Self-exclusion and breaching of self-exclusion from gambling – a repeated survey study on the development of a nationwide self-exclusion service

Background: Voluntary self-exclusion from gambling is a common harm reduction tool in individuals with a gambling disorder. Previous data have demonstrated that many gamblers breach their own self-exclusion, typically through other online services outside the jurisdiction in which they are self-excluded. The present study aimed to carry out a new follow-up measure – similar to previous studies in the same setting – of self-exclusion and its breaching in Sweden, in order to allow for the follow-up assessment of a nationwide, multi-operator self-exclusion system introduced in Sweden in 2019. Methods: : A web survey to the web panel of a market survey company addressed 1,505 past-year gamblers, who responded to a number of questions about gambling habits, including screening for gambling problems using the Problem Gambling Severity Index and self-exclusion-related items corresponding to previous studies. Results: : Nine percent of past-year gamblers had self-excluded using the Spelpaus service. In logistic regression, self-exclusion was significantly associated with gambling problems, past-year online casino gambling, and absence of online poker gambling. Among self-excluders, 49 percent had ever gambled despite being self-excluded. Among those breaching their self-exclusion, the most common gambling types during self-exclusion were online casino (82 percent), sports betting (47 percent) and lotteries (43 percent). Discussion: Self-exclusion remains a popular harm reduction tool against problem gambling, more common than in previous studies, mostly in individuals with recent gambling problems and in online casino gamblers. However, breaching self-exclusion is somewhat more common than in previous research. Online casino represents the most common means of self-exclusion breaching. Policy-making in the area needs to further address the risk of breaching one’s self-exclusion and may further address the risk of overseas gambling.