The Division of Gaming is committed to promoting responsible gaming in the Colorado gaming industry, and the launch of the state’s Self-Exclusion program is an exciting advancement for our state.
The Colorado Division of Gaming (CDOG) announced that it had launched an official state Self-Exclusion program and would take over the management of a Self-Exclusion list previously managed by a non-profit organization devoted to problem gambling awareness and assistance.
The CDOG launched its Self-Exclusion program ahead of new state regulations regarding the establishment of responsible gaming best practices, which are set to take effect on October 1.
Specifically, Limited Gaming Rule 29 and Sports Betting Rule 9, both of which took effect in February, establish CDOG “as the custodian of the self-exclusion list.”
But since the launch of mobile sports betting in Colorado in May 2020, the self-exclusion list used in the state has been managed by the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado (PGCC), the state affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG).
“The self-exclusion list has already been disseminated to members of the gaming industry in Colorado, which will allow industry members to be able to take the appropriate steps in preventing enrolled individuals from gambling,” the CDOG said in a statement on September 13.
In the Division’s continued efforts to prevent problem gambling, the goal over the next year is to build a robust and technology-leveraged website to make signups and dissemination as efficient as possible.
Limited Gaming Rule 29 and Sports Betting Rule 9 also require operators — both retail and online — to submit their own strategies for implementing responsible gaming programs. Beginning on October 1 and continuing on or before October 1 each year thereafter, operators will be required to submit any updates to CDOG.
Under verbiage from the latter, the strategic implementation plan must include “a detailed explanation of the options available for customers to set self-directed limits on all aspects of their deposits, withdrawals, limits on betting and time frames those limits take place,” among other things.
“Additionally, an explanation of all responsible gaming tools that are at the players’ disposal.”
The Self-Exclusion program allows individuals concerned about betting responsibly to enroll for exclusion from regulated gaming in Colorado. That includes all forms of gambling at brick-and-mortar casinos and retail and online sportsbooks. Options for a self-exclusion period are one, three, or five years.
“The Division of Gaming is committed to promoting responsible gaming in the Colorado gaming industry, and the launch of the state’s Self-Exclusion program is an exciting advancement for our state,” said CDOG Director Christopher Schroder.
“We appreciate all of the work that the PGCC has done to get the Self-Exclusion program to this point. They are an excellent partner in this important work.”
The PGCC has several industry partners. It partners directly with DraftKings Sportsbook and the Colorado Gaming Association (CGA), whose members include Betsson Group, PointsBet, and WynnBET. The non-profit also partners with CDOG, the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (CBHA), and the Colorado Lottery.
The CDOG said that while it expects most sign-ups for the Self-Exclusion program will be completed online, “individuals wishing to enroll in the self-exclusion list can also join by visiting a CDOG office or by printing the form, having it notarized and mailing it into a CDOG office.
“In the Division’s continued efforts to prevent problem gambling, the goal over the next year is to build a robust and technology-leveraged website to make signups and dissemination as efficient as possible,” CDOG added.
