PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Gaming (Department) announced today the launch of new public service announcements (PSAs), including Take Back the Game, a digital, TV, and radio advertisement that raises awareness of the state’s self-exclusion program. As part of the program, Arizonans can request to be banned from all Arizona gambling establishments, event wagering, and fantasy sports apps, or all of the above, for a 1-year ban, 5-year ban, or 10-year ban.
“Arizona first launched a voluntary self-exclusion program in the early 2000s as a tool for residents to opt out of visiting tribal casinos if they decided gambling was negatively impacting their well-being and becoming problematic,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Later, the Department expanded the program to include event wagering and fantasy sports. Today, with the Take Back the Game campaign, our agency affirms the value of self-exclusion as an empowering, practical tool that has positive impacts for thousands of Arizonans.”
Through self-exclusion – signified in the PSA as Take Back the Game – residents can exclude themselves from all regulated tribal casinos, licensed event wagering and fantasy sports contest operators, or all of these categories. Arizonans can begin the required forms on their own or in-person at the Department’s Phoenix office. Once excluded, the person is banned from playing for the entirety of their exclusion period. The Department regularly updates tribal gaming stakeholders and event wagering and fantasy sports contest operators with the list of self-excluded individuals so that direct marketing to these individuals stops and they are prevented from accessing gambling winnings.
In the Take Back the Game PSA – a thirty-second spot available both in English and Spanish editions – viewers watch a live self-exclusion take place at the Department’s Phoenix office with support and empathy on display. The Department manages the self-exclusion program in-house with dedicated administrators and notary publics. Arizona residents and visitors can make an appointment ahead of time by reaching out to: selfexclusion@azgaming.gov or 602-771-4263. Alternatively, Arizonans can access the program forms at gaming.az.gov/exclude and email the required documents to selfexclusion@azgaming.gov, or by U.S. mail to: Arizona Department of Gaming 100 N. 15th Avenue Phoenix 85007.
Since its inception, the program has helped more than 11,900 Arizonans take back the game by choosing self-exclusion. Currently, active self-exclusions are at 2,500 and growing. Participants report reduced triggers and temptation for gambling – allowing them to focus on their well-being while spending more time on hobbies and with their family, as represented in Take Back the Game.
