Gambling terms, explained straight

Responsible Gambling & Harm

Gambling exclusion list

A gambling exclusion list is a register of people who have chosen to ban themselves from gambling venues or online services, so operators can refuse them entry or access.

Also called
Self-exclusion, self-exclusion register, exclusion register13
Applies to
Land-based venues and online gambling, including casinos, bingo, and betting13
Exclusion periods
From 1 month to lifetime, depending on jurisdiction; e.g. Sweden's Spelpaus offers 1, 3, 6, or 12 months4

Key points

  • A person requests exclusion via a formal application, and the operator or regulator records them on the list.3
  • When the person tries to gamble, staff or an online system checks the register and refuses entry or account access.14
  • In Great Britain, Gambling Commission Social Responsibility Code 3.5.6 requires certain licence holders to offer self-exclusion schemes.2
Responsible play Self-exclusion gambling Explains the broader concept of self-exclusion from gambling. Responsible play Responsible gambling Defines gambling as the act of wagering money or something of value on an uncertain outcome. Responsible play Addiction and gambling Covers the relationship between gambling and addictive behaviour. Responsible play Self-exclusion form for gambling Describes the form used to request self-exclusion from gambling. Responsible play Gambling addiction signs Lists common signs of gambling addiction. Responsible play Gambling withdrawal Explains withdrawal symptoms that can occur when stopping gambling.

Sources

  1. Self-exclusion gamblingcommission.gov.uk Defines self-exclusion and its application to licensed operators.
  2. Guidance to licensing authorities - Self-exclusion gamblingcommission.gov.uk Details the regulatory requirement for self-exclusion schemes under Code 3.5.6.
  3. Self-exclusion from gambling: A toothless tiger? - PMC - NIH pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Describes the process of requesting exclusion and how registers work.
  4. Self-exclusion and breaching of self-exclusion from gambling pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Provides exclusion periods and the Swedish Spelpaus system as an example.

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.