SpelPaus?

At the time being, the Swedish gambling committee declared that many gambling sites didn’t connect with the Swedish self exclusion scheme. Subsequently, they send them many inquiries about the slow procedures for integrating this programme.

Further to this, many other gambling sites already joined this scheme, yet they don’t check the Spelpaus database when a new player register a new account or logs in to his account. So, they end up accepting the excluded players!

How to Opt-in SpelPaus?

If you reside in Sweden and want to take a break from any form of gambling, you can join the SpelPaus exclusion scheme by following these steps:

• Enter the spelpaus.se website.
• Create a new account using true, updated, and accurate data.
• Set the exclusion period.
• After that, you should confirm your account with your e-ID. However, at the current time the Swedish Gaming committee reviewing other options that players can use to confirm their accounts.

After joining this scheme, you will not be able to open sites on which you have accounts or signup at a new Swedish casino. 

Advantages of SpelPaus

Although it is still a young programme, SpelPaus is very useful for vulnerable players from becoming compulsive gamblers. After joining this service, you will be excluded from all Swedish gambling sites for a period of your choosing. Of course, this is important to reduce gambling losses. Get more time for work and family. Develop other talents. Below are the most striking features of this programme.

• Completely Free – There are many programmes that you can use to ban selected websites on all your devices. However, all these services require monthly subscription fees. Also, players can cancel the ban at any time. So, they don't actualize the meaning of the self-exclusion as players need! Besides, all the blocking websites apps can share your data with other parties for marketing purposes. While the SpelPaus doesn’t! 
• Support Vulnerable Groups – Players who are prone to gambling addiction can sign up for this service via their smartphone or tablet with complete ease to stop playing at the Swedish licensed sites for a period of their choosing.
• Reasonable break periods – SpelPaus app offers many suspension periods ranging from 1 month to 3 months and 6 months. Also, you can suspend your gambling activities until further notice. The majority of the voluntary self exclusion schemes offer ban periods starting from 6 months. Not handy specially for reluctant players and customers who do not know if they are addicted to gambling or not.

Downsides of SpelPaus

The biggest drawback of this software is that it only covers Swedish gambling sites and they represent less than 1% of the sites available to Swedish players. So, the excluded players may turn to offshore casinos that are based in the UK, Malta, or other countries. So, there was no substitute for the self-strong will! SpelPaus isn’t the only factor that will prevent you from compulsive gambling, as your free will play a major role in this dilemma.

• Cover Limited Sites – SpelPaus covers the sites that hold the Swedish gambling regulator license only. However, these sites are very few in comparison with the independent sites and online casinos that hold licenses from other regulators.
• Joined Players Are Still Able to Play on Foreign Sites – Since international gambling providers aren’t covered, SpelPaus players can join any offshore site without any limitation! To fill this gap, players need to use website-blocking software. However, the game of cat and mouse doesn’t end here! As players can delete the suspension software from their PCs and mobiles to resume playing easily.

How to Go Around SpelPaus?

Despite that SpelPaus is a voluntary scheme, players can't opt out before the self exclusion scheme ends! For example, if you have accounts at 9 Swedish sites and subscribed to SpelPaus, you will not be able to use these accounts again before the end of the term. The only thing that you can do is to withdraw your deposited funds to your bank account only. Then, after the month ends, you will regain access again to your accounts on the Swedish sites. Despite that, you can go around the SpelPaus limitation by playing on an offshore casino that doesn't hold the license of the Swedish gambling committee! 

These casinos offer lucrative bonuses, myriads of quality games, handy support service that works 24/7 to answer all your questions and inquires. In addition, offshore casinos have an easier KYC verification process than the Swedish and UK casinos.

On our website, we recommend all the worthy sites non GamStop and non SpelPaus that you can play on safely. Also, you can take a look at our reviews to check the casinos’ pros and cons.

Are There Substitutes to SpelPaus?

Although that the self exclusion principle of SpelPaus is very useful for players around the world, this scheme is available only for players who are Sweden-based. 

Nevertheless, this can't be a defect in the programme since that every country in the world should issue a law for online gambling. Based on this law, they can establish a gambling committee that regulates and supervise online gambling sites. Then, this committee should establish a voluntary self exclusion scheme like GamStop in the UK and SpelPaus in Sweden. There is no other way to establish a voluntary exclusion scheme as this must be done in such a hierarchical form. Despite that Players who reside out of the UK and Sweden can stop their gambling activities temporarily using any of these options:

• Browsers Add-on – All modern internet browsers provide add-ons that you can use to block certain websites of your choice.
• Anti Virus Apps – You can use any antivirus app to set the sites that you don’t want to access again.
• Parental Control Apps – All parental control apps offer the option of block certain websites.

UK National Blocking Apps

If you reside in the UK and want to stop gambling on trusted sites, there are more programs and services available to you, perhaps more than anyone else in the world! Below, is a quick overview of these programs. 

GamStop

This service is the leader in excluding and helping players who are prone to gambling addiction. All self exclusion services offered in all countries around the world follow the same principle, including SpelPaus. GamStop service was presented in 2018 by not for profit organization, The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited. Then, in 2020, the UKGC recognized it and make GamStop integration mandatory for all local iGaming sites. Players register on this programme to take a break from all gambling activates for a period ranging from 6 months, 1 year, and up to 5 years. Once you activate your account, you will not be able to play again at any UKGC-licensed site or receiving direct marketing messages from them.

GamBan

GamBan is the younger brother of GamStop. However, it works in a completely different manner! This service doesn't need gambling sites to integrate it and review its database whenever new players create new accounts. It isn’t web-based software, but it is a downloadable app that players install across all their devices and select the sites that they want to exclude themselves from. GamBan has a rich database of gambling sites, eSports, crypto gates, and trading sites. Also, you can add more sites whenever you want to. The exclusion periods of this service range from 6 months to 5 years like GamStop. It is worth noting that this programme can be used in conjunction with GamStop and other exclusion options as well to support your willpower.

GamCare

GamCare is the oldest self exclusion service on the internet. For example, It has been launched in 1997 in the UK and it is available to UK residents only. All the UK gambling sites are on this self exclusion service and you can find its logo beside the GamStop logo at the bottom of any reliable UK site. However, note that the UKGC doesn't require the iGaming providers to integrate GamCare service since that the. However, note that the UKGC doesn't require the iGaming providers to integrate this service since that it doesn't offer self exclusion service for players.

It offers only the help and guidance for vulnerable groups through pro experts that users can contact online, toll-free numbers, or even face to face.

BetBlocker

BetBlocker is a software app designed to run on mobile devices and PCs. You can download this app if you want to block your access from certain platforms and sites. To get the full advantage of this app, you need to install it on all devices you use and it works on all sorts of Windows, Mac, Android, and IOS devices seamlessly. The minimum limitation period is 2 months. While the maximum term is 5 years and the app is irremovable.

FAQs About SpelPaus

1. What Is the SpelPaus Programme?

SpelPaus is a Sweden voluntary programme launched in 2018. In 2019, it has been recognized and promoted by the Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator. At the current time, all Swedish iGaming sites must integrate this service and refuse any player who is related to it. SpelPaus is completely free and funded by the Swedish gambling regulator 

2. How Can I Join SpelPaus?

You can participate in this service easily through your mobile device or computer by entering the spelpaus.se website. Then, create a new account using your true and accurate data. After that, you can select the exclusion terms which range between 1 month, 6 months, and 5 years. Also, you can stop gambling until further notice.

3. Could I Join SpelPaus While I’m Not Based in Sweden?

No, you must be a Sweden resident to participate in this service.

4. What Are the Exclusion Periods of SpelPaus?

The exclusion terms of this service range from only 1 month to 6 months and 5 years. Also, you can stop gambling until further notice. However, after 12 months you need to sign in to your account and agree to renew or cancel the ban.

5. Is SpelPaus Free?

Yes, it is a completely free service.

6. What Is Better GamStop or SpelPaus?

These 2 exclusion services aren’t available to the same players. However, they depend on the same principle and serve the same purpose. GamStop is exclusively available to UK users, while the SpelPaus is accessible to Swedish players only.