Gambling Self-Exclusion in Massachusetts (VSE)

How does Massachusetts's self-exclusion program work?

Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) Program is run by Massachusetts Gaming Commission (with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and licensed operators). You enroll once and every operator it covers must refuse you for the term you chose.

Run by

Massachusetts Gaming Commission (with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and licensed operators)

What it covers

Statewide exclusion from casino gaming, sports wagering (retail and online), and iLottery; the casino, sports wagering, and iLottery VSE lists are separate and you can enroll in one or more.

Durations

1 year · 3 years · 5 years · lifetime

Help line

1-800-426-1234

How do I sign up for self-exclusion in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts's self-exclusion form is on the official Massachusetts Gaming Commission (with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission and licensed operators) page linked below — there is no fee and no third party needs to be involved.

1. 1 Phone: call the 24-hour line 1-800-426-1234
2. 2 Online: live chat at PlayWell.org, 24 hours a day
3. 3 In person: PlayWell Info Centers at the state casinos or the MGC Boston office
4. 4 Remote video enrollment session

Official page: massgaming.com/about/voluntary-self-exclusion — enroll there directly, never through a third-party site.

How do I get off the Massachusetts self-exclusion list?

Massachusetts does not drop you at the end of your term. Once the term you chose has run, you have to complete a brief reinstatement session to come off the VSE list.

Can it be ended early?

No. The term you pick is the term you serve.

At the end of the term

You stay on the list until you apply to come off. Reaching the end date on its own does nothing.

1. 1 Complete the term you selected.
2. 2 Book and complete the reinstatement session - the program contact is 617-533-9737 or vse@massgaming.gov.
3. 3 You come off the list once that session is done, not when the date passes.

Lifetime exclusion can only be chosen after first completing a shorter term, so it is never the option you land on by accident.

Worth saying plainly: wanting off the list is not the same as being ready to gamble again, and the urge to check usually arrives long before the term does. What actually happens when people come off a self-exclusion list goes through that in full.

What should I watch out for with Massachusetts self-exclusion?

Lifetime exclusion can only be chosen after first completing a shorter term. Removal is not automatic: after the selected term ends you must complete a brief reinstatement session to come off the list. Program contact: 617-533-9737, vse@massgaming.gov.

Is self-exclusion enough on its own in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts's program only binds operators licensed in the state — offshore sites and crypto casinos ignore it. The setup that holds is layered: self-exclusion, plus a ban inside each betting app you hold, plus a gambling blocker on your devices plus a gambling block on your bank card. For the full walkthrough, start with our self-exclusion guide or the complete guide to quitting gambling.

Gambling across the Massachusetts line?

A state program only binds operators licensed in that state. If you drive to a casino or bet on an app registered next door, you need that state's ban too.

• Connecticut self-exclusion: sign-up and durations
• New Hampshire: enrollment options and alternatives
• Voluntary Self-Exclusion (VSE) (New York)
• Rhode Island Self-Exclusion Program (Rhode Island)
• Voluntary Self-Exclusion List (Vermont)

Or compare every US state's program side by side.

Frequently asked questions