Self-exclusion and longer blocks
Reviewed: August 2026
Self-exclusion is the strongest instrument a player has, and unlike a limit it is not a setting but a decision. The account does not stay open with tighter edges — it closes. That is why two practical questions deserve answering before the button is pressed: which term to choose, and what becomes of the money sitting in the account at that moment.
Two different things, often confused
An operator's own self-exclusion covers one company. It is quick to arrange, it applies to that account, and its terms usually start from months. A national restriction in the HAMPI register works on a different level: it applies across operators licensed in Estonia at once and does not depend on whether an account has been opened anywhere. If the goal is to stop playing altogether rather than to stop at one address, the national route is the only one that does it.
Arranging it
At the operator the path is short: the responsible gambling section in account settings, the self-exclusion option, a term, and a confirmation. The block applies from that moment rather than from the next day, and the confirmation is worth keeping in writing. Where no such option appears in the menu, the same thing is done by writing to support — and the written channel is better than a chat window here, because it leaves a dated trail.
The national restriction is arranged on the state side rather than on a casino page, and identity in Estonia is confirmed in the usual way through an ID card, Mobiil-ID or Smart-ID. Once entered, it applies to every licensed operator regardless of which of them happens to be sending promotional email.
Choosing a term
| Term | When it fits |
|---|---|
| Days to weeks | A time-out: one session went off plan, but the decision is still yours to make |
| Months | The pattern repeats and a short break has already been tried without effect |
| Years or indefinite | Playing has started to affect bills, borrowing or relationships |
A chosen term cannot be shortened along the way, and support staff have no authority to do it either, however persuasive the request. When the term expires the account does not reopen by itself: a separate deliberate step is required, often with a further waiting period in front of it. That repetition is deliberate, because the end of a term rarely coincides with a calm moment.
What happens to the money
Real money stays with the player. A withdrawable balance still belongs to the account holder after the block, and the usual route is used to collect it — sometimes that means writing to support, because the cashier itself is already locked. Where the sum is significant, submitting the withdrawal before arranging the block is simply more efficient: it then travels in the normal queue with no extra correspondence attached.
The bonus side behaves in the opposite way. An active bonus, free spins and partial wagering progress are usually voided immediately, because completing them would require the playing that has just been excluded, and they are not restored when the term ends. This is the single most common surprise afterwards, and the only way to avoid it is to make the choice knowingly: either finish the wagering first or write the bonus off.
What else changes
Promotional email and notifications should stop, deposits are refused, and games do not open even with the correct password. Opening a second account under another address or another email is not a workaround but a breach of terms: such accounts are closed and the balance can be lost, turning a temporary restriction into permanent damage. If the operator's domain stops loading for some entirely different reason, that is a separate subject covered under mirrors and access.
Worth adding alongside
A block covers the casino but not the payment method. Many banks allow certain transaction types to be restricted, blocking software can be installed on a device or a home network, and telling one trusted person makes a quiet return considerably harder. Where borrowing is already involved, financial advice helps more than another deposit. The budget arithmetic sits under responsible gambling, and anything left unresolved in the cashier under complaints.