California has joined idPair’s National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program (NVSEP), allowing players to restrict themselves from playing at land-based casinos, online casinos, online poker, and more gambling verticals in states that are part of the agreement.
California is the fifth state to join, with states including Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, and Tennessee announcing involvement in April. The program will go live in August.
The California Council on Problem Gambling commented on the struggles currently facing gamblers looking to self-exclude in California.
“Enrolling in the program in person at a cardroom’s premises can have a powerful triggering effect, potentially leading to a relapse or deterring the individual from self-excluding entirely," said executive director Robert Jacobson. "... For someone suffering from an addiction – especially one which causes severe financial hardships – each added barrier or cost makes it that much more difficult for them to take that first step on the road to recovery.”
idPair is a company focused on monitoring gambling across multiple jurisdictions, which received funding from Underdog in March. Jacobson suggested California joining the NVSEP could have a “tremendously positive impact” for problem gamblers. The NVSEP will only apply to California’s state-run self-exclusion list. Many tribal casinos in California run self-exclusion programs that will not be included in idPair’s system.
“NVSEP is singularly focused on expanding free and simple access to voluntary self-exclusion to those who need it. The announcement has the potential to help many of the tens of millions of people who either call California home or make it a travel destination and need a free and effective way to protect themselves,” said CEO of idPair Jonathan Aiwazian on California joining the NVSEP.
