The Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) manages the self-exclusion program in New Jersey. As of recent data, more than 1,800 people in New Jersey have enrolled in the self-exclusion program to block themselves from all legal gambling platforms in the state. Here at NJ Bet we want to explain what self-exclusion is, how it works at betMGM, Borgata and bet365 NJ online casinos and why it is important to use a cooling-off option sometimes.
Understanding Self-Exclusion: A Guide to Managing Problem Gambling
They say recognizing that you have a problem is the first step toward resolving that issue. That’s the theory behind self-exclusion programs offered by online casinos.
Just as the title would suggest, self-exclusion is a voluntary program. Its primary aim is to provide assistance to people who have come to the realization that they are having issues when it comes to controlling their urge to gamble. The idea behind self-exclusion is to put a governor in place on that person’s gambling habit before it gets to the stage where it’s beyond help and threatens to become an addiction in need of treatment by professional counselors.
The concept of this program is that by halting the ability to gamble, it will help prevent extreme issues such as financial loss and emotional distress from developing into a crisis situation.
To implement self-exclusion, you’ll need to contact your online casino provider. You’ll find that every online casino prominently displays access to problem gambling help on the front page of their website.
With self-exclusion, you are literally requesting that they ban you from accessing their casino. You will need to sign an agreement with the casino stating that you will not attempt to participate in any gambling activities through their casino site or mobile app for a specified period of time.
It’s also advisable that you speak with gambling addiction professionals during this cooling off period in order to learn methods for preventing your gambling from again getting out of control, should you opt to return to playing inside the online casino in the future.
The online casino will place a lock on your account. Any attempt by you to access your account will be blocked. Your IP address will also be flagged so that any attempt to open another account with the online casino would be prevented.
The online casino will also remove your email address from all marketing and promotional programs so that they are not dangling the temptation of returning to gambling in front of your eyes.
Modern technology is even providing software that can expand this self-exclusion across a variety of online casino platforms.
Self-Exclusion in New Jersey: Cooling-Off Periods at Online Casinos
| NJ Casinos | Cooling-Off Period | Self-Exclusion Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetMGM | 72 hours to 1 year | 1 year, 5 years, or permanent | Account locked, attempts to create new accounts blocked |
| bet365 | 24 hours to 30 days | 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, or 5 years | Self-exclusion extends to all licensees in New Jersey |
| Borgata | Up to 1 year | 1 year, 5 years, or permanent | Account access blocked, email removed from marketing |
If and when you are making the decision to return to gambling, it’s likely that the online casino will require that you meet with a member of their customer support staff and undergo a review process before they will give the okay to reopen your account. They will probably ask you to provide evidence that you’ve worked to resolve your gambling problem by undergoing some form of counseling.
