Georgia's Self-Exclusion List Expands to Include 30,000 Individuals

Georgia's Self-Exclusion Registry: A Tool to Combat Gambling Addiction

Georgia's Revenue Service operates a comprehensive self-exclusion registry, designed to help vulnerable individuals manage their gambling habits. This registry, which maintains a restricted player database, allows individuals to voluntarily or by court order exclude themselves from all forms of legal gambling for a period of five years 1.

The system, launched after a tightening of gambling laws in 2022, is accessible and confidential. Individuals can easily register on the Revenue Service's website, with biometric identification available to streamline the process 2. Once registered, individuals are barred from gambling on any regulated platform or land-based casino across the country 3.

As of the latest update, over 30,000 people have signed up for the self-exclusion program, with the vast majority (approximately 30,392) self-excluding voluntarily, and a small number (59) added by court orders 1. Removal from the list requires a loss of Georgian citizenship or a court decision after at least three years on the list 1. Family members can also petition courts to exclude a person due to gambling addiction.

While the self-exclusion registry has been effective within legal gambling frameworks, a significant challenge remains: players accessing unregulated, illegal gambling websites 2. These unregulated platforms circumvent the controls of the Revenue Service, undermining the impact of the self-exclusion registry 2. The Revenue Service and related enforcement bodies continue to work on tackling illegal gambling markets, but addressing online unregulated sites remains difficult 2.

In an effort to strengthen responsible gaming policies, licensed operators in Georgia are integrating self-exclusion and other protective tools, even before official government approval 1. The government also encourages prevention and assistance by promoting counseling and helplines for gambling addiction.

In summary, Georgia's self-exclusion registry, administered by the state's Revenue Service, provides a secure, confidential, and user-friendly framework to reduce gambling-related harm on legal platforms. However, the illegal market poses ongoing enforcement and public health challenges. Since early May, an additional 4,000 individuals have joined the self-exclusion list, reflecting the increased accessibility and ease of onboarding 1.

To ensure responsibility in casino-and-gambling, licensed operators in Georgia are incorporating self-exclusion and other protective measures into their casino-games before official approval, as part of an effort to strengthen responsible gambling policies.
Despite the effectiveness of the self-exclusion registry in managing gambling habits within legal gambling frameworks, a significant challenge persists: individuals accessing lotteries and unregulated, illegal gambling websites, which circumvent the controls of the Revenue Service and pose ongoing enforcement and public health challenges.