PA Gaming Control Board Reached 20,000 Enrollment Requests for Its Casino Self-exclusion Program

HARRISBURG, PA (June 2, 2023) — The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) announced that on June 5, 2023 it received its 20,000^th voluntary request to be excluded from entering and participating in gaming activities at all Commonwealth casinos and retail sports wagering locations under the agency’s Casino Self-Exclusion Program.

Established in 2006, the Casino Self-Exclusion Program permits an individual to request that they be banned from entering and gambling at a Pennsylvania casino or retail sports wagering location for one year, five years or a lifetime. While a person is on this list, gaming facilities in the Commonwealth must refuse wagers from and deny any gaming privileges to that person, and deny check cashing privileges, player club membership, complimentary goods and services, junket participation and other similar privileges and benefits.

In addition, the self-excluded individual is informed at the time when they agree to be placed on the list that they could be charged with criminal trespass if they enter a Pennsylvania casino and have any gambling winnings confiscated related to that casino visit.

“The Casino Self-Exclusion Program, along with the agency’s 3 other self-exclusion programs, are effective and proven tools that allow for individuals to regain control over their lives, and to learn about other recovery resources,” said Elizabeth Lanza, Director of the Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling (OCPG).  “The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board encourages anyone who thinks they may have a gambling problem to seek treatment and consider taking advantage of the voluntary Self-Exclusion Programs.”

For more information on available treatment services, including state funded one-on-one counseling services and Gamblers Anonymous schedules, visit the OCPG’s website, www.ResponsiblePlay.pa.gov, or call 1-800-GAMBLER, text 800GAM, or chat through http://www.1800gamblerchat.org/.

Additional data from Pennsylvania’s program, which is based upon responses from individuals during the self-exclusion intake interview, shows that:

• 4,335 (21%) of the 20,000 individuals in Pennsylvania have chosen the lifetime ban;
• There are a total of 12,811 males and 7,189 females that have enrolled in the self-exclusion program;
• Individuals on this list range between 21 and 102 years of age; and,
• 1,026 self-excluded individuals chose to reenroll in the program after previously removing their name from the list, including 307 who selected a lifetime ban at reenrollment.

Lanza added that many individuals enrolled in the Casino Self-Exclusion Program not only engaged in slot machine and table games gambling but other types of gaming activities regulated by the PGCB such as online casino-type games (iGaming), sports wagering, video gaming terminals (VGTs) at truck stops and fantasy sports.

To assist individuals who wish to ban themselves from other types of legalized gaming, the PGCB has additional Self-Exclusion Programs. These Self-Exclusion Programs, which began in 2019, include (the current number of individuals who have requested to be banned from these games):

• i-Gaming: 3,778 individuals
• VGTs: 1,467 individuals
• Fantasy Sports: 797 individuals

An individual who wishes to enroll in any of the self-exclusion programs can complete the enrollment online by going to https://responsibleplay.pa.gov. Additional information and links for self-help tools, self-exclusion and gambling disorder are also available on that  website. The Pennsylvania Lottery offers an iLottery Self-Exclusion Program. Visit the Lottery’s website for more information.

About the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board is tasked to oversee all aspects of gambling involving 17 land-based casinos, online casino games, retail and online sports wagering, and Video Gaming Terminals (VGTs) at qualified truck stops, along with the regulation of online fantasy sports contests.

The land-based casino industry in Pennsylvania consists of six racetrack (Category 1) casinos, five stand-alone (Category 2) casinos, two resort (Category 3) casinos and four mini-casinos (Category 4).  A significant job generator in the Commonwealth, casinos and the other types of Board-regulated gaming generated over $2 billion in tax revenue in 2022.

Additional information about both the PGCB’s gaming regulatory efforts and Pennsylvania’s gaming industry can be found at gamingcontolboard.pa.gov . You can also follow the agency on Twitter by choosing @PAGamingControl.

SOURCE: Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board Gaming Control Board.