BetStop: How Australia's National Self-Exclusion Register Works — and How to Register

BetStop infographic: shield emblem, a phone showing account closed and self-excluded, a ring of licensed operators, exclusion periods from 3 months to a lifetime and 67,480 registered — One registration covers every licensed wagering provider in Australia (ACMA 2026b, 2026c).

BetStop closes a person's online betting accounts with every licensed wagering provider in Australia in a single step. Launched in August 2023 (Department of Social Services [DSS] 2023), the free government register counted 67,480 registrations by the end of July 2026, with 41,290 active exclusions in place (Australian Communications and Media Authority [ACMA] 2026c). This guide is part of the section's player-protection overview; here the register itself is the subject — what it covers, what it cannot do, and the rules around leaving it.

What BetStop Covers

Registration excludes a person from all of the approximately 150 licensed online and phone wagering providers in Australia. Each provider must close the person's betting accounts, refuse new accounts and bets, and stop sending marketing messages (ACMA 2026b). The exclusion is all-or-nothing: it is not possible to select which providers to keep.

BetStop also runs separately from single-operator exclusion schemes and from state or territory registers — it does not replace them, and providers keep their own obligation to offer self-exclusion (ACMA 2026b).

Network diagram: one registration hub connecting to 150 licensed provider nodes — BetStop is all-or-nothing: it cannot be limited to selected operators (ACMA 2026b).

Table 1. BetStop versus a single operator's self-exclusion
Parameter	BetStop (national register)	Single-operator scheme
Coverage	All ~150 licensed wagering providers	That operator only
Selecting providers	None — all-or-nothing	Operator-specific
Marketing stopped	By every provider at once	By that operator only
Duration	3 months to lifetime; extendable, never reducible	Set by the provider's own rules
Operated by	Australian Government register	The wagering provider

Exclusion Periods and the Removal Rule

The minimum exclusion period is three months and the maximum is a lifetime. The period can be extended at any time and can never be shortened (ACMA 2026b). Removal works the other way: an application must include a statutory declaration confirming that the person has received counselling or advice on the decision from a qualified counsellor, psychologist or doctor; the removal takes effect seven days after a valid application, and any nominated support people are notified (ACMA 2026b).

How to Register

Registration is free at betstop.gov.au: the person sets the exclusion period — three months up to a lifetime — and personal information is protected by strict statutory rules; a support person can be involved and is notified of any removal application (ACMA 2026b). The register sits alongside the mandatory identity verification that applies to online bets (Australian Broadcasting Corporation [ABC] 2025).

Registration in Numbers

Quantification principle. About 10,000 people had registered within the register's first three months (DSS 2023); 40,121 by March 2025 (iGaming Business 2025); 67,480 by July 2026 (ACMA 2026c) — growth of roughly 68 per cent in sixteen months (author's calculation from published register data).

Expert counsel. Think before deregistering. Under the 2026 reforms, wagering operators cannot send inducements for 90 days after a person deregisters from BetStop (The Conversation 2026) — the legislature treats the weeks after an exclusion ends as a high-risk window; treat them the same way.

What BetStop Does Not Do

It covers licensed wagering only. Land-based venues and pokies sit outside the register, and separate state and territory programs continue to run alongside it (ACMA 2026b). Online casinos cannot be covered at all — none may lawfully operate in Australia (the three-check test explains why).

FAQ

Does BetStop cost anything?

No. BetStop is a free Australian Government initiative covering all licensed online and phone wagering providers (ACMA 2026b).

Can I shorten my exclusion period?

No. Periods can be extended at any time but never reduced. Early removal requires a statutory declaration confirming counselling from a qualified practitioner, and takes effect seven days after a valid application (ACMA 2026b). If you are considering ending an exclusion early, speak with a counsellor first — Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 is free and available 24/7 (ACMA 2026b).

Does BetStop cover online casinos?

No. The register covers licensed sports and racing wagering only, because no online casino may lawfully serve customers in Australia (ACMA 2026a; the section's legal overview).

Sources

Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2026a, Investigations into online gambling providers.
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2026b, BetStop — the National Self-Exclusion Register.
Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) 2026c, Three years of BetStop, July 2026 (register data: 67,480 registrations, 41,290 active exclusions).
Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) 2025, Gambling participation and harm on the rise in Australia.
Department of Social Services (DSS) 2023, Thousands of Australians sign up to the new National Self-Exclusion Register.
iGaming Business 2025, Australia's BetStop self-exclusion register hits 40,000 users.
The Conversation 2026, Bipartisan deal on gambling includes a review after three years.