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Self-Exclusion

Self-exclusion (or self-banning) is a voluntary process whereby a person with a gambling concern can have themselves excluded from specific gambling venues, or from accessing gambling products provided by particular providers.

Self-exclusion

Self-exclusion is a program that enables a person to ban themselves from gaming venues and/or internet gambling. For anyone feeling that their gambling is becoming a problem it can provide a concrete tool to help keep safe.

All Australian gambling providers are required to provide customers with the option to self-exclude from their venue or products. So whether someone wants to ban themselves from going to venues such as clubs, pubs or TABs or from placing a bet on gambling websites such as SportsBet, TattsBet or Tattersall's, self-exclusion is available.

There are no costs involved in the process and the individual chooses which venues, casinos or websites to be excluded from. There is a minimum period agreed upon and once this time expires the person applies to have their gambling account re-opened or to be able to enter the gaming area of a venue.

BetCare is one example of a self-exclusion program that provides members with the ability to self-exclude from a number of TABs and clubs/hotels in Victoria or NSW, as well as suspending their TAB betting (telephone or internet) account. There are similar programs across all states/territories in Australia, with each having their own specific procedures.

Further information about how to arrange self-exclusion is available at venues and Australian gambling websites and in many instances you can download and complete a self-exclusion application form from these sites. If you are interested in having a look some examples with links are provided below:

  1. BetCare
  2. Tattersalls
  3. Lotto 
  4. Sportsbet 

Gambling Filtering Products

There are specific software filtering products available for purchase to block access to gambling sites on your desktop and mobile devices. Depending on the type of gambling, these products may offer additional protection, as they block access to international websites not under Australian regulation. Examples include GamBlock, Betfilter and TXNoGam.

Internet Activity Monitoring software packages are also available. These products often target parents wanting to prevent underage children accessing the site but are also an option for callers. Examples of these include:

www.cyberpatrol.com
www.cybersitter.com
www.netnanny.com

Self-exclusion process

For venue self-exclusion, the program participant is guided through the process of signing a deed of self-exclusion, nominating the venue/s or areas of a venue they will be excluded from and, agreeing that they will not enter the restricted gaming area. 

Photographs of the participant are then taken and displayed to appropriate staff members of the nominated gaming venue/s. Client details are treated with discretion at all times.

There is no charge for self-exclusion for gaming venues or online gambling. 

Who do I contact?

Different states and territories have different regulations, time frames and methods of participation. 

For information and procedures on how to exclude yourself from the different providers in your area, visit your state or territory page in this site.  

You can also find out more by phoning 1800 858 858