Self Exclution Protection For Gamblers
Published: Sunday, May 14, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
SELF EXCLUSION PROTECTION FOR GAMBLERS
New partnership will work for problem players around the world
The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) and Aristotle International are partnering in a laudable effort to make a new global self-exclusion database (GSED) available around the world for gamblers with a problem.
The venture uses an age and ID-verification system branded Integrity,and GSED is a worldwide, confidential and highly secure database of individuals who choose to exclude themselves from gambling activity at enrolled establishments. The new service will be accessible via a link on the website of the National Council on Problem Gambling as well as on the home page of Aristotle International's Integrity authentication service.
Responsible gaming operators pursue to one degree or another a variety of programs and some licensing jurisdictions have enacted legislation or regulations requiring that gaming operators allow individuals to voluntarily bar themselves from gambling. There are many forms of gaming in many jurisdictions, each with its own regulatory agency but little if any coordination of self-exclusion lists. As a result, problem gamblers may have
to enrol many times at different venues to effectively exclude themselves.
Many top tier online casinos and poker rooms apply the Responsible Gaming principles required in order to display the "Play It Safe" seal of eCOGRA, which works in partnership with the Global Gaming Guidance Group (G4) in this important area.
The NCPG and Aristotle approach to the problem is through an online GSED application form accessible at the NCPG website, a worldwide hub for information and assistance, and the top ranked search response on "problem gambling". Gaming operators are encouraged to enroll, add explanatory information at their sites and enable a banner and link (provided by NCPG) for anyone wishing to sign up for GSED.
Treatment agencies, state chapters of NCPG and international problem gambling NGO's are asked to encourage anyone wishing to self-exclude to visit the NCPG site and consider joining the global list.
The application form includes identification of the individual (verified by the Integrity system) along with options for a one-year, five-year and lifetime exclusion. Applicants cannot remove themselves from the list prior to the selected dates, and their names would remain on the list after their ban expired, unless they specifically request their removal, which would take effect after a mandatory seven-day "cooling off" period. All information is confidential and guaranteed non-transferable.
Where an individual whose name is on the self-exclusion list attempts to open an account for gambling at a participating site, Integrity would not return a match (approval) code to the merchant. The reason for the non-return would not be specified to the merchant (it could be for underage access, false ID, criminal record, national watch list, or other markers), thus protecting the confidentiality of the list members.
