Online Gambling Self-Exclusion: How It Works?

Gambling is a lot of fun. It’s a hobby like no other! It has its highs and lows, and can sometimes be a truly life-changing affair! But it also comes with obvious complications. Because while you can win money, you can also lose it.

And people have lost money to casinos. Massive amounts of it, in fact! It can be oh so easy to get swept up in that desire for just one more round. Before you know it, you’re spending money you can’t afford to waste. Or even worse, getting in debt just so you can keep playing more.

For this reason, regulators have insisted on a variety of steps necessary to protect punters. Among many adopted rules, one of them is self-exclusion. The ability to request that a casino blocks you from playing completely! But how does that work, exactly? Let’s read on to find out.

What is Self-Exclusion?

Self-Exclusion is a way of combatting gambling addiction. It’s the final step, one that comes after you’ve tried everything else. It allows players to request that a casino completely removes their ability to play or register on a website.

There are many self-exclusion platforms which can restrict your access. But their effectiveness isn’t always possible to measure. With so many online casinos, no platform can truly keep up with every website. Which is why we suggest two self-exclusion methods that have a high chance of success.

Country-Wide Exclusion Lists

Currently, India does not have any legal framework in place when it comes to online gambling. It can be done, though the whole thing exists in a grey area. Eventually, the law will catch up with reality. But until that day comes, Indians do not have access to a country-wide exclusion list.

Meanwhile, nations where online gambling is regulated often have such lists. If you’re a resident of that country, you can list your personal details with them. Your postcode, date of birth and e-mail address will be collected initially, to verify who you are. From there, additional details will be taken, and you’ll be added to a country-wide exclusion list.

So long as you’re registered on one, no casino licensed to operate in that country can allow you to play. They will reject your registration outright! Depending on the nation and regulator, the exclusion can last from 6 months to 5 years. Even after the time passes, you aren’t removed from the list. Instead, you’ll remain registered until you personally request to be taken off the list.

Casino-Specific Self-Exclusion

The above method is incredibly handy. Unfortunately, it’s not an option for many players. As a result, sometimes the only thing you can do is a request from a specific casino to restrict your access.

It’s not as bad as it might first seem. Usually, signing up for self-exclusion on one website will block you from all casinos run by the same operator.

Unfortunately, there is a downside. You usually have to be registered with a particular casino to request for them to add you to the list of excluded punters. Which rather goes against the purpose of a self-exclusion list.

Should I Self-Exclude?

Honestly, there’s no easy answer to this question. If you have a hard time controlling your spending, and gambling is causing your real-life problems? Yes, you definitely should! But as we said, this is the final step, when you’ve exhausted all other options.

If you’re just prone to overspending occasionally, all online casinos offer the ability to set play and deposit limits. This is something we encourage even if you don’t have an issue controlling yourself. Better to have it active than to fall to temptation.

You’ll also come across waiting periods and the ability to opt-out of marketing communication. Both are used to combat problematic behaviour. They can stop you from snap decisions like increasing your spending limit or being tempted by promotional offers.

Closing Thoughts

We here at Indian Casino Club advocate for our readers first and foremost. If you have issues with online gambling, it is imperative you take steps to control it. Is self-exclusion a radical step? Certainly. But if every other avenue has failed to put a stop to your addiction, it’s time to take that step. As someone smarter than us put it: When the Fun Stops, Stop!