Australian self-exclusion service sees “encouraging” number of first-year sign-ups

BetStop, Australia’s national gambling self-exclusion register, has had more than 28,000 users sign up in its first year of being live, with almost 50% of registrants under the age of 30.

The service was first launched in August 2023 by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) to allow players to self-exclude from gambling for a minimum of three months up to a lifetime. 

According to new data released by ACMA to coincide with BetStop’s one-year anniversary, the regulator said the stats showed Australians “want help in managing their gambling behaviour”.

Young people were particularly keen users of the service, with almost half (49%) of registrations coming from adults under the age of 30.  

Almost a third (30%) of users were aged 31 to 40, while a fifth (21%) were aged 41 to 50.  

More than 2,100 registrants opted to extend their initial exclusion period, with a third extending to lifetime exclusion. 

From current users of the system, nearly half (47%) have chosen a lifetime exclusion – the most popular choice for users over the age of 31.  

An additional 1,900 users went on to reactivate their exclusion after they completed their initial period. 

Sporting events in Australia were highlighted as key triggers for self-exclusion, with registrations increasing around the time of the Australian Football League and National Rugby League finals, as well as horseracing’s Melbourne Cup. 

The New Year period was also seen as a key self-exclusion window, with weekends also witnessing the largest spikes in registrations.

Players tend to see through their self-exclusion periods, with only 1% (330 people) opting to cancel before their exclusion expires. 

ACMA confirmed that as of 21 August, there were about 23,000 current users on the BetStop system.

ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said: “Online gambling can cause a great deal of harm to individuals, their families and friends, so it’s encouraging that so many people have decided to take the step and register to self-exclude.  

“Younger Australians in particular are making early decisions about the role that online gambling will play in their lives.” 

Players also have the chance to nominate someone to support them during their exclusion, and people who do so are more likely to exclude for a lifetime when compared to customers who go it alone (60% against 45%).   

O’Loughlin added: “Many people are also choosing to nominate someone to support them. Stopping online gambling can be a difficult decision to make – having someone to support you can make the decision much easier.

“And many people are committing to long-term change, with a high percentage of people choosing to exclude for life.” 

Earlier this week, ACMA issued a formal warning to streaming service 10 Play for broadcasting gambling ads from three operators.