Wyoming Joins National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program

The Cowboy State is taking a big swing at the rise of problem gambling.

Wyoming has officially joined the National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program. The state joined the program, operated by idPair, to provide residents struggling with problem gambling with another resource. Wyoming is the 21st state to join the growing program, which prevents people from placing bets or being targeted for advertising.

Wyoming residents will be able to sign up for the program starting on December 15.

List Can Help Fight Gambling Addiction

While self-exclusionary programs aren’t perfect, they are becoming an essential weapon in the fight against gambling addiction. That’s due to the prevalence of legal sports betting, which is advertised on TV and radio game broadcasts, podcasts, and across the sports media industry. That makes it impossible for sports fans to avoid, which is incredibly dangerous for those struggling with addiction.

Self-exclusion lists are the safest way to ensure a person’s addiction doesn’t get the better of them. They are unable to use any online sportsbooks during the selected time period, even if they change their minds after signing up. 

While there are ways for people to work around these lists, they remain one of the more effective tools in the fight against gambling addiction.

How to Sign Up 

If you are in Wyoming or another state in the National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Programs and looking to sign up, we have you covered. Here is a quick guide to help you get signed up:

1. Fill out and submit the required forms online, choosing how long you’d like to be on the list
2. When requested, upload a photo of your government-issued ID to verify your identity
3. Some states will require the request to be notarized, though the program offers this service for free
4. Submit everything and await confirmation

Once you complete the process, the site will alert state regulators and confirm that your name has officially been added to the list. 

We recommend carefully considering the length of the self-exclusion, given that reversal is near impossible.

Prediction Markets Weaken Program

A few years ago, the argument against self-exclusion programs was that bettors could still wager using offshore sportsbooks. While those platforms offer an illegal way to bet on sports, they also aren’t required to follow any fair play regulations. While this is a real danger, many bettors hesitate before leaving the legal market.

Fast forward to today, and an even bigger problem has been encountered. The proliferation of sports prediction markets continues, with Fanatics Sportsbook recently launching its own platform. While sportsbooks offering prediction markets may still respect self-exclusion lists, nothing prevents their rivals from ignoring them. 

That means people struggling with addiction will have an easy and legal alternative, making their inclusion on the list meaningless.