Missouri Gaming Commission
Missouri Gaming Commission
The Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) administers a Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) for problem gamblers. This unique program, created in 1996, provides problem gamblers with a method to acknowledge that they have a gambling problem and to take personal responsibility for it by agreeing to stop visiting riverboat casinos for the rest of their life. It must be stressed that it is the responsibility of the compulsive gambler to seek treatment and refrain from visiting Missouri casinos.
The program directs Missouri casino operators to:
- remove Disassociated Persons from all direct marketing lists;
- refuse check cashing privileges; and
- deny participation in player programs.
The Voluntary Exclusion Program is not a quick fix for problem gamblers. Rather, it is a tool that many recovery problem gamblers find useful in their overall recovery program. The vast majority of people who suffer from compulsive gambling will need counseling or group therapy such as Gamblers Anonymous.
History of the program
The program was designed in response to a request from a citizen to be banned from the casinos because he found himself unable to control his gambling. The Commission first proposed a program whereby it would require all the casinos to ban individuals who identified themselves as problem gamblers.
This proposal spawned a spirited reaction from mental health treatment professionals from around the country. The treatment professionals commented that, while they understood the Commission’s good intentions, the rule as proposed did more harm that good. Their comments suggested that the only way for a problem gambler to achieve long-term recovery is for them to acknowledge that they have a problem and to take personal responsibility for it. The counselors contended that the Commission, by suggesting that it could require gaming operators to keep the problem gamblers out of the casino, was allowing the problem gambler to pass their problem on to someone else. Such a belief relieves the problem gambler from taking personal responsibility for their condition.
Treatment professionals advised the Commission such a course of action was doomed to fail because the condition was not being treated. Furthermore, they felt that the Commission was creating false hope in suggesting that it could prevent keep the problem gambler from entering the casinos. The determined gambler will always find a way to circumvent the system. The theory is backed up by a Harvard University study commissioned by the National Gambling Impact Study Commission (NGISC) found that about 1.6% of the population will suffer from pathological gambling. To try to identify and prevent entry of this small percentage of casino patrons is a task that is fraught with difficulty and destined for failure.
Based on the comments from the treatment professionals, the Commission revised the rule and initiated the program consistent with their advice. The program now provides the problem gambler with a mechanism to step forward, acknowledge that they have a problem and agree to take personal responsibility for it. Under the provisions of the program, the problem gambler agrees to accept the responsibility of staying out of the casinos. They agree that it is not the responsibility of the casinos or the Commission to prevent them from entering the casino. They agree that if they are discovered, they will be arrested for trespassing.
Since the problem gambler agrees not to go to a casino in Missouri for the remainder of their life, it only seems fair to block efforts by the gaming companies to lure them into the casinos. The program provides this protection. The Commission requires all licensees to remove persons in the program from their direct marketing lists, thus blocking enticements such as match play coupons, free dinners or free hotel visits. The Commission also directs the casinos to deny people in the program check cashing privileges and participation in player’s clubs. Finally, the Commission requires all licensees to consult the list of people in the program before paying out any jackpot of $1200 or more.
Once a person is placed on the Disassociated Persons List they can never get off. There is no procedure for removal. The reason for this policy is that those who treat problem gamblers are nearly unanimous in their belief that it is a lifetime condition and that a person is never cured but continuously recovering.
The voluntary exclusion program is not for everyone. It is not a panacea or a quick fix for problem gamblers. The vast majority of people who suffer from problem gambling will need counseling or group therapy such as Gamblers Anonymous. However, the voluntary exclusion program can be an important part of an overall recovery program. Many people find that blocking the direct marketing efforts of the casino and the consequence of being arrested for trespassing if they are discovered in a casino are helpful components of the recovery process. More important than serving as a deterrent to gambling, the arrest provides the Commission with an opportune time to encourage the gambler to get into treatment. Following each arrest, the Commission sends the gambler a letter reminding them of the available treatment options and encouraging them to get help.
Recent developments in the rule
In addition to being arrested for trespassing, the Commission has adopted a proposed rule denying gambling winnings to minors or persons in the voluntary exclusion program. This would provide the gambler with another important deterrent to resuming gambling. The Commission could inform the gambler that, in addition to being arrested for trespassing, if you win you will not be allowed to keep the winnings.
The Commission has also adopted a proposed rule allowing Disassociated Persons to enter an excursion gambling boat to carry out duties of employment. This provides the gambler with the ability to both utilize the voluntary exclusion program in their recovery plan and also maintain their current source of income at a time when it is most critical due to the financial distress created by their destructive gambling behavior.
Need more information about the program?
If you would like to find out more about the Voluntary Exclusion Program - or require other information - you may either contact the 24 hour problem gambling helpline at 1-888-BETSOFF, or you can also contact the Problem Gambling Programs Administrator in the Jefferson City office at the following address and phone number:
Missouri Gaming Commission
Attn: Problem Gambling Programs Administrator
PO Box 1847
Jefferson City, MO 65102
phone: 573/526-4080 fax: 573/526-1999