Ban Yourself From Gambling
Many moons ago there weren’t many resources or programs that you could use to ban yourself from doing something. Especially where addiction is concerned. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities have been around since 1750 – which is actually not that long when you consider that the earliest forms of gambling date back to 3000 BC.
Gambling disorders can be equally as difficult to combat asan addition to alcohol or drugs. And all of these addictions bring with themthe same consequences:
- Loss of family, friends andrelationships
- Loss of job or career
- Uncontrollable spending thatcan lead to bankruptcy
- Mental and physical healthissues
- Run-ins with the law
- Living a life of denial
- Suicide
Over 80% of American adults gamble on a regular basis, andaround 3-5 out of every 100 gamblers are estimated to be dealing with agambling problem. Of these people, 750,000 are between the ages of 14 to 21,according to gambling statistics.
As concerning as these statistics are, this just adds to thereason why it’s so important to recognize the signs of an addiction, regardlessof whether it applies to you or someone you love. To be addicted to anything isa painful way to live. You become a slave to that source, and it can be verytough crawling your way out of that deep, dark hole if you’re not receiving theright help.
In this article, we’re going to talk about a serviceavailable to pathological gamblers which has only come about in the last fewyears. And it’s a decision that no one else can make apart from you. –we’retalking about self-exclusion.
Self-exclusion is a facility for those that have decided that they wish to stop gambling for at least six months and wish to be supported in their decision to stop. If you think you are spending too much time or money gambling – whether online or in gambling premises – you can ask to be ‘self-excluded’. Here are seven ways to get banned from a casino. When a casino suspects that a gambler is cheating, they will immediately ban the gambler for life. Of course, if the casino catches a player in the act, the establishment will probably get local law enforcement involved. Arizona offers a voluntary self-exclusion process to those patrons interested in banning themselves from Arizona Casinos. We offer 1, 5, or 10 year options for self-ban. This exclusion process is irrevocable and prohibits individuals from lawfully entering any Arizona gaming facility and from collecting any winnings or recovering any losses.
HowSelf-Exclusion Works in Online Gambling
Self-banning can’t be done by anyone else, as it would defeatthe whole point and wouldn’t teach you anything about self-control. But at whatstage would a person even realize they have an addiction in the first place?It’s not an answer that stares most people in the face, even though they’veusually encountered the above consequences that we mentioned already.
The sad truth is that not every gambler in the world hasaccess to these kind of services. For example, in some Asian countries,gambling is encouraged over seeking treatment for it. There might be a hotlinethat people can contact when the going gets tough – but ultimately, the problemis not being considered or handled as a serious matter.
In the U.S., however, there are several resources and optionsto help people overcome gambling disorders. Self-help groups for gambling arethe equivalent of groups like AAA. There are multiple organizations in thecountry that cater to people with unmanageable gambling problems. One of themain ones is Gamblers Anonymous. Their program operates in exactly the same wayas the AAA program, with a 12-step recovery plan to help people overcome theirurges. These kind of support groups are a great way to meet other people in thesame boat. It might feel embarrassing opening up about your addiction to beginwith, but sharing your thoughts and feelings about it can be a huge boost onits own. Just knowing that someone else has been in your shoes and managed torecover is a great source of motivation to get “clean” and change your habits.Many people have found them to be quite comforting during the time they’vebanned themselves from gambling too.
There are other methods online casinos are using to helppeople regulate their own gambling activities as well. Many of them are workingwith online gambling addiction companies that specialize in prevention systems.These are things like software filters which block access to sites which aren’tregulated by U.S. online gambling laws.
Some companies even offer Internet Activity Monitoringsoftware packages, such as the ones which parents use to put parental locks ontheir children’s internet activity. These not only prevent them from accessingsites if they’re underage, but they’re also being offered as an option topeople who want to try and limit their gambling online.
How to BanYourself from an Online Casino
If you want to self-exclude yourself from an online casino,you’ll usually find an option to do so under the “responsible gambling” sectionof their site. Many U.S. gambling operators work with the same preventionagencies which are Gamblers Anonymous and the National Council on ProblemGambling. These are completely free of charge, and all your information is keptstrictly private and confidential.
However, if these measures aren’t enough, and providing theonline casino has on option to officially self-ban yourself – you can usuallyjust call their support team who will either block you or restrict youraccount. Most of the time you can request how long you want to be banned for aswell, which is very beneficial to players as it can make them feel like they’remore in control of the problem. Plus, each individual is different, so it maybe that one person might only need a few months to recover from their problem,while others might need a year or longer.
How to BanYourself Land-Based Casino
If you’re looking to self-exclude yourself from abrick-and-mortar establishment, including bingo halls, arcade centers andbetting shops – there is usually a process you will have to go through with thecasino first. Typically this would begin with an interview, followed by asigned declaration of your self-exclusion, which would list the differentvenues or area of a particular venue that you want to be banned from.
By signing this document/deed, you are giving the staff yourpermission to prevent you from entering a section of the gaming area, or theentire venue completely. You will not be charged for self-excluding yourselffrom the casino, and everything you have signed will, again, be kept strictlyconfidential.
Depending on which state you’re in, you may find that thecasino you want to self-exclude yourself from has different regulations, timeframes for how long you can be banned for, or alternative methods/forms to fillout altogether. So it’s probably worth contacting the casino directly andasking for the details on the self-ban program they offer.
WhatHappens If I Break the Ban?
Good question! Though it’s great that casinos both online andoffline have these options available to players, it is not a fail-safe way ofstopping someone from gambling completely. According to OLG statistics, between1,500-2,000 gamblers who have self-banned themselves from gambling,approximately 11% have been caught trying to break their ban every year.
This is because it’s actually quite easy for them to slipunder the radar and set up other accounts anonymously to continue gambling.It’s not like the casino can take players to jail because they’ve broken theirown promise; there has to be a degree of trust from both sides essentially.
Conclusion
Overcoming any kind of addiction is no easy task. The firststeps is to recognize you or someone you know has a problem, then follow thisup by seeking help. It’s not an easy thing for anyone to do, and really is alast resort for many. But stats indicate this kind of treatment has worked fora high number of players who can’t control their gambling habits across thestates. And it appears to be a much healthier way of combating an addictionwithout taking medication or suppressive drugs.
Self-exclusion is a free program where you ban yourself from gaming venues or online gambling. We can help you with this, and so can the venues.
You can ban yourself from venues like clubs, pubs or TABs, or from placing a bet on gambling websites. By law, Australian gambling providers must give customers the option to self-exclude from their venue or products.
How does self-exclusion work?
There are different self-exclusion programs across Australia, but they work in similar ways. In most programs:
- You choose which venues, casinos or websites to be excluded from.
- You sign a deed listing the venues you agree not to go into for a minimum period.
- If venue staff see you in the gaming area of the venue, they will report you to the program and ask you to leave.
- At the end of the agreed period of the deed, you can choose to self-exclude for another period or apply to have your gambling account re-opened or to be able to enter the gaming area of a venue.
How to self-exclude in Melbourne and Victoria
Contact the relevant organisation for help with self-excluding from their venues or programs.
Please note that you are able to exclude from any venue in Victoria using either the Australian Hotels Association or Community Clubs Victoria program – you will not need to sign two deeds.
Ban Yourself From Gambling Advice
Victorian hotels
Ban Yourself From Gambling Winnings
Speak to the venue staff or contact the Australian Hotels Association (AHA) self-exclusion program on (03) 9654 3491 or visit the AHA website.
Victorian clubs
Call the Community Clubs Victoria self-exclusion program on (03) 8851 4949 or visit the Victorian Clubs website.
Crown Casino
Call the Crown Responsible Gaming Support Centre on 1800 801 098 for information about the Crown Casino self-exclusion program.
TAB
Call 1800 882 876 Customer Service Centre for information about Betcare, Tabcorp's wagering self-exclusion program, or talk to staff at any TAB outlet. You can also call 1800 646 132 to initiate the online account self-exclusion process.
Gambling websites
Most reputable gambling websites will allow you to block yourself from holding an account with them. Below are links to self-exclude from various gambling websites:
- BetEasy
You can also buy software that will block your computer from accessing gambling sites. Find out more on how to do this here.
Support for self-exclusion
Self-exclusion can be the first step to getting other types of help with your gambling. These options can include counselling (face-to-face, online and via telephone), financial counselling, peer support and support for family and friends affected by gambling.
Contact Gambler's Help on 1800 858 858.
Visit Gambling Help Online for more information about self-exclusion if you are based in Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania or Western Australia.