%0 Journal Article
%@ 2292-9495
%I JMIR Publications
%V 12
%N 
%P e66045
%T Exploring the Users’ Perspective of the Nationwide Self-Exclusion Service for Gambling Disorder, “Spelpaus”: Qualitative Interview Study
%A Tjernberg,Johanna
%A Helgesson,Sara
%A Håkansson,Anders
%A Hansson,Helena
%+ Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Psychiatry, Baravägen 1, Lund, 221 00, Sweden, 46 703135677, anders_c.hakansson@med.lu.se
%K gambling disorder
%K gambling addiction
%K behavioral addiction
%K harm reduction
%K self-exclusion
%K voluntary self-exclusion
%K Spelpaus
%K lived experience
%K human factors
%K usability
%K qualitative study
%D 2025
%7 31.1.2025
%9 Original Paper
%J JMIR Hum Factors
%G English
%X 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. 
%M 39888656
%R 10.2196/66045
%U https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e66045
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/66045
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39888656