Self-exclusion can be used by people who would like to take a break from gambling. It is a formal process whereby you request the betting operator to prevent you from being able to access their products or service for a specified period. Responsible gambling operators will provide a facility/form for customers to self-exclude from their premises or sites.
You can decide how long of a break you think you need, and the date ranges are broadly similar between operators. To enable a self-exclusion, you must request this from your operator. If it is a land based operator, they will generally have a paper based form to fill out and you must provide a photo with your completed form when you hand it in to the operator. If it is an online operator, you can request exclusion via the various communication channels they provide such as e-mail, helpline, live chat or via the site itself. Please check with your gambling operator to choose the method that suits you.
Below you will find details of the basic self-exclusion options that are available and they may vary slightly between operators;
Short Break
With a Short break option, generally you can Take a Break for 1-30 days. During this time you will not be able to access your account. The betting operator will also stop all marketing emails during this time. The break will be automatically lifted once your time period has ended.
Long Break
With a long break option you can choose to Take a Break for 6 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years. In this case the gambling operator will stop sending marketing emails. When the chosen time has elapsed you must contact their Customer Support team to start the reactivation process.
Lifetime
If you choose a lifetime break you will not be able to reopen your account with the operator. It is strongly advised that you remove all shortcuts or icons to any betting apps on your phone or computer once you activate a self exclusion.
Returning from Self-Exclusion
At the end of a self-exclusion period, you can discuss your options with a member the gambling operator concerned. Generally, you may then decide to either renew your self-exclusion for a further period, or opt to resume access to the operators accounts or shops (or both if you originally requested to self-exclude from both shops and accounts together).