The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board has provided an update to its centralized self-exclusion scheme to create a more user-friendly experience for those who aim to opt out of gambling activities.
Providing a second update to the scheme since it was launched in 2006, the PGCB has introduced an igaming/online sports betting, Video Gaming Terminal, and online fantasy sports self-exclusion lists to keep up with developing player trends.
A statement from PGCB read: “The Self-Exclusion programs are just one of the ways in which the Board’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling (OCPG) is making sure that gaming is fair and safe. The Director of the OCPG also ensures that the casinos and the online gaming operators have an approved compulsive and problem gambling plan.”
All gaming facilities and operators are obliged to refuse any wagers from those who are self-excluded. Anybody who is on the self-exclusion list who is found to be attempting to gamble could be charged with criminal trespassing and will have their gambling winnings confiscated.
The PGCB has attempted to keep up with the rise of online gambling in the state by first updating the scheme in 2017. However, the rise of sports betting since the repeal of PASPA in 2018 has meant that the self-exclusion tool is required to update once more, as some consumers encounter problem gambling.
Those who wish to self-exclude have several options in which to do so but all options can be found on the regulator’s website. There, players can enroll in one, several, or all exclusion schemes, request removal from the casino self-exclusion scheme, extend the period of their self-exclusion, and update their personal information.
The PGCB statement added: “All online games (casino-type, sports wagering and fantasy) have options on their sites that would enable the player to place self-imposed limits on deposits, wagers, spend and play time.
“The OCPG has also worked with the PGCB’s Office of Communications to develop the public health educational campaigns – ‘What’s Really at Stake’ and ‘Don’t Gamble with Kids.’
