Self-exclusion: one website, or the whole licensed market
Two measures share a name and differ enormously in scope. Knowing which is which matters, because one can be bypassed by opening another account and the other cannot.
An operator's own self-exclusion
Every site offers it from inside the account and it closes access to that site for whatever period you choose. It is useful, it is immediate and it has an obvious limit: it affects only that operator. Opening an account somewhere else leaves it with no effect.
It serves one purpose very well: cutting ties with a site where the relationship has become a problem. It does not serve as a general measure, and presenting it as one is the mistake that leads people to conclude the tool did not work.
National registers, which are a different thing
Several European markets run a central self-exclusion register operated by the regulator rather than by any site: registering blocks every licensed operator in that market at once, typically for a minimum period measured in months. Spain, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and others each run their own.
That difference is large. An operator's self-exclusion closes that operator; a national register closes the licensed market. It is the only measure that cannot be bypassed simply by opening an account at another licensed site — and whether one covers you depends on which market licenses the operators you use.
| Measure | Scope | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Operator self-exclusion | that site only | whatever you choose there |
| National register | every licensed operator in that market | a set minimum, typically months |
| Deposit limit | that site only, access stays open | configurable |
| Session limit | that site only, warns or ends the session | configurable |
When to use which
If the problem is one specific site — an aggressive promotion, a relationship that turned uncomfortable — that operator's self-exclusion is enough and is immediate. If the problem is gambling rather than the site, the measure that fits is the one you cannot undo the same evening.
That criterion, 'can I reverse this today?', is the most useful way to choose. A decision made cold that can be cancelled hot is not a decision: it is an intention. The minimum periods built into national registers exist precisely for that reason.
Before it comes to that: limits
Licensed operators generally offer deposit and session limits from inside the account. Configured cold they work; searched for hot they almost never get used. On a game with second-long rounds and low volatility, the time limit is the more informative of the two.
And if the problem belongs to somebody else, help services also take calls from family members, and no consent from the player is needed to ask advice about your own situation. It is a consultation like any other and commits you to nothing.
Where to get help
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between self-excluding at a site and a national register?
An operator's self-exclusion closes only that site. A national register, run by the regulator, blocks every licensed operator in that market at once for a set minimum period.
Does every European country have a national register?
No. Several markets run one — Spain, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands among them — and others do not. Whether one covers you depends on which market licenses the operators you use.
Do deposit limits actually help?
Yes, if configured cold. They act on what can enter the account rather than on willpower, which is why they work when the decision was already made in advance.
Can I ask for help if the problem is a family member's?
Yes. Help services also take calls from family members, and no consent from the player is needed to consult about your own situation.
Read on
Last updated: September 2026