New Jersey Self-Exclusion for Online Gambling, Sports Betting, and Casinos

Program Basics

What is the New Jersey Self-Exclusion Program?

The New Jersey Self-Exclusion Program allows a person with gambling concerns to voluntarily exclude themselves from covered gaming activity. The program was originally created for Atlantic City casino gambling and later expanded to internet gaming activity as New Jersey’s online gambling market developed.

Self-exclusion is designed for people who need a stronger boundary than normal account tools. It is not only an account setting. It is a formal exclusion process that licensed operators must recognize. Once a person is placed on the applicable self-exclusion list, covered operators must refuse the person’s wagers and deny gaming-related privileges that apply under the program.

The program can be used by New Jersey residents and by people outside New Jersey who need to block themselves from New Jersey-regulated gambling activity. The key requirement is that the person must voluntarily request self-exclusion for themselves.

What It Covers

What gambling activity can self-exclusion cover?

New Jersey self-exclusion can cover several categories of gambling activity. The exact coverage depends on the registration method and the option selected. A person may self-exclude from internet gaming and online sports wagering only, from casino and sports wagering activity at physical locations, or from both land-based and online categories.

Internet gaming and sports wagering self-exclusion applies to legal New Jersey online casino, online poker, and online sports wagering platforms. Property self-exclusion can apply to Atlantic City casinos, casino sports wagering facilities, and racetrack sports wagering facilities depending on the form and registration method used.

The important point is that self-exclusion is broader than one brand. For internet gaming and online sports wagering, one DGE self-exclusion request is enough to exclude the person from all New Jersey internet gaming and online sports wagering sites.

Eligibility

Who can sign up for self-exclusion?

Self-exclusion is voluntary. A person can place themselves on the list, but someone else cannot place them on it. Family members, spouses, friends, employers, casino employees, or other third parties cannot register another person for self-exclusion against that person’s will.

This rule is important because self-exclusion affects access to regulated gambling activity and can carry serious account, rewards, property, and funds consequences. The person signing up must understand what the program does and must personally complete the required registration process.

Family members and loved ones can still help by encouraging the person to seek support, providing information, helping make a call, or connecting the person with counseling resources. The final self-exclusion request, however, must come from the person seeking exclusion.

Registration Methods

How to register for self-exclusion in New Jersey

New Jersey provides several methods to register for self-exclusion. The right method depends on whether the person wants internet-only exclusion, property-based exclusion, combined exclusion, or lifetime exclusion.

Online registration is available for internet gaming and online sports wagering self-exclusion for one-year or five-year periods. For lifetime self-exclusion, or for broader property-based options, the person must schedule an in-person or video conference with the DGE.

Online Registration

Internet gaming and online sports wagering self-exclusion

Internet gaming and online sports wagering self-exclusion is the option focused on New Jersey online casino apps, online poker, and online sportsbooks. One request is enough to exclude a person from all New Jersey internet gaming and online sports wagering sites.

When registering online through the DGE pathway, the person must choose either a one-year or five-year period. Multiple submissions are not needed. If multiple requests are submitted, the DGE accepts the longer self-exclusion period.

Online registration requires identifying information so operators can match the excluded person to gaming accounts. If a person does not want to provide a Social Security number through online registration, the person should contact the DGE self-exclusion hotline to schedule an in-person or video conference instead.

• Only one internet self-exclusion request is needed for New Jersey internet gaming and online sports wagering sites.
• Online registration offers one-year or five-year exclusion periods.
• Lifetime internet self-exclusion requires a DGE in-person or video conference.
• Accurate identifying information helps operators enforce the exclusion.
• After registration, covered operators receive the information needed to block gambling activity.

Timeframes

One-year, five-year, and lifetime self-exclusion

New Jersey self-exclusion offers different timeframes depending on the registration method. Online internet gaming and sports wagering self-exclusion allows a person to choose a one-year or five-year minimum period. Lifetime self-exclusion requires a video or in-person conference with the DGE.

Choosing a timeframe should be treated seriously. A person cannot request removal from the list until the minimum period selected on the voluntary exclusion form has expired. Even after the minimum period expires, removal is not automatic. The person must request removal if removal is allowed for that exclusion type.

For people who need long-term protection, lifetime self-exclusion may be the stronger option. For people unsure which option fits their situation, it may help to speak with a counselor, call 1-800-GAMBLER, or contact the DGE self-exclusion hotline before making the request.

After Registration

What happens after someone signs up?

After a self-exclusion request is processed, the person’s identifying information is distributed to the operators that need it to enforce the exclusion. For land-based casino exclusion, casinos receive identifying information and can update internal systems, mailing lists, credit eligibility, complimentary service records, and gaming access controls.

For internet gaming and online sports wagering, DGE distributes the required information to licensed internet gaming permit holders and platform providers so the person can be blocked from covered online gaming activity. The goal is to prevent wagering, deny gaming-related services, and stop continued access through regulated New Jersey operators.

Some casino companies and gaming providers may also have responsible gaming programs that go beyond New Jersey’s minimum self-exclusion rules. A company may restrict access to land-based properties, online platforms, hotel venues, entertainment venues, or affiliated gaming operations in other jurisdictions. Rewards points, promotions, complimentary benefits, or account privileges may also be affected.

Privacy and Disclosure

How self-exclusion information is handled

DGE self-exclusion materials state that the request form and internet gaming self-exclusion list are not open to public inspection, and efforts are made to maintain confidentiality. However, the information must be shared with casinos, racetrack sports wagering facilities, internet gaming platform providers, and certain agents where needed to enforce the exclusion.

Those disclosures can include gaming providers, cash advance services, junket representatives, and affiliated gaming entities when necessary for responsible gaming program administration. This is why self-exclusion should be understood as a serious formal process, not a private account preference visible only to one app.

Providing a Social Security number helps identify the person across gaming accounts and operators. Disclosure may be voluntary in some contexts, but online registration may require it. Not providing it can delay notification to internet gaming platform providers or reduce the effectiveness of the exclusion process.

Violating Self-Exclusion

What happens if a self-excluded person tries to gamble?

Once a person is on the applicable self-exclusion list, covered casinos, racetrack sports wagering facilities, and internet gaming sites are expected to refuse wagers from that person. If the person is found gambling at a covered location or through a covered online platform, consequences can include removal from the gaming area, blocked access, closed accounts, and forfeiture.

For internet gaming activity, DGE materials warn that a self-excluded person caught gambling can be subject to forfeiture of winnings, including electronic credits and online gaming account funds that resulted from gaming activity. For land-based gambling, chips, tokens, winnings, and gaming privileges may also be affected.

Self-exclusion works best when the person also takes practical steps outside the formal list, such as deleting gambling apps, blocking gambling payments where possible, removing saved payment methods, avoiding casino properties, asking trusted people for support, using counseling resources, and calling 1-800-GAMBLER when urges become difficult to manage.

Removal From the List

How removal from self-exclusion works

A person may submit a request for removal from the New Jersey Self-Exclusion List only after the minimum one-year or five-year self-exclusion period selected on the request form has expired. Removal is not automatic when the minimum period ends. The person must take the required steps to request removal.

If the person is removed from the voluntary self-exclusion list, covered New Jersey gaming activity may be reinstated, including casino property gaming, internet gaming, online sports wagering, and retail sports wagering activity where applicable.

Removal from the state self-exclusion list does not guarantee that every casino, online gaming provider, sportsbook, or affiliated company will immediately restore access. Individual operators may have separate responsible gaming programs, account reviews, or company-wide restrictions that continue to apply.

• Removal can be requested only after the chosen minimum period expires.
• The person must request removal; the end of the minimum period does not automatically restore access.
• Operator-specific responsible gaming restrictions may continue after state-list removal.
• The waiver of liability signed during self-exclusion may continue to apply.
• Anyone unsure about removal should consider speaking with a counselor before requesting reinstatement.

Alternative Protection

Suspending casino credit privileges

Some people may not be ready to request self-exclusion but still want to block casino credit access. New Jersey allows a person to voluntarily suspend credit privileges at all Atlantic City casinos by submitting a written request to the Division.

This is different from self-exclusion. Suspending credit privileges is focused on casino credit, while self-exclusion is focused on blocking covered gambling activity. Credit suspension may be useful for someone who wants to prevent gambling on credit, but it does not replace the protections of the self-exclusion program.

DGE materials state that a credit suspension request must be made in person at the Division’s Atlantic City office, with identification that includes a photograph or physical description. Once processed, the Division adds the person to the credit suspension list and notifies the casinos.

Family and Loved Ones

Can someone place a family member on the list?

No. A family member cannot place another person on the New Jersey self-exclusion list. The program is voluntary, and the request must be made by the person seeking exclusion.

Family members and loved ones can still play an important support role. They can encourage the person to call the DGE self-exclusion hotline, help gather information, offer transportation to an appointment, support attendance at counseling or Gamblers Anonymous meetings, and contact 1-800-GAMBLER for guidance on how to respond to gambling-related harm in the household.

When gambling is causing debt, conflict, missed bills, secrecy, borrowing, or emotional distress, loved ones should also consider getting support for themselves. Problem gambling can affect the entire household, not only the person placing bets.

When Self-Exclusion May Help

Warning signs that self-exclusion may be worth considering

Self-exclusion may be worth considering when gambling has become difficult to stop, when gambling is causing financial harm, or when normal limits have not worked. A person does not need to wait for a crisis before using self-exclusion. The program exists so people can create a stronger barrier before more damage occurs.

• Gambling longer than planned or more often than intended.
• Returning quickly after losses to try to win money back.
• Borrowing, selling items, or using bill money to gamble.
• Hiding gambling activity from family, friends, or a partner.
• Feeling anxious, restless, guilty, or desperate after gambling.
• Using gambling to escape stress, depression, anger, or financial pressure.
• Repeatedly setting limits and then breaking them.
• Visiting self-exclusion or responsible gambling pages but not taking action.
• Thinking about self-harm because of gambling losses or gambling-related consequences.

Support Resources

Where to get help with self-exclusion or gambling problems

New Jersey has several support paths for people who want to self-exclude or get help with gambling-related harm. The DGE self-exclusion hotline helps with registration questions and appointments. The Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey provides confidential support through 1-800-GAMBLER. Gamblers Anonymous meetings are also available in New Jersey for peer support.

Support is not limited to the person who gambles. Family members, partners, and others affected by a loved one’s gambling can also seek guidance, treatment referrals, and support resources.

Other Responsible Gambling Tools

Self-exclusion compared with other gambling controls

Self-exclusion is one of the strongest tools available, but it is not the only responsible gambling option. Some people may also use deposit limits, time limits, cooling-off periods, loss limits, account closures, payment blocks, counseling, or support meetings.

These tools can work together. A person may use limits before self-exclusion, or self-exclusion after limits have failed. The right choice depends on the severity of the gambling behavior, the person’s access to gambling, and the level of support needed.

Reader Note

This page is informational, not medical or legal advice

NJ Gaming Report explains New Jersey self-exclusion for readers, players, families, and industry researchers. This page is not medical advice, mental health advice, legal advice, financial advice, or a substitute for official guidance from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, or a qualified professional.

Self-exclusion rules, registration methods, removal procedures, operator policies, and responsible gambling programs can change. Anyone considering self-exclusion should verify current procedures through the DGE and seek support if gambling is causing harm.