- Home
- Playing Matters
- Voluntary Exclusion Program
Responsible Gambling
-
Voluntary Exclusion Program
-
Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights
The Virginia Lottery has instituted a self-help program for individuals that wish to voluntary exclude themselves from sports betting, account based lottery as well as gaming activities administered by the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs and the Virginia Racing Commission. Individuals may self-exclude for a period of two-years, five-years or a lifetime.
Voluntary Exclusion Program Forms
The below link should be used to complete the voluntary exclusion form for those individuals wanting to exclude themselves for a period of two or five years. Please do not click on the link if you do not intend to complete the process. Individuals wanting to exclude for a lifetime must do so in person and should call the Virginia Lottery at 804-692-7185 to set up an appointment.
FAQs:
Q: What is the self-exclusion program?
A: The self-exclusion program allows people with a gambling problem to voluntary exclude themselves from participating in certain legalized gambling in Virginia, whether regulated by the Virginia Lottery, the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs, or the Virginia Racing Commission. This includes: account-based Virginia Lottery games; online sports betting, charitable gaming (raffle, bingo, network bingo and instant bingo) ;and betting on horse racing (live racing, off-track betting, historical horse racing, and advance deposit account wagering).
Q: How long can I exclude myself from gambling?
A: Individuals can self-exclude for a period of two years, five years or for a lifetime.
Q: How do I get placed on the self-exclusion list?
A: Individuals wanting to exclude for a period of two or five years should fill out the self-exclusion form found by clicking on the link above. Individuals wanting to exclude for a lifetime must do so in person and should email VEP@valottery.com or contact the Virginia Lottery at 804-692-7185 to set up an appointment.
Q: What will happen after I sign up for self-exclusion?
A: Within seven days of the receipt of your request, the Lottery will distribute your information to all licensed sports betting permit holders, the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs and the Virginia Racing Commission and you will be prohibited from gambling with these organizations as well as from account based lottery games. Some sports betting permit holders have enacted responsible gambling programs that may prohibit you from gambling in jurisdictions outside of the Commonwealth.
Q: What happens if I submit my Self-Exclusion Form and then change my mind?
A: Once the Self-Exclusion Form is submitted to the Lottery, an individual cannot be removed from the list until the end of the exclusion period.
Q: What happens at the end of my self-exclusion period?
A: The Lottery will automatically remove individuals from the self-exclusion list upon expiration of the exclusion period. Those individuals who want to extend their self-exclusion for another two or five years, should contact the Lottery prior to the end of their exclusion period.
Q: Can I place a family member that has a gambling problem on the self-exclusion list?
A: No. You cannot place someone else on the self-exclusion list. Placement on the self-exclusion list is entirely voluntary and must be done by the individual seeking exclusion.
Q: What happens if I gamble during my exclusion period?
A: If you are caught gambling during your exclusion period any winnings shall be subject to forfeiture and donated to the Commonwealth’s Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund.
Q: How can I get help on problem gambling?
A: There are several resources for problem gambling:
- Virginia Council on Problem Gambling Confidential Hotline. Call/Text/Chat: 888-532-3500
- The National Council on Problem Gambling 24-hour Confidential Helpline Call or Text: 800-522-4700
- Gamblers Anonymous
- Virginia Department of Behavioral and Developmental Health
The Virginia Lottery has instituted a Sport Bettors' Bill of Rights to afford individuals the right to access certain information necessary for bet making, as well as information demonstrating that the permit holder’s offerings are administered legally and fairly in all respects.
Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights
- The Right to Integrity and Transparency
Sports bettors have the right to access information necessary for bet-making, as well as information demonstrating that the permit holder’s offerings are administered legally and fairly in all respects. Such information includes but is not limited to:
- The amount wagered on the bet
- The odds at which the wager is offered
- The payout amounts
- Systems for reporting suspicions of fraud, such as internal reporting protocols and available legal actions
- A prohibition on athletes, coaches, game officials, and team affiliates, including employees and owners, from betting on games within their leagues or sports in which they participate
- Contact information for the sports betting permit holder
- Resources for problem gambling, expressed in a clear and easily accessible manner
- The Right to Data Privacy and Security
Sports bettors have the right to privacy and protection of their personally identifiable information and to the security of their funds and financial activities on sports betting platforms.
- The Right to Self-Exclude
Self-exclusion refers to systems employed within the gaming ecosystem that allow consumers to preemptively limit bet sizes, frequencies and other related behavior. Self-exclusion systems give the bettor the ability to exclude him- or herself from participation in sports betting in the Commonwealth, whether for a limited period or permanently.
- The Right to Protection of the Vulnerable
Sports betting permit holders must employ industry best practices to verify the age of the account holder and block access by anyone under 21 years of age. All sports bettors must have easy access, through their preferred sports betting platform, to resources about addiction warning signs and treatment. Sports betting permit holders are to be proactive in preventing at-risk customers from becoming problem gamblers by implementing responsible gaming programs, trainings, and other practices to help sports bettors play responsibly.
- The Right to Recourse
A sports bettor has the right to recourse against a sports betting permit holder in the event he or she believes a transaction or other interaction has been mishandled. Such recourse is essential to establish the credibility of legalized sports betting and to maintain consumer trust. Sports bettors have the right to seek relief as outlined in the Virginia’s sports betting laws and regulations, and sports betting permit holders must have a clear, expeditious protocol to address concerns raised by sports bettors.
Voluntary Exclusion Program
The Virginia Lottery has instituted a self-help program for individuals that wish to voluntary exclude themselves from sports betting, account based lottery as well as gaming activities administered by the Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs and the Virginia Racing Commission. Individuals may self-exclude for a period of two-years, five-years or a lifetime.
Voluntary Exclusion Program Forms
The below link should be used to complete the voluntary exclusion form for those individuals wanting to exclude themselves for a period of two or five years. Please do not click on the link if you do not intend to complete the process. Individuals wanting to exclude for a lifetime must do so in person and should call the Virginia Lottery at 804-692-7185 to set up an appointment.
FAQs:
Q: What is the self-exclusion program?
A: The self-exclusion program allows people with a gambling problem to voluntary exclude themselves from participating in certain legalized gambling in Virginia, whether regulated by the Virginia Lottery, the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs, or the Virginia Racing Commission. This includes: account-based Virginia Lottery games; online sports betting, charitable gaming (raffle, bingo, network bingo and instant bingo) ;and betting on horse racing (live racing, off-track betting, historical horse racing, and advance deposit account wagering).
Q: How long can I exclude myself from gambling?
A: Individuals can self-exclude for a period of two years, five years or for a lifetime.
Q: How do I get placed on the self-exclusion list?
A: Individuals wanting to exclude for a period of two or five years should fill out the self-exclusion form found by clicking on the link above. Individuals wanting to exclude for a lifetime must do so in person and should email VEP@valottery.com or contact the Virginia Lottery at 804-692-7185 to set up an appointment.
Q: What will happen after I sign up for self-exclusion?
A: Within seven days of the receipt of your request, the Lottery will distribute your information to all licensed sports betting permit holders, the Virginia Office of Charitable and Regulatory Programs and the Virginia Racing Commission and you will be prohibited from gambling with these organizations as well as from account based lottery games. Some sports betting permit holders have enacted responsible gambling programs that may prohibit you from gambling in jurisdictions outside of the Commonwealth.
Q: What happens if I submit my Self-Exclusion Form and then change my mind?
A: Once the Self-Exclusion Form is submitted to the Lottery, an individual cannot be removed from the list until the end of the exclusion period.
Q: What happens at the end of my self-exclusion period?
A: The Lottery will automatically remove individuals from the self-exclusion list upon expiration of the exclusion period. Those individuals who want to extend their self-exclusion for another two or five years, should contact the Lottery prior to the end of their exclusion period.
Q: Can I place a family member that has a gambling problem on the self-exclusion list?
A: No. You cannot place someone else on the self-exclusion list. Placement on the self-exclusion list is entirely voluntary and must be done by the individual seeking exclusion.
Q: What happens if I gamble during my exclusion period?
A: If you are caught gambling during your exclusion period any winnings shall be subject to forfeiture and donated to the Commonwealth’s Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Fund.
Q: How can I get help on problem gambling?
A: There are several resources for problem gambling:
- Virginia Council on Problem Gambling Confidential Hotline. Call/Text/Chat: 888-532-3500
- The National Council on Problem Gambling 24-hour Confidential Helpline Call or Text: 800-522-4700
- Gamblers Anonymous
- Virginia Department of Behavioral and Developmental Health
Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights
The Virginia Lottery has instituted a Sport Bettors' Bill of Rights to afford individuals the right to access certain information necessary for bet making, as well as information demonstrating that the permit holder’s offerings are administered legally and fairly in all respects.
Sports Bettors' Bill of Rights
- The Right to Integrity and Transparency
Sports bettors have the right to access information necessary for bet-making, as well as information demonstrating that the permit holder’s offerings are administered legally and fairly in all respects. Such information includes but is not limited to:
- The amount wagered on the bet
- The odds at which the wager is offered
- The payout amounts
- Systems for reporting suspicions of fraud, such as internal reporting protocols and available legal actions
- A prohibition on athletes, coaches, game officials, and team affiliates, including employees and owners, from betting on games within their leagues or sports in which they participate
- Contact information for the sports betting permit holder
- Resources for problem gambling, expressed in a clear and easily accessible manner
- The Right to Data Privacy and Security
Sports bettors have the right to privacy and protection of their personally identifiable information and to the security of their funds and financial activities on sports betting platforms.
- The Right to Self-Exclude
Self-exclusion refers to systems employed within the gaming ecosystem that allow consumers to preemptively limit bet sizes, frequencies and other related behavior. Self-exclusion systems give the bettor the ability to exclude him- or herself from participation in sports betting in the Commonwealth, whether for a limited period or permanently.
- The Right to Protection of the Vulnerable
Sports betting permit holders must employ industry best practices to verify the age of the account holder and block access by anyone under 21 years of age. All sports bettors must have easy access, through their preferred sports betting platform, to resources about addiction warning signs and treatment. Sports betting permit holders are to be proactive in preventing at-risk customers from becoming problem gamblers by implementing responsible gaming programs, trainings, and other practices to help sports bettors play responsibly.
- The Right to Recourse
A sports bettor has the right to recourse against a sports betting permit holder in the event he or she believes a transaction or other interaction has been mishandled. Such recourse is essential to establish the credibility of legalized sports betting and to maintain consumer trust. Sports bettors have the right to seek relief as outlined in the Virginia’s sports betting laws and regulations, and sports betting permit holders must have a clear, expeditious protocol to address concerns raised by sports bettors.