In this article on ‘gambling self-exclusion’ we cover:
Gambling self-exclusion is a free, voluntary way to ask gambling companies to stop you from gambling for a set period. Once it is in place, your accounts are closed, you are blocked from opening new ones and you don’t receive any of their promotional marketing. It covers online betting and physical venues through national programs and you choose how long it lasts, from six months to five years. Gambling self-exclusion is a practical first step for anyone who wants to put real distance between themselves and gambling. This guide explains how it works, how to set it up and how to make it stick.
What Does Gambling Self-Exclusion Mean?
Self-exclusion is a formal agreement between you and a gambling business, or a group of them, to stop you gambling for a chosen length of time. You ask to be blocked and the business has to act on it.
It is used when a person feels gambling has become a problem and wants help to stop. The decision is yours, and there is no charge. Self-exclusion does not fix the reasons behind gambling, but it removes the easy access that keeps it going, which gives you room to deal with the rest.
What Happens When You Self-Exclude
Once your self-exclusion is active, the businesses it covers have to take clear steps. They will:
- Close or suspend your existing accounts
- Block you from opening new accounts with the same details
- Stop sending you marketing and promotions
- Refuse you service in person, at venues where staff can identify you
Gambling self-exclusion takes away the option to gamble in a moment of weakness and removing the adverts and offers takes away that reminder of gambling that can so often pull people back.
Types of Self-Exclusion Schemes
You can exclude yourself from a single company or from a whole sector at once through a national program. The main programs in the US are:
- BetBlocker, for self-exclusion from online gambling. One free download blocks thousands of gambling websites and apps worldwide.
- State-level brick-and-mortar self-exclusion programs, which allow you to voluntarily exclude yourself from retail sportsbooks, commercial casinos, and local betting venues across your state.
- Statewide casino self-exclusion programs, which allow individuals to exclude themselves from all licensed land-based casinos and commercial gaming facilities within their state.
- State and local bingo self-exclusion programs, which allow players to voluntarily exclude themselves from commercial bingo halls, electronic bingo parlors, and charitable gaming centers
- State-level arcade, electronic gaming machine (EGM), and adult gaming center self-exclusion programs, which allow individuals to exclude themselves from video gaming terminal (VGT) lounges, electronic machine arcades, and family entertainment centers with restricted gambling areas across their state.
If you sign up for more than one program, you can take the option of gambling away from different providers.
How to Self-Exclude: The Process
The process of signing up for gambling self-exclusion has different steps depending on the program, but the process usually follows the same path:
- First, decide where you want to be blocked. That could be one gambling site, several local venues, or all online operators licensed in the US.
- Next, provide your personal information. This covers your name, date of birth, home address and contact details. LandRetail and casino-based self-exclusion programs require a clear headshot photo so security teams and gaming floor staff can recognize you and turn you away if you try to enter.
- Then choose how long the self-exclusion lasts. Online, the options are six months, one year or five years. Land-based schemes run for a set period from six months upwards.
- Finally, confirm and activate it. You should receive confirmation that the self-exclusion is live, after which the companies it covers must block you.
For self-exclusion from online gambling, one registration covers every licensed operator at once, which makes it the quickest way to shut off online access.
What Happens After Your Self-Exclusion Ends
Self-exclusion does not switch off on its own when the period is up. To gamble again, you have to take active steps to remove the self-exclusion and there is a cooling-off period before that takes effect. This is built in on purpose, so the choice to return is a considered one rather than a quick decision.
If you do nothing, the block stays in place. For many people, letting it run on is part of staying in control.
Making Self-Exclusion Work
Self-exclusion is an aid, not a cure. It works by blocking access and it works best when you add other barriers and support around it.
Steps that strengthen it:
- Turn on the gambling block that most banks now offer, which stops your card being used with gambling businesses
- Install blocking software on your phone and other devices
- Tell someone you trust, so you have support and accountability
- Fill the time gambling used to take with activities that give you something back
Putting several barriers in place makes it much harder for a single difficult moment to undo your progress. Sharing the decision also lifts some of the secrecy that gambling thrives on.
When You Need More Than a Block
Self-exclusion removes access, but it does not deal with why the gambling started. For some people, a block is enough to break the pattern. For others, the pull is strong enough that they need to understand and treat what sits underneath it.
This is where treatment helps. The Retreat by Gordon Moody is a private residential service for people experiencing gambling harm. It is private treatment founded by Gordon Moody, the gambling-support charity founded in 1971.
Gambling treatment at the Retreat runs through a structured treatment program that uses recognized therapies to work on the thoughts, feelings and triggers that drive gambling, all delivered in a residential setting away from everyday pressures. Self-exclusion and treatment do different jobs, and they work best together. One closes the door. The other helps make sure you no longer want to open it. Read more our gambling treatment.
For the full rules on self-exclusion, state Gaming Control Boards and the American Gaming Association (AGA) outline how voluntary exclusion programs work, while the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and state health departments direct you to free, confidential treatment and support resources.
Why Choose Retreat by Gordon Moody
With the Retreat by Gordon Moody you get the support of an experience team that provides:
- A residential setting that removes daily triggers and gives space to focus on recovery
- Evidence-led therapy delivered by Specialist Gambling Therapists, Lived Experience Practitioners and Recovery Workers
- Recovery planning that looks at the whole person, covering mental health, relationships and finances
- The backing of a charity with more than fifty years of experience in gambling support
You can read more about why people choose the Retreat by Gordon Moody and what makes the treatment different.
