Online Casino Self-Exclusion Programmes – How Effective Are They?

Online Casino Self-Exclusion Programmes – How Effective Are They?

Millions of people in the UK gamble at brick and mortar casinos, and their favourite online casino using a computer or mobile every year, but a small percentage of them are problem gamblers. These are people for whom it is almost impossible to gamble in moderation, and who typically end up gambling - and losing - more than they can afford to the detriment of themselves and their families.

Unfortunately there is no 'quick fix' for problem gambling as anyone over the legal gambling age in a country or territory where land and remote gambling is legal and regulated (like the UK) has the right to gamble if they so choose. Plus, few people - if any - can predict if they'll develop a gambling problem before they play their first slot, video poker or table game.

As a way to combat problem gambling, however, most reputable land and internet gambling groups have implemented comprehensive self-exclusion programmes that are open to any and all gamblers. These let players with (or who may be developing) a gambling problem to approach a casino and ask that they be blocked or disallowed from playing their games.

For the most part UK self-exclusion programmes have proven to be successful, particularly amongst online gamblers motivated to stop gambling. However, there are cases where players have been seemingly let down or misled by casinos. In this article we look at self-exclusion practices in the UK, where they fall down and what can be done to improve them.

By law, UK-licensed operators are obliged to be part of a multi-operaor self-exclsuion scheme, and in particular GAMSTOP for online operators. More on GAMSTOP later.