While the member casinos of the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico all value your business, we never want your entertainment experience to interfere with the livelihood, happiness or health of you or your family. If you feel gambling has become a problem, we can support you by offering an opportunity to self-exclude from the casino in addition to offering counseling services through various agencies we sponsor across the state.

Self-exclusion is a voluntary process where a person with a gambling problem excludes themselves from gambling venues or specific areas at gambling venues. The opportunity to self-exclude is not a guarantee that some gamblers will not return to the casino, but it can be a helpful deterrent. A self-exclusion is a self-help tool for people that have a gambling problem and allows one to take a break and reassess the issues caused by his/her gambling patterns.

A self-exclusion can be put in place for a single casino or racetrack by going to the specific gambling establishment and asking a member of Security or Management for a self-exclusion form. The length of the self-exclusion may vary from property to property. Some casinos will allow you to visit a restaurant or concert venue once you are on the voluntary exclusion list. Others restrict you from the entire property.

A statewide self-exclusion (which includes all racetracks/casinos and tribal gaming facilities in New Mexico) may be put in place by contacting the New Mexico Gaming Control Board (NMGCB) at www.nmgcb.org. They may be reached by calling (505) 841-9700 or visiting the office at 4900 Alameda Blvd NE in Albuquerque. Most individual casino properties also have this statewide ban form available; ask a member of Security or Management if you prefer the broader restriction of the statewide self-exclusion.

Once a self-exclusion is put into place, these are the actions that you will/may experience (depending on the casino):

• You will not be allowed to enter a gaming facility (restrictions vary by casino).
• Your photo and contents of the self-exclusion application will be confidentially distributed to appropriate Casino and State personnel.
• You will not be eligible to collect gambling winnings so therefore any winnings that you might have won in that casino will be forfeited. In addition, any and all cash or cash equivalents found in a gaming machine or on a gaming table will be forfeited; and
• If you are found on a property you have self-excluded from, you will be escorted from the property by casino security and in some cases arrested by law enforcement and prosecuted for trespassing.

The decision to self-exclude is voluntary and to follow through with it takes courage. We encourage you to bring a supportive person with you when self-excluding.

The New Mexico Gaming Control Board will consider removing a self-exclusion. The steps and forms for this process can be found at www.nmgcb.org. Each casino has specific guidelines about removing that property’s self-exclusion. However removal of a statewide self-exclusion, if active, must be provided to the individual properties first.

For further information regarding self-exclusion, please contact a member of casino management, the NMGCB, or the Responsible Gaming Association of New Mexico. Information about the counseling services available through RGANM and other resources which may be helpful to the gambler and his or her family can be found throughout our website or by calling our Problem Gambling Resource Helpline at (888) 696-2440.