Exploring the Users’ Perspective of the Nationwide Self-Exclusion Service for Gambling Disorder, “Spelpaus” : Qualitative Interview Study
Tjernberg, Johanna LU ; Helgesson, Sara LU ; Håkansson, Anders LU
and Hansson, Helena
LU
(2025)
In JMIR Human Factors
12.
- Abstract
Background: Problem gambling and gambling disorder cause severe social, psychiatric, and financial consequences, and voluntary self-exclusion is a common harm reduction tool used by individuals with gambling problems. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore users’ experience of a novel nationwide, multioperator gambling self-exclusion service, “Spelpaus,” in Sweden and to inform stakeholders and policy makers in order to improve harm reduction tools against gambling problems. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 individuals who reported self-perceived gambling problems and who had experience of having used the self-exclusion service Spelpaus in Sweden. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed through... (More)
Background: Problem gambling and gambling disorder cause severe social, psychiatric, and financial consequences, and voluntary self-exclusion is a common harm reduction tool used by individuals with gambling problems. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore users’ experience of a novel nationwide, multioperator gambling self-exclusion service, “Spelpaus,” in Sweden and to inform stakeholders and policy makers in order to improve harm reduction tools against gambling problems. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 individuals who reported self-perceived gambling problems and who had experience of having used the self-exclusion service Spelpaus in Sweden. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results: We identified 3 categories and 8 subcategories. The categories were (1) reasons for the decision to self-exclude, (2) positive experiences, and (3) suggestions for improvement. The subcategories identified a number of reasons for self-exclusion, such as financial reasons and family reasons, and positive experiences described as a relief from gambling; in addition, important suggestions for improvement were cited, such as a more gradual return to gambling post–self-exclusion, better ways to address loopholes in the system, and transfer from self-exclusion to treatment. Conclusions: Voluntary self-exclusion from gambling, using a nationwide multioperator service, remains an appreciated harm-reducing tool. However, transfer from self-exclusion to treatment should be facilitated by policy making, and loopholes allowing for breaching of the self-exclusion need to be counteracted.
(Less)
- author
- Tjernberg, Johanna
LU
; Helgesson, Sara
LU
; Håkansson, Anders
LU
and Hansson, Helena
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- behavioral addiction, gambling addiction, gambling disorder, harm reduction, human factors, lived experience, qualitative study, self-exclusion, Spelpaus, usability, voluntary self-exclusion
- in
- JMIR Human Factors
- volume
- 12
- article number
- e66045
- publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85216886073
- pmid:39888656
- ISSN
- 2292-9495
- DOI
- 10.2196/66045
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: ©Johanna Tjernberg, Sara Helgesson, Anders Håkansson, Helena Hansson.
- id
- 05290c91-d6ff-4188-ab2e-dc261a10a014
- date added to LUP
- 2025-04-11 12:24:49
- date last changed
- 2025-07-04 19:22:40
@article{05290c91-d6ff-4188-ab2e-dc261a10a014,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Problem gambling and gambling disorder cause severe social, psychiatric, and financial consequences, and voluntary self-exclusion is a common harm reduction tool used by individuals with gambling problems. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore users’ experience of a novel nationwide, multioperator gambling self-exclusion service, “Spelpaus,” in Sweden and to inform stakeholders and policy makers in order to improve harm reduction tools against gambling problems. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 individuals who reported self-perceived gambling problems and who had experience of having used the self-exclusion service Spelpaus in Sweden. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results: We identified 3 categories and 8 subcategories. The categories were (1) reasons for the decision to self-exclude, (2) positive experiences, and (3) suggestions for improvement. The subcategories identified a number of reasons for self-exclusion, such as financial reasons and family reasons, and positive experiences described as a relief from gambling; in addition, important suggestions for improvement were cited, such as a more gradual return to gambling post–self-exclusion, better ways to address loopholes in the system, and transfer from self-exclusion to treatment. Conclusions: Voluntary self-exclusion from gambling, using a nationwide multioperator service, remains an appreciated harm-reducing tool. However, transfer from self-exclusion to treatment should be facilitated by policy making, and loopholes allowing for breaching of the self-exclusion need to be counteracted.</p>}},
author = {{Tjernberg, Johanna and Helgesson, Sara and Håkansson, Anders and Hansson, Helena}},
issn = {{2292-9495}},
keywords = {{behavioral addiction; gambling addiction; gambling disorder; harm reduction; human factors; lived experience; qualitative study; self-exclusion; Spelpaus; usability; voluntary self-exclusion}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{JMIR Publications Inc.}},
series = {{JMIR Human Factors}},
title = {{Exploring the Users’ Perspective of the Nationwide Self-Exclusion Service for Gambling Disorder, “Spelpaus” : Qualitative Interview Study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/66045}},
doi = {{10.2196/66045}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2025}},
}