The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) has decided to maintain its current casino self-exclusion reinstatement process, rejecting a proposed change that would have made reinstatement automatic after ban expiration.

Under the existing system, individuals can choose to ban themselves from casinos for one year, five years, or life. Those selecting one- or five-year bans must actively apply for reinstatement once their ban period ends, unlike the state's other self-exclusion programs for iGaming, video gaming terminals (VGTs), and fantasy sports, which restore access automatically.

The PGCB initially proposed changing the policy to reduce administrative workload and prevent accidental trespassing by individuals who mistakenly believe their access is automatically restored. However, after receiving predominantly negative public feedback, the board decided to maintain the current system.

Gambling addiction experts praised the decision. Jody Bechtold, CEO of The Better Institute, emphasized that the reinstatement application requirement helps prevent impulsive returns to gambling and encourages thoughtful decision-making.

Current Pennsylvania Self-Exclusion Statistics:

• Total enrollees across all programs: 33,950
• Casino self-exclusion participants: 23,238
• Male participants: 15,045
• iGaming self-exclusions: 7,200+
• VGT self-exclusions: 2,000
• Attempted casino entries by excluded persons since 2006: 9,200

The PGCB's decision maintains Pennsylvania's position as having one of the nation's most comprehensive gambling self-exclusion programs, serving the country's fifth-largest population across multiple gambling formats including retail and online casinos, sports betting, truck stop VGTs, and fantasy sports.

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