Self exclusion closes an account for a longer period, usually six months to five years, and it cannot be shortened once it starts. The casino must refuse new accounts in the player's name, return any balance and stop all marketing. Many operators apply the exclusion across every brand they run, and the terms list those sites. When the period ends, the account stays closed until the player asks, and some casinos add a waiting period and a conversation before reopening.
Where a national self exclusion scheme exists, one registration blocks the player at every casino licensed under it. The scheme matches names, dates of birth, addresses and emails against each new registration, so a fresh account at another site is refused. Periods are chosen at sign up and run in full. A scheme covers only the casinos it licenses, and a site operating outside it is not bound, which is why many players combine it with other kinds of block.
An exclusion works best alongside other support. A helpline or a support service offers free, confidential conversations, and many casinos link to one from the page where the exclusion is set. Telling a trusted person about the decision makes it easier to keep. When the urge to play returns, blocking software and a gambling block at the bank close the routes an exclusion leaves open, such as sites outside a national scheme.