The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has revealed that it received its 20,000th voluntary gambling self-exclusion program request. This Casino Self-Exclusion Program has been up and running since 2006 and allows a person to block themselves from entering any retail sportsbook or casino in the state.
People can sign up for a single year, five years, or permanently. Gambling operators cannot accept any bets or offer club membership or other types of benefits to those on the list.
21% of them opted for a lifetime ban
The PGCB has revealed some interesting insights into the people who enrolled in the program. Of the 20,000 people who signed up, 21% of them opted for a lifetime ban. 12,811 are male and 7,189 are female.
The age range is between 21 and 103 years old, with 1,026 people re-enrolling in this program after the expiration of their initial period of exclusion.
Talking about the power of self-exclusion programs, the Director of the PGCB’s Office of Compulsive and Problem Gambling Elizabeth Lanza said that they are “effective and proven tools that allow for individuals to regain control over their lives, and to learn about other recovery resources.”