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The NJ gambling self-exclusion list is a register kept by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) of people who have asked to be barred from gambling in the state for one year, five years or for life. While a name is on it, licensed casinos must refuse that person credit, comps and player club benefits, and anything the person wins is subject to forfeiture. A term does not end on its own: the name stays listed until the person asks for removal, and lifetime enrollees cannot ask at all.
What the list is and who keeps it
The list is an administrative record held by the DGE under Chapter 69G of Title 13 of the New Jersey Administrative Code (N.J.A.C. 13:69G). The regulation speaks of two registers, self-exclusion and Internet self-exclusion, and a person states on the request form which one applies and for how long.
In practice the DGE treats a single filing as broad. Its instructions say that one request covers every New Jersey casino and sports wagering facility, and where a person has filed more than once, the longer period is the one kept.
The three terms: one year, five years and lifetime
Every request names a length, and the regulation allows only three. The request form must state the length as one year, five years or lifetime.
| Term | How to enrol (as of October 2026) | Can it be removed later? |
|---|---|---|
| One year | Online registration or in person | Yes, by request after the term expires |
| Five years | Online registration or in person | Yes, by request after the term expires |
| Lifetime | Video or in-person conference with the DGE | No removal route |
The DGE's online form offers only the shorter terms. For life, a person must contact the Division to schedule a conference, by video or in person, at 1-833-788-4DGE. The code is stricter still for online play: a lifetime Internet request must be made in person at a location the Division designates.
What a casino must do once you are listed
Listing places duties on the operator, not only on the player. Under N.J.A.C. 13:69G-2.4, casinos must deny credit and comps to a self-excluded person, along with check cashing, player club membership and junket participation.
For online accounts the rule is immediate. When a listed person is identified, the operator must immediately block the internet gaming account.
Some operators go beyond the state rule. The DGE notes that a casino group may impose stricter bans such as worldwide property bans lasting as long as the state term, so a New Jersey listing can follow a person to that company's properties elsewhere.
What happens to winnings if a listed person plays
Gambling while listed does not produce a payout the person keeps. The DGE warns of forfeiture of winnings, chips and credits, including electronic credits and funds in an online account.
The person agrees to this in advance. The request includes a signed waiver on forfeiture covering any money or thing of value seized from, or owed by, a casino during the exclusion period.
Forfeiture still follows a procedure. Under N.J.A.C. 13:69G-3.2, seized items are held and forfeited only on complaint of the Division, after notice and an opportunity to be heard. The person must request a hearing within 15 days of the notice, in writing; without that request, forfeiture is ordered.
How removal works when a term ends
Expiry alone changes nothing. The DGE states that the name remains on the list after the term ends until the person requests removal, so a one-year enrollee who never asks stays barred.
The removal route excludes lifetime enrollees. Anyone else may apply in person once the chosen period has expired. The form they sign is a revocation of the earlier request, authorising casinos to reinstate gaming privileges.
The Division must then delete the name by the fifth business day after it receives the request.
How New Jersey compares with other states
New Jersey's choice of fixed terms, a forfeiture waiver and removal only on request is one design among several. The Journal's explainer on Michigan self exclusion lists sets out how a state with two separate registers handles the same questions.
Questions and answers
What happens if you gamble while self-excluded?
Casinos must deny you credit, comps and player club benefits, an online operator must block your account, and winnings, chips and credits are subject to forfeiture. You can contest forfeiture by requesting a hearing in writing within 15 days of the notice.
Can you get rid of a self-exclusion?
Only after the term you chose has expired, and only if it was a one-year or five-year term. You request removal in person, and the Division deletes your name by the end of the fifth business day after receiving the request.
Can a lifetime self-exclusion in New Jersey be reversed?
No. The removal rule applies to every self-excluded person except those who chose a lifetime term.
Does a casino's own ban last longer than the state list?
It can reach further. The DGE notes that some operators ban listed persons from their properties worldwide for the length of the state term.
References
- Cornell LII (New Jersey Administrative Code), N.J.A.C. 13:69G-2.2 Request for self-exclusion and Internet self-exclusion, accessed 22 October 2026.
- Cornell LII (New Jersey Administrative Code), N.J.A.C. 13:69G-2.4 Duties of casino licensee, accessed 22 October 2026.
- Cornell LII (New Jersey Administrative Code), N.J.A.C. 13:69G-2.5 Removal from self-exclusion list, accessed 22 October 2026.
- Cornell LII (New Jersey Administrative Code), N.J.A.C. 13:69G-3.2 Prohibited person; forfeiture of winnings, accessed 22 October 2026.
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, Self Exclusion Instructions, accessed 22 October 2026.
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