Self-exclusion is a formal request to be blocked from gambling for a fixed period. It is stronger than a limit, and it is designed to be hard to reverse.
What it does
Once a self-exclusion is in place, the operator must close or suspend your access, stop sending you marketing, and refuse to reopen the account until the period ends. Many programmes also require you to pass a further check before returning rather than simply reactivating.
Operator-level self-exclusion
Every licensed operator must offer this in the account itself, usually under responsible gambling or player protection. It applies to that operator only.
Multi-operator and provincial programmes
Several jurisdictions run a central register that excludes you from every licensed operator at once, which is far more effective than doing it one site at a time.
[REVIEW — the applicable provincial or national self-exclusion programme depends on the scope decision recorded in ledger 021. Name the correct register, and its enrolment route, before launch.]
What to expect
Expect it to be final for the period you choose. That is the point of it: a decision made once, while you are clear-headed, that a worse moment cannot undo. Choose a period that reflects the problem rather than the minimum on offer.
BWCanada’s part in this
We are a publisher, not an operator. We cannot exclude you, and we hold no account you can close. What we can do is not get in the way: if you are excluded, stop reading offer pages, and consider blocking gambling sites at the device or network level so a moment of impulse has something to push against.
Getting help
Self-exclusion addresses access. It does not address why. Free and confidential support exists and is worth using alongside it.
[REVIEW — support-service contact details to be confirmed with counsel, per ledger 021.]