What You Need to Know about Ohio’s Voluntary Exclusion Program
Published: January 25, 2021
For those who struggle with problem gambling, the temptation of walking through the doors of a casino or racino may be too strong to resist. If that sounds familiar, you might want to consider enrolling in Ohio’s Voluntary Exclusion Program.
The facts:
- Individuals who experience problem gambling in Ohio are twice as likely to gamble at casinos and racinos.
- The two activities most likely to be associated with at-risk/problem gambling in Ohio are gambling in a casino/racino and sports gambling.
- According to a 2017 survey, 24% of Ohioans who participate in gambling at casinos and racinos are at-risk or problem gamblers.
Ohio’s Voluntary Exclusion Program gives you the ability to ban yourself from a casino or racino facility for one year, five years, or your lifetime. This ensures that you won’t have access to the facilities for as long as you choose. You can also opt-out of the program at any time.
In order to be a part of the Voluntary Exclusion Program, you must:
- Agree to not enter an Ohio casino/racino facility.
- Allow your name to be included on a list of people excluded from all Ohio casino/racino facilities. However, your personal information will remain confidential.
- Acknowledge that Ohio casino/racino operators will not be allowed to market toward you.
- Agree that an Ohio casino/racino operator will not cash a check or extend credit to you.
If you want to enroll, you have to complete a Request for Voluntary Exclusion form in the presence of a trained staff member. Once they validate your request, you can no longer go into any Ohio casino or racino during the length of your self-imposed ban.
Due to the pandemic, the office is taking strict public health precautions. For more information on these precautions and how to enroll in the program, please visit the Ohio Casino Control Commission website.