More than 80,000 Swedish players have registered to the “Spelpaus”, the self-exclusion system designed to protect players from gambling harm. The increase in the number of Swedes wanting to take a break from gambling is seen as a positive development by Sweden’s gambling regulator Spelinspektionen which launched the scheme back in January 2019 to coincide with the opening of the country’s regulated online gaming market.
Spelpaus – Important Responsible Gambling Tool
Spelpaus enables players to voluntarily ban themselves from all gambling sites in Sweden. It serves as an important tool in protecting customers from gambling harm. Online operators in the country are required to link their databases to the self-exclusion system to make sure users who register to the scheme are denied access to online gambling platforms.
Spelpaus underwent an update earlier this year and was re-launched with a new website, expanded guidance on self-exclusion, and enhanced functions. According to the latest report from Spelinspektionen, registrations have now breached the 80,000 mark, up from the 75,000 recorded in the old system. The agency said Spelpaus remains an integral part of its work and resources for responsible gambling.
Swedish Regulator to Open B2B Licensing System in March 2023
Spelinspektionen is set to launch its B2B licensing system on March 1, 2023, even though legislation that would implement the said system has yet to be approved into law. Sweden is now under new leadership following September’s general election which was won by a right-wing bloc.
Back in April, the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) introduced new social responsibility rules for online operators. The changes, which are due to take effect on September 12, are focused on identifying and protecting customers at risk of gambling harm. The Commission had earlier raised concerns over failings committed by operators regarding customer interaction.
Implementation of Some Amendments To Be Delayed
Recently, the regulator notified licensees that the amendments laid out in its April update will be implemented as planned next week, except for a few requirements – taking timely action when indicators of harm are identified as well as taking account of the UKGC’s approach to vulnerability, and preventing marketing and the take-up of bonuses for players found at risk of gambling harm.
The implementation of these specific requirements will be delayed pending a six-week consultation which will be launched by the Commission later this month.
UKGC to Publish New Guidance in December
After the said consultation, the UKGC expects to finalize the revisions it made to the Social Responsibility Code Provision for online operators, with new guidance on the rules set to be published in December 2022. The regulator also said it’s looking at implementing the remaining requirements by February 2023.
Licensed operators in the UK have been told to make their complaints process more accessible and easy to use for customers as part of the updated guidance on complaints handling recently issued by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).
Updated Guidance
The new guidance comes following the Commission’s review of 34 complaints policies from a wide range of sectors in which it found that some processes were difficult to follow, leading to perceptions operators might be intentionally doing it to discourage their customers from submitting complaints.
To address this issue, the UKGC has urged licensees to adopt certain methods to improve their policies and come up with a streamlined complaints process, one of which is to enable customers to easily navigate to the site’s customer complaints section via a direct link displayed on the home page.
Operators have also been advised to utilize digital tools, including web forms and decision trees, as well as introduce a virtual paper trail to make it much easier and faster for customers to submit a complaint. For customer concerns that need to be escalated, licensees should provide clear signposting to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) providers.
New Changes are Part of 2021/22 Objectives
Improving complaints handling was among key objectives outlined by the UKGC in its 2021/22 Business Plan. The complaints handling requirements are part of the operators’ License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).