17 Nov

Indiana Live & Online Exclusion from Gaming

Involuntary & Voluntary Self-Exclusion from Online Gambling in Indiana

Involuntary & Voluntary Self-Exclusion from Online Gambling in IndianaIndiana protects its citizens and preserves the integrity of its regulated gaming market by upholding specific exclusion guidelines. People are protected from the potential harms of gambling by having the option to self-exclude from land-based gaming, online sportsbooks, or both. At the same time, involuntary (court-ordered) exclusion protects the industry from those who might seek to undermine its integrity. This article will provide you information on both. We’ll talk a bit about each type of exclusion, how you can join the self-exclusion list, and your options when doing so.

Involuntary Live & Online Exclusion from Gaming

If your name appears on the Indiana involuntary exclusion list, you will be unable to participate in any gambling activities at Indiana’s land-based casinos. You may also be excluded from online sportsbooks and daily fantasy sports betting, depending on the nature of the crime that put your name on the list in the first place.

For a name to show up on this list, it’s generally due to a court order. Court mandates generally apply to people who have committed some type of gambling-related crime. The length of time a name remains on the list will depend on the severity of that crime.

Suffice it to say, if you’ve been involuntarily excluded from gaming in Indiana, you should already about it, why it happened, and how long you’ll be on it.

Some common reasons for court-ordered exclusion include…

  • past-posting or capping bets.
  • striking and/or damaging slot machines.
  • using/attempting to use counterfeit currency.
  • illegally taking possession of game chips.
  • bringing narcotics onto a casino property.
  • attempting to sell narcotics on a gaming property.
  • illegal possession of lost/stolen TITO tickets.
  • conducting fraudulent check or credit card cash advances.
  • providing false information on a W9 form while cashing out chips.

Voluntary Self-Exclusion from Land-Based Gaming

Indiana state laws provides two separate forms of voluntary self-exclusion – one from land-based gaming facilities, and the other from online and mobile betting services (see below).

The original, land-based variety is known as the Indiana Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP). The program has been in effect since 2004, and allows people to self-exclude themselves from all Indiana gaming properties by filling out a single form.

VEP forms are available at all Indiana casinos and racinos, at the IGC office in Indianapolis, or at any designated problem gambling treatment center. When signing up, individuals can choose to be excluded for a period of 1 year, 5 years, or for their full lifetime.

Only the individual registering for VEP up can sign themselves up. A friend/family member/counselor cannot sign up for someone, or force them to sign up against their own free will, nor can an individual sign up while under the influence of any drug or alcohol.

Unfortunately, once you sign up for the VEP, it is your responsibility to steer clear of land-based casinos, riverboat casinos, racinos, OTBs, etc. the IGC will take a picture, and that picture will be shared with all licensed gaming facilities, but if you manage to slip in and place a bet, the penalty lies on you – not them. Any money you lose will remain lost, and if you win, you will not be able to cash out the money.

To get your name removed from the VEP, you must wait until the chosen expiration period is over (1 year or 5 years), then fill out a VEP Request for Removal form.

Voluntary Self-Exclusion from Online Sports Betting

This is a separate, voluntary program called the Internet Self Restriction Program (ISRP). Signing up for the ISRP will not automatically put you on the VEP list, or vice versa. If you want to be on both, you must sign up for both.

The ISRP restricts voluntary registrants from placing a bet at any of Indiana’s regulated online sports betting websites. This program is much more effective than the land-based voluntary exclusion program, since it’s darn-near impossible to circumvent the identity verification process. If anyone who is self-excluded from online betting attempts to sign up an iGaming account under their own name and/or SSN, they will be promptly denied service. Try to sign up under another name, and you’re opening a whole new can of illegal worms.

Otherwise, the rules for ISRP are essentially the same as VEP. You can sign up for 1 year, 5 years or lifetime. If you choose the 1 year of 5 year options, you can remove yourself from the list by filling out a Request for Removal after the chosen period of time has expired.

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