Practical "Self-Exclusion" from Bitcoin Gambling Websites

[Get-Paid.com]

This is a must-read for anyone who is looking to self-exclude his/her gambling account from a Bitcoin gambling website, whether it's a Casino website, a sportsbook, or what's not.

Brief Explanation of the problem:

In the past it was pretty easy to self-exclude yourself from a website, because you had to provide your details such as your name, date of birth, you even had to supply a copy of your ID, utility bill etc. - then if you would ask to self-exclude then you would pretty much say goodbye to that site because your details were marked.

However, since the introduction of Bitcoin - it became easier to gamble, you don't need to provide almost anything, barely an email address just for the security of the account - the rest is all Bitcoin ... and that creates a problem for those who are addicted to gambling - they cannot stop, even if they want to - they would be in troubles of having so many new websites that keep on starting a gambling business with Crypto ... Self Exclusion becomes almost impossible in this environment - for more details see this thread:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5202357.0

What can be done as a solution?

One of the solutions I was able to find is to lock your Bitcoin for a certain period of time. I am currently investigating how to do it properly in this thread:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5205451.0

Edit (6 Dec 2019): It is quite an easy thing to do, don't be scared of it - locking your Bitcoin is simpler than it seems - once you get the gist of it - it takes no more than 1-2 minutes at most to lock your BTC away for as long as you need.

It seems to me that arresting the addiction i.e. self-exclusion - is a very powerful way to stop gambling.
One of the best ways to do so with Crypto is to simply lock the Crypto away from yourself until the date you need to actually use it, if you need to use it at all.

By locking your Bitcoin for a certain period of time - you would have no immediate access to your funds, you won't be able to gamble with them - and this will create a sort of SELF EXCLUSION with the site you're wishing to avoid using.

If anyone has more insights or feedback in regards to this - I'd be happy to hear it.

Edit (5 Dec 2019):

Many thanks to shield132 who suggested the use of CrpytoMixer.io - a very simple tool to use!

With [banned mixer] you can immediately lock your Bitcoin for a period of up to 96 hours - and after 96 hours (max) you would get the Bitcoin automatically sent to your Bitcoin address. However it costs $ to use it.

Note: I personally after testing both methods would prefer Coinb.in because it costs $0 to use it and it's not limited to only 96 hours. And I think it's quite easy to use and it puts you in control of how long you want to restrict yourself.


Edit (6 Dec 2019):

For anyone criticizng the benefit of doing this I suggest you don't rely on posters here and use a more credible source:

https://www.psychforums.com/gambling-addiction/topic215306.html

Quote:
"In my opinion, no one is forced to use these methods, but for anyone to denigrate or dismiss them as not useful, is showing either arrogance or ignorance.."

[adzino]

This is a must-read for anyone who is looking to self-exclude his/her gambling account from a Bitcoin gambling website, whether it's a Casino website, a sportsbook, or what's not.

Brief Explanation of the problem:

In the past it was pretty easy to self-exclude yourself from a website, because you had to provide your details such as your name, date of birth, you even had to supply a copy of your ID, utility bill etc. - then if you would ask to self-exclude then you would pretty much say goodbye to that site because your details were marked.

However, since the introduction of Bitcoin - it became easier to gamble, you don't need to provide almost anything, barely an email address just for the security of the account - the rest is all Bitcoin ... and that creates a problem for those who are addicted to gambling - they cannot stop, even if they want to - they would be in troubles of having so many new websites that keep on starting a gambling business with Crypto ... Self Exclusion becomes almost impossible in this environment - for more details see this thread:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5202357.0

What can be done as a solution?

One of the solutions I was able to find is to lock your Bitcoin for a certain period of time. I am currently investigating how to do it properly in this thread:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5205451.0
-snip-

I don't see how this is going to help. You will be locking your wallet for a certain period of time, but you can open another wallet, get some coins and start gambling again, you know that right? Why go through all those hassle of locking just one wallet? This does not guarantee you that you will stop gambling for a certain period of time. Sites like crypto-games.net allows you to lock your account for a period of time or forever. Instead of locking your wallet, just let the site owners know that you want them to restrict your access to their server.
Instead of wasting your time locking wallets, just get help from someone if you are suffering from gambling addiction.

[Patatas]

Imagine you’re a heroin addict and you know your drugs are locked somewhere. Your cold turkey will cross all what it takes to get to the drugs and this is proven time and over again. Apply the same logic here. Doesn’t matter if the crypto is not with you but as long as you know it’s yours and someone has them, you’d do everything to get access to it. Treat the gambling addicts just like they treat the drug addicts and it will work out. The change has to be permanent and not temporary.

[kryptqnick]

Imagine you’re a heroin addict and you know your drugs are locked somewhere. Your cold turkey will cross all what it takes to get to the drugs and this is proven time and over again. Apply the same logic here. Doesn’t matter if the crypto is not with you but as long as you know it’s yours and someone has them, you’d do everything to get access to it. Treat the gambling addicts just like they treat the drug addicts and it will work out. The change has to be permanent and not temporary.

Yeah, if there is a way to use that money, an addict will find a way to do that. I think that if resources allow it, this person should dive into an environment where gambling is impossible. No Internet, no smartphone kind of situation. Perceiving the nature, focusing on some activities, working on social relationships... This could really create the situation where the person goes past the period of willing to gamble. Although it seems that such methods work, I find them cruel.

[Mahanton]

Imagine you’re a heroin addict and you know your drugs are locked somewhere. Your cold turkey will cross all what it takes to get to the drugs and this is proven time and over again. Apply the same logic here. Doesn’t matter if the crypto is not with you but as long as you know it’s yours and someone has them, you’d do everything to get access to it. Treat the gambling addicts just like they treat the drug addicts and it will work out. The change has to be permanent and not temporary.

Good way of illustrating such example which is really indeed part of the reality.Its hard to resist or to stop completely if you do know that you have something on there.
You know that you have funds then even how hard you do lock those things up you would still end up on getting them in the end of the day just to feed up your addiction.
If you do really want to stop completely then it would start on ones self in talks of discipline and sef-awareness when it comes to your actions.

[nelson4lov]

There's is no established way to just magically stop gambling. To tell you the truth, Locking away your assets doesn't seem to solve the problem. Unless you plan to make sure you don't have access to it in any way. By access, I mean, It's either lost or in control of someone you can reach out to access it. I've seen people break toxic addictions, anyone can
 Just that, the decision to stop has to come from the individual itself.

[Oilacris]

Most gamblers would just completely stop gambling if they have been wrecked badly in terms of funds.Theres no way to stop if you are addicted.

You would only completely stop if youre out of funds and theres nothing you can do.

[Get-Paid.com]

I feel like there is a huge sense of ignorance or lack of understanding of gambling addiction for 2 possible reasons:

• Either some of the posters here are part of the gambling industry and are trying to portray the situation as if they know how gambling addiction works but they have no sense of how it works whatsoever and intentionally or unintentionally posting a lot of nonsense here
• Or either some posters here genuinely feel like they have to share their 0 experience with gambling addiction - which is again - unhelpful, incorrect and full of lies

Okay, so first of all with gambling addiction - anything you can do to avoid the addiction is helpful ... that means that "every little helps" - self exclusion, avoid access to cash, trusting your partner/family to handle your finances etc. - all these steps can help avoiding gambling addiction, especially if that's a severe one.

You are claiming that the addiction is within the mindset of the gambler, that it's within his control to decide and be responsible for his actions ... so that is again - incorrect, at least not all the times.

The best way to avoid gambling is by putting barriers, fences, milestones big or small to avoid the temptation to gamble. It starts with solutions like this, which some of you seem to "underestimate" (or intentionally "underestimate" it as implied above).

Such solution like this can be used not only by the gambler but by also by his/her partner or close family.

If you have 0.5 BTC as part of your "savings" and you lock it away for 1 month then you won't gamble with that 0.5 BTC... you might not even be able to get "another" 0.5 BTC to gamble with - you would eventually arrest your addiction, these are the steps that can help an addict to stop gambling.

You might not like it but that is the truth, thousands of addicts can testify that this is right ... you can be haters, intentionally criticize it, but by all means - stop taking from gamblers their options to get their own freedom, stop spreading lies and dissuade those in need from going through the right path, it's immorally wrong, unscrupulous and serves no purpose whatsoever other than filling greed, lust and what's not...

So I'd urge anyone who has no real experience with gambling addiction to stop posting nonsense in this thread, it serves no purpose whatsoever.

[deisik]

I feel like there is a huge sense of ignorance or lack of understand gambling addiction for 2 possible reasons:

• Either some of the posers here are part of the gambling industry and are trying to portray the situation as if they know how gambling addiction works but they have no sense of how it works whatsoever and intentionally or unintentionally posting a lot of nonsense here

Established casinos cannot be interested in gambling addicts as they cause them too much headache

Okay, so first of all with gambling addiction - anything you can do to avoid the addiction is helpful ... that means that "every little helps" - self exclusion, avoid access to cash, trusting your partner/family to handle your finances etc. - all these steps can help avoiding gambling addiction, especially if that's a severe one.

You are claiming that the addiction is within the mindset of the gambler, that it's within his control to decide and be responsible for his actions ... so that is again - incorrect, at least not all the times

Addiction, any addiction for that matter, is within the mindset of the gambler

It simply cannot exist anywhere else. Regardless, to completely get rid of his addiction, a gambler has to change his mindset entirely (that basically proves why it is there). Half-measures (like putting barriers, fences, milestones, whatever) are not going to cut it, so they cannot possibly be the best way to lose interest in gambling, either

The best and in fact the only genuine way to get done and over with a ruinous habit is to pass through a sort of painful catharsis, and that most certainly means quitting the addiction cold turkey. Otherwise, the gambler will remain the same person (read, addict) with his addiction still in place and mostly intact at that

[Get-Paid.com]

The best and in fact the only genuine way to get done with a ruinous habit is to pass through a sort of painful catharsis, and that most certainly means quitting the addiction cold turkey.

Stopping the addiction doesn't have to go through the extreme measures, through falling badly, "reaching this rock bottom" you are referring to.

Not all gambling addicts reach a rock bottom, it doesn't have to be part of their lives ...

Some addicts want to stop, they do, their mindset is about stopping - and disabling access to cash is one step for them to keep pursuing the goal they want to pursue.

For you "it's all or nothing" - you either stopped or you haven't - in real life there is more to it... just take it or leave it, it is a fact of life, pure and simple.

[Slow death]

I must agree with you, I already had an addicted relative, so I understand what you are saying and you are very correct. We have to close all possibilities for the addict do not get money and close any chance of him do not having access anywhere he can play. The saddest of all is when the addict promises you that will change and never change, is a fight of years and a lot of pain

[Get-Paid.com]

This actually proves the whole point, that half-measures don't work

The fact someone hasn't stopped and is addicted for years doesn't mean what he does - doesn't work ...

To date there aren't 100% perfect solutions to quit gambling ... if there was 1 solution that works for everyone then the gambling industry would cease to exist.

You are spreading lies when you say those things don't work - please just stop it.

[Get-Paid.com]

Half-measures never work. There is nothing to argue about

Can you please just leave the thread if you have 0 knowledge about gambling addiction? Seriously, you're causing more harm than doing good with your nonsense.

[Get-Paid.com]

How do we know that you have?

I seriously have no idea what your intentions are but I can tell 100% they are not genuine.
I think I already myself clear and I won't explain it again.

[panganib999]

It seems to me that arresting the addiction i.e. self-exclusion - is a very powerful way to stop gambling.
One of the best ways to do so with Crypto is to simply lock the Crypto away from yourself until the date you need to actually use it, if you need to use it at all.

Well, it is indeed one of the best, but I'm pretty sure this isn't the best one. Like, addiction comes from the self, and well, self-exclusion doesn't really work once addiction takes place. A heavy will is pretty much needed to start off that and in the first place, the moment you went and fell for addiction, it showed that you had no such thing. I'm not saying it is inefficient, but for those completely addicted to gambling, self-exclusion isn't the way, well could be a part of it, but it would be pretty weak imo.

[marlboroza]

It's not going to work unless you have someone very close to you who will take care of all your funds. It has to be closest family member, someone who will understand problem and someone who spends most time with you, unfortunately, most will see you as "something very bad" and "something very bad" should take care of their problems by themselves. Most people don't understand addiction - they blame person instead trying to help them.

What is worth for topic is that just locking funds for certain period won't do much because eventually your will unlock funds and then you will find yourself in situation to deposit unlocked funds and gamble with them - rinse and repeat. Besides, you can always exchange cash to bitcoin and gamble with bitcoin or just gamble with cash - gambling addiction doesn't have currency and bitcoin is irrelevant in this whole story.

Keep in mind that you can't completely cure addiction.

[Get-Paid.com]

self-exclusion isn't the way, well could be a part of it, but it would be pretty weak imo.

You don't sound like someone who understands the mindset of a gambling addict if that's your final claim - read this please:

https://www.gamblingtherapy.org/en/taking-my-life-back-self-exclusion

Quote:
"Now I can start repairing the damage i caused without causing any more. Every CG needs to self-exclude."
(CG refers to a compulsive gambler if you don't understand the abbreviation).

Another source:
https://www.psychforums.com/gambling-addiction/topic161211.html

Quote:
The big thing for me and the thing that made the biggest difference is that I self-excluded from all casinos in my state. I tried to quit hundreds of times but I never did anything differently. I now realize that I wasn't "serious" about quitting.

I will repeat what I said countless times in this thread - if you guys don't understand gambling addicts - just don't get involved, seriously - just leave this thread alone, your opinion is useless, irrelevant, incorrect and pointless.

[Get-Paid.com]

It's not going to work unless you have someone very close to you who will take care of all your funds. It has to be closest family member, someone who will understand problem and someone who spends most time with you, unfortunately, most will see you as "something very bad" and "something very bad" should take care of their problems by themselves. Most people don't understand addiction - they blame person instead trying to help them.

What is worth for topic is that just locking funds for certain period won't do much because eventually your will unlock funds and then you will find yourself in situation to deposit unlocked funds and gamble with them - rinse and repeat. Besides, you can always exchange cash to bitcoin and gamble with bitcoin or just gamble with cash - gambling addiction doesn't have currency and bitcoin is irrelevant in this whole story.

Keep in mind that you can't completely cure addiction.

Are you speaking on behalf of problem gamblers or on behalf of yourself? Seriously how come this forum is full of people who love to spread nonsense?!?!

This user asked to be self-excluded:

https://forum.stake.com/topic/26609-this-site-should-have-a-self-exclusion-option/

He doesn't have that option.

Threads like this offer a feasible solution, since there isn't any self-exclusion policy for Bitcoin websites.

What part of it is difficult for you to comprehend or digest? Why is it so difficult to understand it?

[carlfebz2]

This user asked to be self-excluded:

https://forum.stake.com/topic/26609-this-site-should-have-a-self-exclusion-option/

He doesn't have that option.

Reading up that thread which the guy somewhat seeking off for that feature.He do blame off the site for him to lose another 500 bucks?
I dont see for any sites that do have this kind of arrangement but you can actually ask them to do but its not really ethical to block out some users account
with funds in it just not to let him proceed or to play?

[deisik]

The best and in fact the only genuine way to get done with a ruinous habit is to pass through a sort of painful catharsis, and that most certainly means quitting the addiction cold turkey.

Stopping the addiction doesn't have to go through the extreme measures, through falling badly, "reaching this rock bottom" you are referring to

Well, stopping the addiction and quitting the addiction seem to me to be two very different things

If the gambler doesn't have funds or the Internet access, he won't be able to gamble indeed. But will he stop being a gambling addict if he stays away from this activity for a year or even a dozen years? I guess the answer should be a strong no (unless we are talking about a teenager or a kid). It is better to consciously and willingly choose to suffer some pain, even if it is an extreme pain, for a short while and then become totally immune to the addiction (read, lose all interest in gambling, or whatever) than remain essentially the same addict and risk a relapse at any moment

I must agree with you, I already had an addicted relative, so I understand what you are saying and you are very correct. We have to close all possibilities for the addict do not get money and close any chance of him do not having access anywhere he can play. The saddest of all is when the addict promises you that will change and never change, is a fight of years and a lot of pain

This actually proves the whole point, that half-measures don't work

You are spreading lies when you say those things don't work - please just stop it

Half-measures never work. There is nothing to argue about

Can you please just leave the thread if you have 0 knowledge about gambling addiction?

How do we know that you have?

I dont see for any sites that do have this kind of arrangement

BitKong has implemented this (or something very similar)