Voluntary Exclusion Program

The Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) allows you to voluntarily agree to refrain from entering and playing at any Maryland casino.

People wishing to voluntarily exclude may do so at Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters in Baltimore OR at any of the state’s casinos. Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency staff members, located at each casino, are able to conduct application interviews at any time during casino operation hours. To arrange an appointment for an application interview at Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters, please call 410-230-8798.

Yes, the application interview must be completed in person.

No, you can also enroll at the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters in Baltimore. Please call the office to schedule an appointment. The contact information for the MLGCA is 1800 Washington Blvd, Suite 330, Baltimore, MD 21230. The telephone number for the Responsible Gambling Program Coordinator is 410-230-8798.

Anyone can voluntarily exclude themselves.

No. This is a voluntary program and only you can complete the application.

You must notify the Commission prior to starting a job at the casino. However, you may be in the casino only to perform the duties of your employment. Horseshoe Baltimore does not currently permit VEPs to work at the casino if they are not already employed by the casino.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency cannot divulge the names of those on the voluntary exclusion list to spouses, significant others or employers.

However, all people who enroll in the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program receive a copy of all documents that they sign as part of the enrollment process. A follow-up letter is also sent to the home of each voluntarily excluded person informing them of their approved application.

People who have enrolled in the Voluntary Exclusion Program who have misplaced or lost copies of these documents may receive new copies from MLGCA’s Responsible Gambling Coordinator, who can be reached at 410-230-8798.

Please call the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency Responsible Gambling Program Coordinator at 410-230-8798 to report your suspicions and the name of the casino where you believe a voluntarily excluded individual is gambling.

The only people who will have access to your information will be the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency and designated personnel at Maryland’s casinos.

No, your name and all other information will remain confidential and cannot be released to the public, including your family and friends.

You will be asked to provide your name, address, telephone numbers, Social Security number and driver’s license or state ID number. You will need to have your driver’s license or a state-issued identification card.

You will also be asked to give a brief physical description, and a photo of you will be taken when you complete the application. We will ask questions to verify that you understand the program and you are signing up for it voluntarily. The process takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

Yes, you may bring someone with you for moral support, but the interview must be completed privately with an MLGCA staff member. This insures that the information remains confidential and your rights are protected.

MLGCA’s Responsible Gambling Coordinator and Agency staff members who work on-site at Maryland’s casinos have access to a language line to assist with translation services for people who do not speak English.

No, there is no cost.

Once you complete the application, it will be reviewed by MLGCA’s Responsible Gambling Coordinator. Valid applications will be entered into the database and your information will be given to the Maryland casinos. Once you information is received by the casino operators, your name will be removed from all direct marketing (please allow 4-6 weeks for direct marketing mail/email to cease) and your player card, if you have one, will be inactivated.

The Voluntary Exclusion Program was created to help problem gamblers help themselves. The responsibility for staying out of Maryland casinos rests solely on the individual who voluntarily excludes and not with the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency or any Maryland casino. If a voluntarily excluded person is found in a Maryland casino, the person may receive a citation for criminal trespassing.

A person enrolled for at least two years may request removal from the list at the expiration of that time period by completing a Request for Removal Application. A person applying for removal from the Voluntary Exclusion Program must first undergo a problem gambling assessment by a licensed professional who is approved by the state to conduct problem gambling assessments, complete any recommended treatment, and complete a problem gambling treatment and prevention program.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency will have the final determination on whether an applicant can come off the voluntary exclusion list.

Some casinos have corporate policies that restrict you from all their casinos, in Maryland and other states.

Please contact [email protected] or call 410-230-8798.

The Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) for lottery is a program that allows a person to voluntarily agree not purchase or play any Maryland Lottery game that is under the jurisdiction of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission.

People wishing to voluntarily exclude may do so at Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters in Baltimore OR at any of the state’s casinos. Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency staff members, located at each casino, are able to conduct application interviews at any time during casino operation hours. To arrange an appointment for an application interview at Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency headquarters, please call 410-230-8798.

Yes, the application interview must be completed in person.

No, you must sign up with a staff member of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency. Staff members are not onsite at Maryland Lottery retail locations.

Yes, Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency staff are onsite at all Maryland casinos during operating hours. The application includes options to register for the Voluntary Exclusion Program.

Anyone can voluntarily exclude themselves.

No. This is a voluntary program and only you can complete the application.

You may choose to sign-up for all programs or just one or the other. The application form includes options for all programs, and it is up to the person to choose which program is right for them.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency cannot divulge the names of those on the voluntary exclusion list to spouses, significant others or employers.

However, all who enroll in the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program receive a copy of all documents that they sign as part of the enrollment process. A follow-up letter is also sent to the home of each voluntarily excluded person informing them of their approved application.

People who have enrolled in the Voluntary Exclusion Program who have misplaced or lost copies of these documents may receive new copies from MLGCA’s Responsible Gambling Coordinator, who can be reached at [email protected] or 410-230-8798.

Please call the MLGCA Responsible Gambling Program Coordinator at 410-230-8798 to report your suspicions and where you believe a voluntarily excluded individual is gambling.

The only people who will have access to your information will be the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency and the Maryland gaming operators (for people who elect exclusion from various gaming entities).

No, your name and all other information will remain confidential and cannot be released to the public, including your family and friends.

You will be asked to provide your name, address, telephone numbers, social security number and driver’s license or state ID number. You will also be asked to give a brief physical description, and a photo of you will be taken when you complete the application. We will ask questions to verify that you understand the program and you are signing up for it voluntarily.

Yes, you may bring someone with you for moral support, but the interview must be completed privately with an MLGCA staff member. This insures that the information remains confidential and your rights are protected.

No, there is no cost. It takes only about 30 to 45 minutes to enroll in the Maryland Voluntary Exclusion Program. People wishing to voluntarily exclude must bring identification, such as a valid driver’s license or state issued identification card. Those people who do not speak English may use our translation line.

Once you complete the application, it will be reviewed by MLGCA staff. Approved applicants will receive notification of acceptance via USPS mail.

The Voluntary Exclusion Program was created to help problem gamblers help themselves. Any person participating in the program is ineligible to claim Lottery prize winnings. It is the responsibility of the person enrolled in the VEP to not play Maryland Lottery games, and not the responsibility of the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission or any licensed retailer to keep the person from purchasing Lottery tickets.

People in the VEP contractually agree to redeem or liquidate all unredeemed items that have monetary value and designate that their winnings be contributed to the Problem Gambling Fund.

No. By placing your name on the Maryland list, you are only excluding yourself from Maryland lottery play.

A person enrolled for at least two years may request removal from the list at the expiration of that time period by completing a Request for Removal Application. A person applying for removal from the Voluntary Exclusion Program must first undergo a problem gambling assessment by a professional who is licensed by the state to conduct problem gambling assessments, complete any recommended treatment, or complete a problem gambling treatment and/or prevention program.

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency will have the final determination on whether an applicant can come off the voluntary exclusion list. All applicants will be notified, in writing, by the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency if their exclusion has been lifted.

The sports wagering self-exclusion list is a ban from all forms of sports betting regulated by the State of Maryland. You would not be able to place sports wagers or enter any area where sports wagering is conducted.

You may sign up at any Maryland casino without an appointment, or you may make an appointment with the Gaming Commission by dialing 410-230-8798 or emailing [email protected].

If you are casino-excluded, you are not permitted to enter any Maryland casino. Additionally, some casinos will already ban you from their sports wagering operations, including mobile wagering. For a comprehensive ban from all sports wagering operations, you may make an appointment with the Gaming Commission by dialing 410-230-8798 or emailing [email protected].

Yes, you would be excluded from entering any area where sports wagering is conducted, including casino facilities. Sports wagering operators may also exclude you from all forms of gambling associated with their brands.

You may be subject to action for criminal trespass, and any wagers/winnings would be given to the Problem Gambling Fund. Your sports wagering account would also be subject to permanent closure.

You may exclude yourself for at least two years or for life. There is no automatic removal from the Voluntary Exclusion List.

There is no automatic removal from the Voluntary Exclusion List. Those on the list for at least two (2) years may apply for removal by requesting in writing and completing a Removal Application Form with proof of completion of one of the following: (A) A problem gambling treatment and prevention program approved by the Commission; or (B) A healthy decision-making program that is sponsored or approved by the Commission, with a licensed professional counselor or other person approved by the Commission.

No, if you signed up directly with a sports wagering operator, you are only excluded from that sports wagering operator’s platform. If you would like to exclude yourself from all Maryland sports wagering facilities and platforms, you must exclude yourself through the Commission’s Voluntary Exclusion Program.

There is no automatic removal from the Voluntary Exclusion List. Those on the list for at least two (2) years may apply for removal by requesting in writing and completing a Removal Application Form with proof of completion of one of the following:

1. A problem gambling assessment with a professional who is licensed by the State to conduct problem gambling assessments or who is otherwise approved by the Commission and fulfilled any recommended treatment;
2. A problem gambling treatment and prevention program approved by the Commission;
3. A healthy decision-making program that is sponsored or approved by the Commission, with a licensed professional counselor or other person approved by the Commission; If you are eligible to request removal and your documentation is accepted, staff will send you an Authorization and Release Form to sign with a witness and return to the Commission. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency will have the final determination on whether an applicant can come off the voluntary exclusion list.

Documentation older than one calendar year will not be accepted.

You may write to [email protected], or dial 410-230-8798 to determine your eligibility for removal, obtain a removal request form, and receive information on counseling, healthy-decision making, and/or prevention programs. Please be prepared to verify your identity.

You may also write to the following address:

Maryland Lottery & Gaming Control Agency
Attn: Responsible Gaming Department
1800 Washington Blvd, #330
Baltimore, MD 21230

At this time, MD residents may be able to access select licensed counselors for this purpose, at no-cost.

Removal from the self-exclusion program(s) may take several weeks. If you are removed, you will receive a confirmation letter from the Commission, indicating the time/date of your removal. Do not enter any casino without confirmation of removal.