RGA launches self-exclusion database

The Remote Gambling Association (RGA), GamCare and the Gordon Moody Association have launched a project to provide assistance to people who may have a problem gambling and want to self-exclude from online gambling websites.

The initiative, which was conceived at a meeting of the RGA’s social responsibility committee, will enable counsellors at GamCare and Gordon Moody to help their clients to self-exclude themselves simultaneously from the sites of all those RGA members that they have accounts with.

For those most in need of assistance this will streamline the process and further improve the effectiveness of self-exclusion as a harm minimisation measure.

Clive Hawkswood, CEO of the RGA, said “This is an example of how the remote gambling industry takes very seriously its responsibilities to people who experience problems with their gambling. As part of a wider range of harm minimisation measures, self-exclusion plays an important role in the treatment and prevention of problem gambling. We will continue to seek new ways to improve its accessibility and effectiveness.”

Ruth Champion, Director of Therapy at the Gordon Moody Association, commented: “Self-exclusion can be so problematic for people living within the chaos of a gambling addiction as it involves immersing themselves in the very thing they are trying to come away from in order to do it. To have all this information in one place that is easily accessible, will potentially be so valuable and is a great start to creating an effective preventative measure for people who find themselves in need of help’.”

Dirk Hansen, Chief Executive at GamCare, added: “GamCare welcomes and supports this initiative from the RGA and its members. This coordinated effort will aid the process for those who are seeking to use self-exclusion as a useful tool to address their gambling problem.”