Self-exclusion from gambling venues or activities
Where to get help
If you've lost control of your gambling, or someone you know is experiencing gambling harm, access free, confidential support.
- Call 1800 858 858 for 24/7 advice and counselling through the Gambling Helpline.
- Visit Gambling Help Online for online, face-to-face and phone information and counselling services.
Self-exclusion is when you ban yourself from a gambling venue (or part of a venue) or online wagering service for a period. Self-exclusion is an important tool for dealing with gambling harm (in addition to seeking help from a Gambling Help service).
Self-exclusion from online wagering
BETSTOP is the national self-exclusion register for all online wagering products.
You can complete your own self-exclusion at BETSTOP This will ban you from all licensed online wagering products in Australia and stop online wagering companies emailing you incentives to gamble.
You can choose how long you wish to self-exclude, from 3 months to a lifetime ban.
Self-exclusion from gaming venues
By law, venues must help anyone who requests a self-exclusion.
Once in effect, self-exclusions remain in force for up to 5 years, but you have a 24-hour cooling-off period.
If you ask for self-exclusion at a gaming venue, a nominated person (usually known as the customer liaison officer) will explain the exclusion process to you. They are required to provide you with the self-exclusion forms and the contact details of your local Gambling Help Queensland service.
You can also ask a Gambling Help service to remotely process your self-exclusion and liaise with gambling venue staff on your behalf.
Gambling venues must maintain a register of excluded persons. This register is only available to the staff who need to know about exclusions (e.g. gaming room staff). Venues must otherwise keep your information confidential and ensure your individual circumstances are always respected.
Do you need some help to get control of your gambling? Self-exclusion is available in all casinos hotels clubs and bet outlets in Queensland.
Self-exclusion is a process where a patron makes a request to a venue for a gambling ban. It's fast and easy to do and it works each venue has a nominated staff member to help patrons with exclusion. They are usually referred to as a customer liaison officer venue. Staff are specially trained to help customers that may be having issues with their gambling the customer liaison officer will listen to your story and suggest options that you can consider.
These may include self-exclusion or getting help from a counsellor at the gambling help service. Both options are free and confidential self-exclusion is easy and takes less than 15 minutes these are the steps.
The customer liaison officer Cielo will explain the process and give you a gambling help brochure to take home you'll then complete form 3 a self-exclusion notice together where you request the venue to exclude you from gambling there depending on the venue.
You may be able to exclude from the whole venue the gaming machine area gaming area or a gambling activity at the venue. Speak with venue staff about what options are available to you the CLO will take your photograph or photocopy your driver's license the CLO then completes form 3 be self-exclusion order and gives you a copy to take home.
The CLO may also provide you with a copy of the venue's privacy policy. There is a 24-hour cooling-off period. After this expires the exclusion order lasts for five years you can ask to have the order revoked after one year the venue will remove you from any mail or email lists so that you won't receive any promotions.
Exclusion orders are backed by legislation and there are penalties for breaching the order both for you and the venue for self-exclusion.
Ask to speak to the customer liaison officer at your local venue or contact the gambling help service. It's free, confidential and has a good success rate in helping people control their gambling.
They can also assist with family counselling to help your family members understand the situation.
If you breach the terms of self-exclusion
If you enter a venue (or part of a venue) you’re excluded from, you’ll be asked to leave. The incident will be reported to the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation (OLGR) for investigation and you could be fined.
You won’t be entitled to any winnings while gambling at a venue you’re self-excluded from.
If you try to enter a venue (or part of a venue) that you’re excluded from and the venue doesn’t take reasonable steps to stop you from entering, you can contact OLGR to report the incident or submit a complaint online. The incident will be investigated and the venue can be fined.
How to cancel self-exclusion
If you feel your situation has changed, you can lodge an application to cancel your self-exclusion with the gambling venue. You can only apply 1 year from the day after the exclusion was issued or within the 24-hour cooling-off period.
More information
- Find counselling, support and advice for gambling harm.
- Learn more about the types of gambling-related exclusions.
- Download the:
- ‘Getting in over your head?’ brochure for information about self-exclusions and venue-initiated exclusions
- ‘You can control your gambling’ self-help guide to help gamblers identify and reduce the negative effect of their gambling—the guide can be used together with counselling.