Question
How do i actually self-exclude from online gambling?
ok so ive hit my limit. dropped way too much over the last few months and i need to just cut myself off completely. ive heard about self exclusion stuff but idk how it actually works in australia or where to even start. like do i contact each site one by one or is there a central thing? feeling pretty desperate ngl
Best
229
mate first off good on you for recognising it, thats genuinely the hardest part. so the main thing here is BetStop, its the national self exclusion register run by the gov. you sign up once and it blocks you from ALL licensed aussie online gambling sites at the same time, you dont have to do them one by one. takes like 15 min to register with your details. i also did individual exclusions on the sites i used most before betstop existed, Boomerang had a self exclusion option right in the account settings and it was pretty painless. but honestly betstop is the move because it covers everything in one go
87
can confirm betstop works. signed up about 4 months ago after a bad run and ive been blocked from everything since. the relief was honestly instant lol. you pick how long too, minimum 3 months up to lifetime. i went with lifetime cause i knew id talk myself back in otherwise
85
fwiw betstop only covers licensed australian operators. it wont block offshore sites that arent regulated here, so just be aware of that. doesnt mean dont do it, just dont assume its a 100% wall against literally everything online
58
wait so if i sign up does it block the apps too or just the websites? im mostly on my phone
31
yeah it covers both. the operators are legally required to check the register and exclude you, so the apps stop letting you log in and deposit as well. some take a couple days to action it but most are pretty quick
42
idk how much faith id put in the sites actually doing it though. like whats stopping them from just letting you keep playing? they make money off you, why would they enforce a ban on themselves
25
nah its not optional for them mate. its a legal requirement under the national consumer protection framework, they cop massive fines if they let an excluded person gamble. i tested it after registering, tried logging into 2 of my old accounts and both were locked out within a day. they take it seriously cause acma will absolutely hammer them
6
just adding that betstop also stops them from sending you marketing emails and promos which is huge. half my problem was getting those free bet texts at 9pm and caving. once you register that all stops too
7
honestly i registered and still found myself drifting to those dodgy offshore casinos that arent on the register. the system has gaps. its great for the legit aussie ones but if youve got a real problem the offshore stuff is still right there and thats what got me in deeper tbh
12
that sucks and i get it but for me blocking the offshore ones was about more than just betstop. i used a gambling blocker app (gamban) on my phone and laptop alongside it. betstop handles the legal aussie side, the blocker software handles the rest. between the two i havent been able to access anything for months now
10
for anyone reading this, you can register for betstop online, over the phone or with their app. you need a couple forms of id ready. and the minimum exclusion is 3 months which you cant reverse early, so dont sign up thinking you can undo it next week if you get an itch
7
also worth mentioning you can call the national gambling helpline on 1800 858 858, its free and 24/7. they walk you through the exclusion stuff and can hook you up with counselling if you want it. talking to someone helped me way more than i expected
7
did betstop about 6 weeks ago and second everything in this thread. easiest decision ive made all year tbh. the urge is still there sometimes but knowing i physically cant log in removes the option entirely and that breathing room is everything. good luck op youve got this