Sweden's gambling regulator denies Spelpaus data leak amid ad concerns
Sweden's gambling regulator, the Spelinspektionen, has dismissed claims of a data leak from the national self-exclusion scheme, Spelpaus. The authority confirmed that no breaches or unauthorised access to the register have been detected since its launch in 2019. The Spelinspektionen stated that all data within the Spelpaus register remains encrypted. Personal details such as addresses or phone numbers are not stored, reducing the risk of misuse. Despite these safeguards, some self-excluded players have still received targeted ads from offshore gambling firms without a Swedish licence.
In December 2022, the regulator launched the *Unnecessarily Exciting* campaign to warn players about the dangers of unlicensed operators. More recently, it took action against Odds BV, a company based in Curacao, for offering illegal gambling to Swedish players through its *fortunepanda* website. The Spelpaus scheme has seen over 120,000 registrations since 2019. While the regulator cannot confirm how many self-excluded players have avoided targeted ads from unlicensed providers, it continues to monitor risks. The review will also consider the broader global gaming landscape to strengthen protections.
The Spelinspektionen maintains that no evidence of a data leak exists. It will keep assessing potential vulnerabilities in Spelpaus and enforcing measures against unlicensed operators. The regulator's ongoing efforts aim to protect self-excluded players from illegal gambling promotions.
