Self-Exclusion: What Is It & Which Casino Sites Have It?

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Self-exclusion is a tool available on most gambling sites that allows players to ban themselves temporarily or permanently. Institutions like GambleAware vouch for it.

Silentbet team tested its ins and outs over 195 hours in total. Here are our findings.

Katerina Gadzheva, Betting Expert & Writer for Silentbet
Katerina Gadzheva
I’ve been playing on online casinos before things like self-exclusion even existed. I firmly believe that this feature can help a lot of people who have trouble getting their gambling under control.

Check If a Casino Offers Self-Exclusion Tool

Unfortunately, the self-exclusion tool is not available in every online casino. If you do not want to waste time finding whether the brand you chose has it, you can use our checker above. In truth, Responsible Gambling by Silentbet gives you access to a database of tools to help you spend less time on gambling.

Alternatively, check if casino allows self-exclusion by talking with the support department.


What is Self-Exclusion?

what is self-exclusion

According to Wikipedia, self-exclusion is a “policy enacted by some governments and/or individual casinos as a way of addressing the issue of problem gambling” (Source) So, in other words, self-exclusion for gambling is a feature allowing individuals with gambling issues or people who do not want to develop such problems to voluntarily request to be excluded from using an online gambling website.


How to Self-Exclude?

self-exclusion tool

To self-exclude, you will have to do the following steps:

  1. First, login to your existing account.
  2. Open the account menu and look for the section containing these features.
  3. Once there, you should see a temporary self-exclusion and/or a permanent option.
  4. Decide on the exclusion’s duration and follow the steps.

We want to point out that there are cases where these steps may NOT grant you the effect you wanted. That’s because some gambling sites only offer this option after contacting them via chat or email. We have used such sites, and to be honest, enabling the self-exclusion feature was easier said than done.


How Long Can I Self-Exclude Myself from Gambling?

Depending on the gambling website, you may be able to self-exclude yourself for:

  • 1 Day
  • 1 Week
  • 3-6 Months
  • 1- 5 years

We have used sites that also have a permanent self-exclusion option. The bad news is that those places are exceptions.

Katerina Gadzheva, Betting Expert & Writer for Silentbet
Katerina Gadzheva
Most iGaming operators offer a diverse range of self-exclusion periods. I think that’s great because users can choose the most suitable option.

How Do I Break My Self-Exclusion Before the Time is Out?

Considering the importance of self-exclusion, normally, you can’t reverse the option before it expires. That’s done on purpose so that gambling regulators ensure you can control your behavior.

Nevertheless, we know stories where some people try bypassing the rules by using the operator’s contact options. Live chat is often the first option, but after reading people’s stories, it seems like it is better to send an email.

If you follow these steps, state why you’ve used self-exclusion. Of course, you should also explain why you want to remove the restriction. However, considering around 5% of every 100 people who gamble have an addiction, it’s probably better not to remove it if you have problems.


Additional Tools & Support for Responsible Gambling

A temporary self-exclusion or a permanent one is just one of the tools we have seen while analyzing operators. Most brands may also offer:

cool-off time-out tool

Cool Off

It lets gamblers take breaks after long gambling sessions. We have seen time-out periods ranging from a few minutes to a day.

close account permanently

Close Account

As its name implies, this feature will close your account and not allow you to use it anymore. The closure can be permanent or temporary.

gamstop logo

GamStop Register

One of the world’s leading sites in responsible gambling lets players themselves so they can stop using iGaming sites in Great Britain. We know that this can last for 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years.


The Bottom Line: Silentbet’s Take

Our evaluation of this product indicated that Self-Exclusion is an essential tool for any gambler in 2024. It may seem a bit too drastic a measure for some people, but we know people with gambling problems, and it helps them a lot.

We suggest choosing an iGaming site where self-exclusion can be enabled by players personally. This will allow you to feel safer while playing.

Katerina Gadzheva, Betting Expert & Writer for Silentbet
Katerina Gadzheva
If you have problems or you feel like you could have issues in the future, self-exclusion is an excellent tool. The fact that it’s easy to use makes it great, and I recommend it to users who can’t control their gambling behavior.

FAQ

Does self-exclusion really work?

Yes, self-exclusion works as long as the feature is applied properly and you do not attempt to remove it.

Should I trust a casino site that does not offer the option to self-exclude?

Yes, you should trust a casino site without this feature as long as it’s licensed. That said, all legit casinos know people look for such features, so they will most likely have it.

Will the self-exclusion tool work more than one time?

Yes, the self-exclusion tool should be able to work more than once. Some people we’ve talked to said they have been using it on multiple occasions.

Is gambling self-exclusion worth it in the long term?

Yes, it is worth it in the long run, but only if you combine it with gambling therapy and other tools to help you stay in control.


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    Author: Katerina Gadzheva
    Certified Betting Expert
    Katerina Gadzheva
    Katerina has 10+ years of experience in iGaming. She always promotes responsbile gambling for a safer and more stable betting environment online.