GeoComply has agreed to fund a two-year study into the efficacy of voluntary self-exclusion schemes, which will be conducted by the International Center for Responsible Gambling.
Aiming to publish the results of the research in October 2025, ICRG will explore the impact that self-exclusion schemes have on users and if they are beneficial for those who sign up in terms of reducing the risk of gambling harms.
The study has five key questions that it will center around as it seeks to provide clarity to operators, regulators, academics, and other industry stakeholders.
The main areas identified are:
- What is the most effective form of self-exclusion long-term?
- What is the ideal time for exclusion from a gaming property or site?
- What criteria should an operator or the state gaming commission use to decide if a person should be allowed back?
- Is “self-exclusion” a negative term that stigmatizes and stops people from enrolling?
- What is the best method of registering? For example, does registering with security stop people in land-based casinos?
President of the ICRG Arthur B. Paikowsky has claimed that there is a requirement for additional research to assess the prolonged efficacy of voluntary self-exclusion programs.
“There is a necessity to determine whether enhancing these programs would result in more customer participation and whether this would be beneficial,” he stated.
Self-exclusion schemes are commonplace in the US sports betting industry, a staple of most operators’ app within the RG section, allowing users to cool off from betting if they feel like their gambling habits are becoming problematic.
GeoComply Co-Founder and CEO Anna Sainsbury added: “We have been committed to responsible gambling initiatives since forming GeoComply over a decade ago. We need more data to support the industry’s actions around RG, and I am really happy that we can support the ICRG’s research in this important area.”
