If you need help right now: call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-MY-RESET. You can also chat at 1800myreset.org or call 1-800-522-4700. Help is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
For this guide, we checked every state where online casino play is legal. Specifically, we looked at the enrollment route, the terms on offer, and the processing time. Those details are in the state table below.
Need it now? Skip to Self-Exclusion Programs by State or Where to Get Help Right Now.
You must be 21 or over to gamble legally at licensed US online casinos.
On This Page
- Key Things to Know Before You Self-Exclude
- When Gambling Becomes a Problem
- What Is Self-Exclusion?
- The Main Types of Self-Exclusion
- How to Self-Exclude, Step by Step
- Self-Exclusion Programs by State
- What State Programs Do and Do Not Cover
- What Happens If You Gamble While Excluded
- Gambling Blocking Software
- Bank and Card Gambling Blocks
- Self-Exclusion Pros and Cons
- Common Misconceptions About Self-Exclusion
- Where to Get Help Right Now
- Self-Exclusion FAQs
Key Things to Know Before You Self-Exclude
Here is the short version of what follows.
- Self-exclusion is a ban you request yourself, and only you can request it
- State programs cover every licensed operator in that state, so they beat excluding casino by casino
- Terms are usually one year, five years, or life, though they differ by state
- Some programs take weeks to activate, so start now rather than at your next urge
- Lifetime exclusions in New Jersey and Pennsylvania cannot be reversed, ever
- Blocking software and a bank block close the gap that state programs leave open
- Free, confidential help runs 24/7 on 1-800-MY-RESET
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When Gambling Becomes a Problem
Millions of people in the US gamble without running into trouble. For some, it stops being entertainment and starts costing them money, relationships, or sleep. Warning signs include chasing losses, hiding what you spend, and gambling with rent money.
Our guide to signs of problem gambling covers common warning signs and the treatment and support options available. If you recognise these signs in your own behaviour, consider contacting a confidential support service for help.
What Is Self-Exclusion?
Self-exclusion is a formal, voluntary arrangement. You ask a casino or a state regulator to stop you from gambling. A state regulator is the government body that licenses and polices gambling where you live. Your block then runs for a set period or, in some programs, for life.
Once it takes effect, the covered operator restricts your account. The covered operator means whichever casino or state program you applied to. Then it blocks new deposits and bets, and removes you from marketing lists.
The key word is voluntary. Because you request the exclusion yourself, it differs from an operator closing your account for breaking its terms. Nobody else can do this for you. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan all state that one person cannot place another on a list.
The Main Types of Self-Exclusion
Casinos and state programs offer several tools, from a spending cap to a full block. Explore our responsible gambling tools guide for more information about deposit limits, loss limits, time-outs and other ways to manage your gambling.
| Type | What it does | Typical length | Best for |
| Deposit limit | Caps how much you can add to your account | Ongoing until you change it | Sticking to a set budget while still playing |
| Loss limit | Caps how much you can lose over a set period | Session, day, week, or month | Stopping losses from snowballing |
| Time-out / cool-off | Temporarily restricts account access | 24 hours to 30 days | Taking a short break |
| Casino self-exclusion | Blocks gambling with one operator | Six months upward | Leaving one site you struggle with |
| State self-exclusion | Blocks every licensed operator in the state | One year, five years, or life | Stopping properly |
Deposit and Loss Limits
A deposit limit caps how much you can add to your account. A loss limit caps how much you can lose over a set period. Neither stops your gambling, so treat them as budgeting tools rather than a block.
Our guide to responsible gambling explains deposit and loss limits in more depth, including the cooling-off delay operators apply before a limit increase takes effect.
Time-Outs and Cool-Off Periods
A time-out is a short, voluntary break from gambling. Casinos usually offer time-outs running from 24 hours up to 30 days. During a time-out, your account locks for deposits and betting, and promotional emails pause.
Take a time-out when you notice your gambling slipping. Still, it buys you breathing room without committing to a long exclusion.
Casino-Level Self-Exclusion
A casino-level exclusion binds that one operator. Typically, it happens inside your account settings and takes effect within a day.
However, it does nothing about the other twenty apps on your phone. Use it as a first step, then enroll in your state program.
State-Level Self-Exclusion
State programs are the strongest option available in the US. One application covers every operator licensed in that state, and the regulator enforces it rather than the casino.
Terms usually run one year, five years, or life. Lifetime enrollment in New Jersey and Pennsylvania cannot be undone.
How to Self-Exclude, Step by Step
You have four routes. Together they take about an hour, and they close most of the gaps.
- Exclude yourself at the casino you use most. Log in and open the responsible gambling or account settings section. If you cannot find the option, ask support on live chat to apply it. Request written confirmation by email.
- Enroll in your state program. This is the step that matters most. Find your state in the table below, then use the enrollment route listed for it.
- Install blocking software. A blocking app restricts gambling sites and apps across your phone, tablet, and computer. It reaches offshore sites that no state program touches.
- Ask your bank to block gambling payments. Not every US bank offers this, but it costs nothing to ask. See the section below for what to ask for.
If you are unsure which program covers you, call 1-800-MY-RESET and ask. The National Council on Problem Gambling also lists every state helpline at ncpgambling.org.
Self-Exclusion Programs by State
These are the states where online casino play is legal. We checked each program in September 2026. Still, terms change, so confirm with the regulator before you enroll.
| State | Program and regulator | What it covers | Terms | How to enroll |
| New Jersey | Self-Exclusion Program, Division of iGaming Enforcement (DGE) | Internet gaming and sports wagering, with a separate list for Atlantic City casinos | One year, five years, or life | Online at njportal.com/dge/selfexclusion, through your casino account, in person, or by video conference. Appointments on 1-833-788-4DGE |
| Pennsylvania | Casino, VGT, iGaming and Fantasy Self-Exclusion Programs, PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB) | Four separate lists. Enroll in each type you need | One year, five years, or life | Online through the PGCB portal, or by appointment on 717-346-8300 or else problemgambling@pa.gov |
| Michigan | Responsible Gaming Database (RGD), Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) | All licensed online casino and online sports betting | A year to five years. No lifetime option | Email the form to MGCB-RGD@Michigan.gov, mail it, or apply in person. Questions on 888-223-3044 |
| West Virginia | Statewide Voluntary Exclusion, West Virginia Lottery | All five WV casinos, plus their online sites and apps | No fixed term. You stay on until you ask to come off | Notarized form mailed to the West Virginia Lottery in Charleston |
| Delaware | Self-exclusion program, Delaware Lottery | The three Delaware casinos | Confirm with the Lottery | Submit the form in person at the Delaware Lottery office in Dover |
| Connecticut | Coordinated by the Connecticut Lottery and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling | Online gambling and in-person play | Confirm with the program | Apply through the state program. The two casinos are tribal, so apply to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun separately |
| Rhode Island | Coordinated by the Rhode Island Division of the Lottery, and the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation | Online Gambling and Sports Betting | Needs to be confirmed with the regulator | Applications are done when you visit their official state-run site as well a mobile app. |
Three details worth knowing before you apply:
- Michigan is slow. The MGCB warns that processing can take up to 45 days. Install blocking software the same day you apply, so you are not exposed while you wait.
- Michigan runs two separate programs. The RGD covers online play. Detroit’s land-based casinos use the Disassociated Persons List instead, and removal from that one is only possible after five years.
- West Virginia has no automatic end date. You must wait at least a year, then request removal, and the Lottery decides whether to grant it.
Michigan gives residents free Gamban licenses through the MGCB. Similarly, Pennsylvania’s Council on Compulsive Gambling offers free Gamban to people in that state. If you live in either, take it.
What State Programs Do and Do Not Cover
State programs are strong, but they have edges. Knowing them now saves you a surprise later.
Usually covered:
- Every online casino licensed in that state
- Online sportsbooks, in most states
- Land-based casinos in that state, depending on which list you join
Usually not covered:
- Tribal casinos. Connecticut’s two casinos are tribal, so you apply to all entities separately
- Gambling in any other state. Your exclusion stops at the state line
- Offshore sites without a US license. They never receive the list
- Sweepstakes and social casinos, which sit outside most gambling regulation
- State lottery products, unless your program says otherwise
Also, operators can be stricter than the state requires. Pennsylvania’s regulator warns that licensees set their own policies. For instance, one may ban you from its casinos even if you only joined the iGaming list. Some extend that ban to their sites in other states.
What Happens If You Gamble While Excluded
Most guides leave this part out. Self-exclusion is not a polite request, and breaking it carries real consequences.
In West Virginia, the exclusion list is a legally binding contract. If you are caught gambling at a venue while excluded, the casino confiscates your winnings. Staff also remove you from the premises. Additionally, you can be charged with criminal trespassing.
Pennsylvania shares your enrollment with the Pennsylvania State Police for enforcement. New Jersey’s own application form warns that exclusion applies for forfeiture purposes, meaning the state can keep what you win.
Online, the usual outcome is simpler. Then the operator closes your account, refuses deposits, and voids any winnings. Do not count on opening a new account under a different email. Operators match on identity documents, not on logins.
Gambling Blocking Software
State programs do not reach every site you could open. Instead, blocking software closes that gap on your own devices. It works the same whether a site is licensed or not.
- BetBlocker is free, run by a UK-registered charity, and covers iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Chrome. Choose it if you need something blocking tonight.
- Gamban blocks a much larger list of sites and apps across all your devices on one account. It runs on a subscription with a free trial. Michigan and Pennsylvania residents can get it free through their state programs. The price varies as per state and store.
- GamBlock is priced per device rather than per account, which makes it the most expensive of the three. Built to be the hardest to bypass, it suits anyone who has uninstalled a blocker before.
Before you pick one, check the removal policy. Some blockers are deliberately hard to uninstall, and that is the feature.
Bank and Card Gambling Blocks
A payment block is the lever most people never think of, and it works even when everything else fails.
Card networks tag gambling merchants with a code called MCC 7995. Many US card issuers already decline that code by default on credit cards, which is why gambling deposits often fail. Therefore, you can ask your bank or card issuer to apply that block deliberately.
However, US banks offer this less consistently than UK banks, so you may be told no. Ask anyway, and ask about these three things:
- Blocking merchant category code 7995 on your debit and credit cards
- Removing any saved cards from casino accounts and e-wallets
- Moving spare money into an account that takes days to reach
If your bank will not block it, a prepaid card with a low balance achieves something similar.
Self-Exclusion Pros and Cons
Self-exclusion is a firm step, and it has real limits worth knowing before you apply.
| Pros | Cons |
| One state application covers every licensed operator in that state | Coverage stops at the state line, so a trip across it undoes
the block |
| Enforced by a regulator, not by the casino that profits from you | Michigan takes up to 45 days to process an online exclusion |
| Removes you from casino marketing and promotional mail | Offshore and sweepstakes sites never receive the list |
| Breaking it has teeth: forfeited winnings, and trespass charges in West Virginia | Tribal casinos usually need a separate application |
| State programs are free to join | Lifetime terms in New Jersey and Pennsylvania cannot be undone |
| Works alongside blocking software and a bank block | Rarely enough on its own |
Overall, self-exclusion works best as one piece of a wider plan. Combine it with blocking software, a payment block, and support from a counselor or peer group.
Common Misconceptions About Self-Exclusion
Four beliefs stop people using these tools. Here is what is true.
“It means I can never gamble again.” Only if you choose that. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan all offer a one-year term, and casino-level time-outs start at 24 hours.
“Excluding at one casino covers me everywhere.” It does not. A casino-level exclusion binds that operator only. Instead, your state program covers every licensed operator at once.
“Setting a deposit limit means admitting I am an addict.” No. Plenty of players use a deposit limit the way they use a weekly grocery budget.
“Self-exclusion blocks every gambling site online.” It reaches only the operators it covers. Unlicensed offshore sites sit outside that net, which is why device-level blocking matters.
Responsible Gambling: Where to Get Help Right Now
These services are free, confidential, and open to anyone in the US.
- National Problem Gambling Helpline: call or text 1-800-MY-RESET, or chat at 1800myreset.org. The older line, 1-800-522-4700, still works. Available 24/7.
- Gamblers Anonymous (gamblersanonymous.org): free peer support, meaning people who have faced gambling problems helping each other. Meetings run online and in person nationwide.
- Gam-Anon (gam-anon.org): support for family and friends affected by someone else’s gambling.
- SAMHSA National Helpline: free, confidential referrals to treatment and support. Call 1-800-522-4700.
- In a crisis: call 911, or call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
For the wider picture on staying in control, read our responsible gambling guide. We only list state-regulated casinos that we have checked ourselves.
If gambling is causing problems in your life, help is available today. Making the first call is the hardest part.
Self-Exclusion FAQs
What is gambling self-exclusion?
Self-exclusion is a voluntary ban you request yourself. You ask a casino, or your state gambling regulator, to stop you gambling for a set period or for life. Once it takes effect, the operator blocks your logins, deposits, and bets, and removes you from its marketing lists. Only you can ask for it. Nobody can place another person on a self-exclusion list.
How do I self-exclude from an online casino?
Log in and open the responsible gambling or account settings area. Look for self-exclusion, time-out, or account limits. If you cannot find it, message support on live chat and ask them to apply it. Always request written confirmation by email, so you hold a record. Next, enrol in your state program, because a casino-level block binds one operator only.
Can I self-exclude from all US online casinos at once?
Not nationwide. No federal registry exists, so your state program is the widest option available. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia, one application covers every operator licensed in that state. However, coverage stops at the state line, and it never includes unlicensed offshore sites. For your own enrolment route, see the state table above.
How long does self-exclusion last?
It depends on your state. New Jersey and Pennsylvania both offer one year, five years, or life. Michigan’s online program offers one year or five years, with no lifetime option, and your name drops off automatically. West Virginia has no fixed term at all. Instead, you stay on until you request removal, and you must wait a year.
Can I cancel or reverse a self-exclusion?
Sometimes, but do not count on it. Michigan’s online exclusion expires on its own. However, New Jersey and Pennsylvania require you to request removal once your term ends. A lifetime enrolment in either state can never be undone. West Virginia leaves removal to the Lottery’s discretion. Finally, New Jersey takes five business days to process a removal request.
How long does it take to activate?
Typically, casino-level exclusions apply within a day, though you should ask support to confirm. However, state programs are slower. Michigan warns that its Responsible Gaming Database can take up to 45 days to process an application. Install blocking software on the day you apply, so you are not left exposed during the wait.
Does self-exclusion stop me from gambling on unlicensed sites?
No. Your exclusion binds only the operators or state program it covers. Because unlicensed offshore sites sit outside US regulation, they never receive an exclusion list. Sweepstakes and social casinos fall outside it too. Blocking software closes that gap, and a bank-level payment block adds a second layer.
Will self-exclusion affect my credit score or show up on a background check?
Self-exclusion is a voluntary program run by a gaming regulator, not a criminal record. Instead, the operator or the state body running the list holds your details. Michigan keeps its database exempt from public disclosure, and Pennsylvania shares enrollment only with the State Police for enforcement. Read the privacy policy for your own state program if you have concerns.
Can I self-exclude on behalf of a family member?
No. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan all state that one person cannot place another on a self-exclusion list. Instead, share the helpline number, 1-800-MY-RESET, and offer to sit with them while they apply. Gam-Anon runs support groups for families and friends. If money is at risk, speak to your bank about separating accounts.
What happens to money in my account when I self-exclude?
Ask the operator before you apply, because the answer varies. Some casinos return your remaining balance to your registered payment method automatically. Others expect you to withdraw it yourself first. Therefore, complete any identity checks in advance, since verification delays withdrawals. Note that winnings made while already excluded can be voided or forfeited.
Related: Responsible Gambling · Gambling Addiction · Editorial Policy
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