New Australian Study Finds Self-Excluded Gamblers Report Strong Improvement in Well-Being

Australians who voluntarily self-exclude from online and phone wagering services have experienced significant improvements in mental health, relationships, and day-to-day life, according to new research released by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). 

The ACMA commissioned the survey to measure user experience with the country’s self-exclusion database, BetStop. It found that 77% of respondents registered with BetStop said the overall quality of their life has improved since registering with the service. 

The study also showed that 79% reported improved mental health, while 69% said their personal relationships are better after blocking themselves from placing wagers online. 

“We know online gambling causes a great deal of harm for too many in our communities. It is wonderful to see that the National Self-Exclusion Register is having a positive impact. The stories shared with us are both moving and compelling,” said ACMA member Carolyn Lidgerwood.

She added, “It only takes five minutes to register, and this could change your life.”

The study was conducted using an online survey and phone interviews with current and former BetStop registrants. The dataset obtained from the research will be used as part of the statutory review of the National Self-Exclusion Register, which recently surpassed 50,000 total registrations, with more than 32,000 active exclusions in place.

Strong Behavioral Shifts Among Participants

The research documents the effectiveness of self-exclusion, with betting behavior dropping significantly among respondents who register with BetStop. According to the report, 96% of participants either completely stopped betting online (81%) or reduced their gambling (15%) after joining the program, showing that self-exclusion can be a way to stay safe when gambling online. 

The most prolific gamblers exhibited the biggest behavioral shifts, according to the research. Before they self-excluded, 75% of registrants were gambling online or by phone at least once a week, with many using multiple betting apps at the same time. When this group was no longer able to open accounts or place wagers with licensed operators, they saw a steep drop in their gambling activity. 

While many respondents reported that their participation in gambling outside the Register’s scope also decreased after signing up, some indicated that they had increased their involvement in these activities, including betting in-person on sports, racing, or other events.

A Tool, Not a Standalone Solution

On their own, self-exclusion programs aren’t a panacea, and while they can be effective, they often work best when paired with other tools, researchers found. In the Australian survey, almost half of all registrants got additional help after self-excluding, including support from family or friends, gambling help websites, counselors, or psychologists.

Participants told researchers that BetStop cut back on the opportunities they had to gamble, but they still had to manage triggers, set up new routines, and address deeper mental health concerns. 

This aligns with harm-reduction findings that suggest a combination of structural and therapeutic interventions yields the strongest outcomes in these situations. 

The study showed a low rate of early cancellations, which the researchers attribute to the “perceived or actual” difficulty in removing themselves from the self-exclusion register early.

One user described the process for removing themselves from the program, “I tried to take myself off, but the [cancellation] feature they’ve got in place is pretty good. You have to go see a doctor and everything. So I didn’t go through with it.” 

Only 14% of those surveyed attempted to cancel early, and just 2% succeeded. Several interviewees mentioned that the requirement to speak with a health professional helped them stay committed to their original choice. 

A current registrant described their experience with the process of getting off the registry this way: “If it were easy to come off the Register, I would have done it by now… it is good that the process is hard because I know that if I began gambling again, it would be the worst thing in the world for me.”

Gaps & Opportunities for Improvement

Based on responses to the survey, Australia’s National Self-Exclusion Register is quite effective; however, like any program of this type, it has its flaws. 

One of the biggest problem areas the study identified had to do with direct marketing, with the system getting low scores on blocking promotional emails and SMS messages. Allegations in a federal lawsuit in Michigan show that these issues may not be unique to Australia’s self-exclusion program. 

Researchers attributed some of these failures to the lag that exists between the time one self-excludes and operators implement the blocks, as well as misunderstandings about the scope of the system.

Some registrants believed BetStop would prevent all gambling advertising, including mass-media or social-media ads, which the system isn’t set up to block.