US prepares the launch of a National Gambling Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program

The United States is preparing to welcome a National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (NVSEP) introduced by idPair, Inc., a company specializing in safer gaming technology. The program will launch in the summer of 2024, and it will first cover New England states, with further expansions rolled out in the months following the launch.

idPair will seek to provide players and consumers with seamless access to the National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program no matter where they are based in the country. The second big priority for the launch will be to ensure that all data sets are aligned with a single portal so that current health resources and regulatory information can be utilized to the benefit of those registering.

The initiative is massive in its undertaking as it seeks to create what the United States has lacked at a time of rapid expansion of gambling services – the ability for consumers to exclude themselves from this process entirely. Commenting on this, Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH) CEO Marlene Warner explained the importance of this step.

Warner said that a national self-exclusion program has been long overdue and said that she was happy to see New England become a torchbearer in this initiative.

"With the National VSE Program, individuals will soon have a unified platform for seeking help and support across the entire United States and receiving up-to-date information as it’s needed. I encourage all state gaming regulators to join this initiative to provide a stronger safety net for consumers," Marlene added.

East Carolina University Director of the Gambling Research and Policy Imitative Dr. Michelle Malkin was similarly pleased with the news and the significance of this initiative. The important thing about the new program was that it would be centralized and unified as opposed to the piecemeal approach used by individual jurisdictions, each with its specific program.

"Having an opportunity to engage with the tool using a single process across states will assist those using VSE as a deterrent to gambling and will help make VSE easier to understand which may increase engagement," Malkin explained.

idPair CEO Jonathan Aiwazian has explained that the program will be innovative and easy to integrate as jurisdictions that wish to join would not need to change the terms of their programs. idPair intends for the program to be flexible and easy to onboard and integrate, covering both the land-based and online casino sectors.

"While current self-exclusion protections don’t travel, people do, and we look forward to working with more states to use technology to provide a more comprehensive level of protection for those who need it most," Aiwazian said.

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