Over 94 million people gamble online regularly every year. Of this number, about 25.6 percent reported having a gambling problem in 2023. This is up 101 percent from 2014, when 12.7 percent of respondents said they were addicted to gambling. As online casino games grow more accessible, so does the risk of problem gambling. Operators like Betway, governments, and regulators have turned to self-exclusion to help problem gamblers remain safe online. Let’s review what it is and how it works. What is self-exclusion? Self-exclusion is a voluntary program in which bettors can request to be banned from online gambling platforms for a given period. Many regulators and operators, like the betway casino , offer self-exclusion services to help online gamblers address and resolve problem gambling tendencies. By self-excluding from gambling platforms, you limit your exposure to gambling and reduce the harm of addiction. Self-exclusion often works in tandem with other problem gambling solutions, including: Therapy and counseling Support groups Budgetary restrictions If successful, self-exclusion can limit your risk of the impacts of addiction gambling, including emotional distress, personal relationship strains, and financial loss. Within the igaming industry, offering self-exclusion options is also a mark of a reliable operator who understands gambling risks and is willing to help you manage them. How do I self-exclude from online gambling? You can self-exclude from online gambling through an online betting website or app with self-exclusion options. Most operators opt into a regional or national exclusion scheme like Gamstop and offer self-exclusion as part of their responsible gambling package. When you self-exclude through one platform, you effectively self-exclude from all platforms registered with the scheme. You can self-exclude from online gambling temporarily or permanently, from as little as 24 hours to several months or longer. Can I access an online casino after self-excluding? Not until your exclusion period expires. When you apply for self-exclusion, the website verifies your identity and records your data, including your account details, address, and name. Once you’re locked out of your account, you cannot use these details to log back in or create a new account before the end of the exclusion period. You may also be barred from receiving gambling-related ads. Can I exclude from multiple online casinos at once? Yes. Some regions and countries have multi-operator self-exclusion schemes that allow you to self-exclude from all registered operators at once. When you self-exclude in such a region, you enter a centralized list that all operators on the scheme use to limit access to gambling services. Is self-exclusion foolproof? No. In addition to being only one part of the solution, self-exclusion is difficult to implement in the digital era. It relies primarily on your ability to recognize that you have a gambling problem and your willingness to seek help. Not all bettors have that. Even after you’ve self-excluded, you can access gambling services if you want to. Some bettors use VPNs or create accounts on non-scheme platforms. Responsible gambling in 2025 Online gambling platforms have gotten a lot better at preventing self-excluded bettors from accessing gambling services. Operators like Betway track cookies, account creation patterns, player profiles, and IP addresses to enforce and maintain self-exclusion statuses. In 2025, as regulators refocus on responsible gaming, these efforts should receive more regional, national, and international support from regulatory frameworks and policies. The post What is self-exclusion in online gambling, and how does it help players? appeared first on Times Tabloid .
