New Self-Exclusion Policies Debated in Indiana, Missouri
Indiana may soon join the growing list of states with voluntary self-exclusion programs while Missouri, which in 1996 became the first state to adopt a self-exclusion program, is considering changes.
The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) has approved new voluntary self-exclusion rules, which were modeled after existing programs in Illinois, Missouri and New Jersey. Individuals who sign up for the program would be banned from gaming activities anywhere in the state. Any person found in violation of the terms of exclusion would be subject to arrest for trespassing or fined up to the amount of their gambling win. The enrollment process would require individuals to complete a request for voluntary exclusion and appear in person at a commission office. Under the proposed rules, individuals would choose a one-year, five-year or lifetime ban.
If the program is approved, new technology would be available to facilitate information exchange. A secure online database has been developed to provide casinos with information from the commission's exclusion list. This data, which would be available only to authorized users, would provide casino operators with the flexibility to adapt the exclusion information to their different methods of customer tracking
The plan, which is awaiting approval by the attorney general and the governor, is expected to be adopted this spring.
New research has prompted Missouri regulators to consider changes to current rules. The research has shown that it may be possible-even likely-for problem gamblers to reduce the harm caused by gambling over time. It also has indicated that a single option of a lifetime ban may actually deter individuals from enrolling in the program.
As a result of these latest findings, the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) may allow the state's program to be modified to give individuals a menu of time options rather than just a lifetime ban. "Like diet and exercise, voluntary self-exclusion can be used in a variety of ways and can achieve differing results," Mullally said. "While some participants experience long periods of abstinence, others face cycles of relapse. For most, recovery is a process, and a very individual one at that. By providing a menu of options, we can recognize the individuality of the process, and recognize that those who are unable to commit to a lifetime ban could still benefit from short-term exclusion."
The MGC could begin evaluating the proposal as early as April, making it possible to implement the changes sometime in 2004.
