Introducing the Online Self-Exclusion Recommended Code of Practice

During Safer Gambling Week 2025, Šimon Vincze, Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling, Casino Guru, was joined by Dr Margaret Carran, Associate Professor in Law and Associate Dean, City St. George’s University of London, Tracy Parker, Vice-President, Policy, Standards and Accreditation, Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) to discuss the Online Self-Exclusion Scheme – Recommended Code of Practice, in a bid to strengthen player safeguards and customer protections.

After a short introduction of the speakers by Vincze, Dr. Carran went into details about what the Online Self-Exclusion Scheme – Recommended Code of Practice was, with the caveat that the webinar only had time to highlight the provisions, not go into detail about every single one.

The project wanted to see what methods of self-exclusion are currently used in the gambling industry and what supporting literature there is about their efficacy. The idea was to bring an evidence-based approach throughout the project's four stages and determine what does and does not work when it comes to self-exclusion.

The code went a step further, looking into what players prefer themselves as well as what the industry finds advantageous and what it complains about. The code was also aimed at surpassing national regulations and influences, presenting a robust framework that can guide the industry no matter where it is based, and provide operators and regulators with an evidence-based approach to self-exclusion.

Dr. Carran said that for something that has existed for a long time, as has self-exclusion, it would be highly beneficial to identify the most optimal strategies and approach. This was the exact focus of the second stage of the project.

During that stage, the authors met with several international experts who specialize in gambling-related matters, while also ensuring that there was representation from every stakeholder group that exists, including regulatory parties, individuals with lived experiences, input from mental health providers, academics, industries, experts from the regulatory and legal field, alongside sustainability experts and members of the public.

All of this has helped gather distinct insights into self-exclusion and led to fact-based discussions about the subsequent stages of the project. Following this, the authors agreed on an initial code, which was then sent out for international consultation, leading to a substantial number of responses.

This has led to the final draft being presented on the occasion of Safer Gambling Week 2025 and gives an off-the-shelf solution for newly-regulated jurisdictions, as well as helping established markets reference the code to strengthen their own safeguards.

The code boils down to eight sections as follows: general principles, awareness raising and de-stigmatization, initiation of self-exclusion, operators’ responsibilities, duration, panic button, termination, and organizational culture.

The entire webinar addressing the Online Self-Exclusion Recommended Code of Practice is well worth watching in its entirety. For more similar videos bringing you the latest insights from the gambling industry, we recommend taking a look at Casino Guru News' YouTube channel.

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