An Empirical Evaluation of the ClubsNSW (Australia) Multi-Venue Self-Exclusion Program

Few empirical studies have evaluated the effectiveness of self-exclusion programs. Research is required to identify factors contributing to decisions to enter and/or breach self-exclusion orders, or to self-excluded gamblers to seek additional treatment. Clinical characteristics of self-excluders remain relatively unknown in addition to factors that differentiate gamblers who do or do not breach. Limitations of current programs are that gamblers can self-exclude from only one or a limited number of venues. The Multi-venue Self-exclusion program, developed and implemented by ClubsNSW (Australia), is a centralised web-based system designed to help problem gamblers self exclude from up to 35 venues at a time. The online system presents gamblers with the choice of registering from within the venue assisted by the club manager or a trained staff member, or to self-exclude offsite through a gambling counsellor. In a retrospective design, the population characteristics, and the motivations and behaviours of a sample of self-excluded gamblers will be described; the implications of the study findings for the management of the Multi-venue Self-exclusion program will be discussed