BetStop registers nearly 26,000 in Australia’s self-exclusion effort

BetStop, Australia’s national self-exclusion registry, has seen nearly 26,000 registrations, recent statistics show.

As of the end of June 2024, 25,972 individuals had signed up to self-exclude from all licensed online and mobile betting services in Australia.

This free service allows individuals to block access to all licensed online and telephone betting services in Australia through a single process.

Block yourself from online and phone betting today with BetStop – the National Self-Exclusion Register.

Find out more and register at https://t.co/DuEClm8fNL#ReadyWhenYouAre pic.twitter.com/PH8EL7MSQz

— ACMA (@acmadotgov) July 6, 2024

By June 30, 2024, there were 21,381 active exclusions, showing that 4,591 individuals had either completed their exclusion period or ended it prematurely.

Registration numbers varied by region, with New South Wales recording 8,055 entries and the Northern Territory seeing only 188.

There was also a large uptake in Victoria, with 7,020 people registering for the service.

June experienced a 7.3 per cent decrease in participation compared to May.

Notably, 48 per cent of those registered were under the age of 30, with another 31 per cent aged between 31 and 40.

What is BetStop?

BetStop is an initiative launched in August 2023 by the Albanese Labor Government aimed at curbing problem gambling and related harms in the country.

When opting for self-exclusion, individuals are barred from all approximately 150 licensed wagering providers in Australia. These providers are obligated to close any existing betting accounts of the excluded individual and are prohibited from allowing them to place bets, open new accounts, or receive marketing messages. People cannot choose specific providers from which to exclude themselves.

The duration of self-exclusion can range from a minimum of three months to a lifetime. Users have the option to extend the length of their exclusion at any point, but they cannot shorten the period once it is set.

By February, more than 18,000 Australians signed up to BetStop. Acting Minister for Communications, Mark Dreyfus, said at the time: “It’s clear the National Self-Exclusion Register is making a meaningful difference to thousands of Australians and their families. It is changing lives for the better.”

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth added: “The strong uptake of BetStop, the National Self-Exclusion Register, is great to see and is complemented by mandatory pre-verification that helps to ensure people aren’t finding workarounds to bet if they have opted to exclude themselves from online wagering.

“We know there’s still more to do and we’ll keep working closely with states and territories to create a safer environment for Australians at risk of gambling harm.”

Featured image: Canva