Three Levels of Self-Exclusion
- One brand. You close your account at a single casino for a set period.
- One company's brands. The operator applies your exclusion to every brand it runs.
- Every UK-licensed online gambling site. The UK's national online self-exclusion scheme blocks you from all of them at once, for free.
Which one you get at a casino depends on what you ask for. At Entain's UK brands, for example, the default is the first level. Clause 12.4 of the Ladbrokes and Coral UK terms, read on 7 October 2026, says you can ask them to "apply your self-exclusion to all the Brands run by the Entain Group. If you do not specify, your request will only be applied to this Brand."
What UK Rules Require From Licensed Casinos
Under the Gambling Commission's licence conditions, read on 9 October 2026, a UK-licensed online operator must, when you self-exclude:
- close your accounts and return the money in them;
- take all reasonable steps to stop you gambling, and stop marketing to you, removing you from marketing databases "used by the company or group" within two days;
- let you self-exclude both through customer services and through an automated process;
- point you to counselling and support services.
A second code sets out good practice, which operators should follow unless they can show another approach is reasonable. Under it, you should be able to exclude straight away, with no cooling-off period, for a minimum of six to twelve months, with the option of up to at least five years. Operators should also encourage you to exclude from other online operators you use.
Every UK-licensed online operator must also take part in the national scheme, a licence requirement since 31 March 2020. The Commission's code is short: "Licensees must participate in the national multi-operator self-exclusion scheme."
How to Make Self-Exclusion Cover Sister Sites
- Ask for group-wide exclusion. When you self-exclude, ask in writing for it to apply to every brand the company runs, and keep the confirmation.
- Know the family. Our sister sites A–Z shows which brands share a company, so you know which other sites the request should cover.
- Use the national scheme to block every UK-licensed online site, including brands from other groups.
- Add a bank block. Many UK banks let you block gambling payments on your card or account, often in their app. Because the block works on the payment, not the site, it can reach casinos without a UK licence too.
- Install blocking software on your phone and computer, so gambling sites don't load.
The Gap: Casinos Without a UK Licence
The national scheme and the Commission's rules only reach UK-licensed operators. Casinos licensed elsewhere, such as in Curaçao, aren't part of it, so a UK self-exclusion won't block them. Any self-exclusion they offer is run by that company alone, under its own rules.
If you've self-excluded, steer clear of these sites. A gambling block at your bank and blocking software on your devices can help close this gap.
Free Support
Self-exclusion works best alongside support. The National Gambling Helpline is free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland or 0808 2819 265 in Wales. Our responsible gambling page lists other free help, including NHS gambling clinics in England, Gamblers Anonymous and GamAnon.
Samantha worked as a journalist for several years before moving into casino reviews three years ago. At SisterSpy she covers UK-licensed casino groups, safer gambling and how to check who really owns a casino.
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