Improved smartphone technology, high internet connectivity and the surge in gambling advertising have led to more people than ever gambling online. Unfortunately, however, some people develop an addiction that can wreak havoc on both personal and financial lives while leading to serious debt and family difficulties. One effective method of combatting an addiction may include self-exclusion; although other solutions exist as well.
Self-exclusion occurs when you request that a casino or other gambling operator not serve you for a certain period of time, on a voluntary basis. Self-exclusion can be found at most land-based and online gambling operators globally and is often used to assist those struggling with gambling problems. Self-exclusion can help restore control over gambling while decreasing both how much money was spent gambling as well as negative feelings surrounding it.
Signing up for a self-exclusion program through your state’s gaming enforcement department is easy and free of cost. Once done, your name and photo will be added to a self-exclusion list so if you attempt gambling establishments that accept certain forms of identification (ie card casinos), they will be informed about you being on an exclusion list which usually prevents login or signup attempts from happening – though some states offer individual programs where ban requests must be requested from each gaming establishment separately.
New Jersey allows its residents to enroll in a self-exclusion plan by calling 1-800-GAMBLER and enrolling with the Division of Gaming Enforcement’s Self Exclusion Plan, which distributes your photograph and description to casinos across the state, notifying them that any credit or complimentary services offered by casinos is no longer eligible for you, while simultaneously taking steps such as unsubscribing from mailing lists and noting in player accounts and records that any promotional offers do not apply anymore. You may enroll for up to five years.
If you want to self-exclude from multiple gambling venues or operators online, GAMSTOP provides an efficient multi-operator scheme. Registering with each individual operator would take too much time. Furthermore, Betblocker (opens in a new tab) and Betfilter (free trial then annual subscription) provide software which blocks gambling websites on devices.
Gambling blocking software may not be foolproof, but it can help to minimize exposure to gambling ads and games and focus on reaching your life goals instead of gambling. For more help with cutting back on gambling visit our Responsible Gambling page or seek support here.