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Gambling self-exclusion in New Zealand

To exclude yourself from several pokie venues, contact the Multi-Venue Exclusion service. You can start without visiting each venue. TAB, Lotto NZ, casinos and online accounts need their own coverage checks and requests.

Official sources checked . By Detachr Editorial Team.

Start a multi-venue exclusion for pokies

Open the official MVE contact form →
  1. Choose Multi-Venue Exclusion. On the official contact form, choose that enquiry type, enter your contact details and select your region. Read the consent before submitting. This asks the team to contact you; it does not activate an exclusion.
  2. Tell the coordinator which venues you want included. Discuss the locations you use and any others you want covered. You do not need a counselling appointment before asking to self-exclude.
  3. Complete the exclusion documents and photo. The coordinator or support provider helps prepare the request and venue-identification forms. Check the named venues, term and information-sharing conditions before signing.
  4. Ask for your completed exclusion orders. The published process includes approval by each venue manager. Ask for copies by email or post, check the start and end dates, and follow up on any missing venue. Keep these orders separately from the initial enquiry.

Official instructions: MVE public enquiry form · MVE forms, venue approval and returned orders · Health New Zealand: accessing MVE

What your multi-venue exclusion covers

The MVE service coordinates exclusions for the venues named in the process. Its CONCERN database manages Class 4 venue exclusions, meaning pokies outside casinos. An MVE request does not create a universal online gambling block or automatically exclude every casino, TAB account or Lotto outlet.

Use the service's coordinator directory for local assistance. Check each completed order's gambling area, dates and restrictions. Ask the coordinator how extensions or changes are handled rather than assuming another provider's terms apply.

A single pokie venue or casino

Tell the venue staff that you want to self-exclude and ask for the manager responsible for the process. Health New Zealand describes this route for casinos and pokie venues. A local gambling support service can help you arrange it.

Ask which gambling areas are covered and obtain the written exclusion and its dates. Do not enter an excluded gambling area to test enforcement. Health New Zealand warns that breaches can lead to fines for both the person and the venue operator.

TAB accounts and betting venues

Open the Safer Betting section of your TAB account and choose Self-Exclusion. TAB describes this separately from its shorter Take a Break option. Read the current exclusion terms and ask TAB to confirm which accounts, brands and physical venues are included.

If entering the account feels difficult, ask the gambling helpline or a local support service for help with the request. An MVE order for a pub's pokies does not establish exclusion from a TAB account or from betting elsewhere.

Lotto NZ: online and in-store routes

For online play, open your MyLotto settings and use the account-blocking option. Lotto NZ's Play Smart tools page also links to a separate in-store self-exclusion form with six-, twelve- or twenty-four-month choices.

For in-store exclusion, download the form, choose your regions and period, then sign it. Attach the requested ID and a recent head-and-shoulders photo. Email those documents to the official address printed on the form: playsmart@lottonz.co.nz. Tick the MyLotto option if you also want online exclusion.

The form also includes an indefinite option. It says the order takes effect when the relevant stores receive it and cannot be revoked. For a fixed term, check the extension and expiry instructions. Ask Lotto NZ to confirm receipt, coverage and dates before relying on the restriction.

Online accounts and your personal information

Arrange exclusions separately for any other online gambling accounts you use. Health New Zealand distinguishes online account controls from venue exclusions. Device and bank controls can add barriers while those requests are processed.

Use the official MVE service for your details and photo. Its public form asks permission to store your contact information to respond; the formal venue process shares exclusion documents with the relevant services and venues. Read those permissions before proceeding. Detachr does not submit the request or receive your documents.

Local support

  • New Zealand Gambling Helpline: 0800 654 655

    Available 24/7. You can also free text 8006 within New Zealand. Ask for support for yourself or someone affected by another person's gambling. Official contact information.

After you register

Keep the confirmation and a list of anything outside the scheme. Check your bank's available gambling payment controls, and make a plan for sports-betting urges. These steps can be used alongside exclusion; none guarantees that every route to gambling is closed.

Illustration accompanying Detachr's self-exclusion guidance

Common questions

Does sending the MVE enquiry form mean I am excluded?
No. The form starts a conversation. The published process then requires exclusion documents and venue approval. Ask for the completed orders and check which venues they cover. Official guidance.
Do I need to attend counselling before self-excluding?
No. Health New Zealand says you can approach an MVE coordinator without seeing a counsellor first. Counselling remains available separately. Official guidance.
Does MVE exclude me from every gambling website?
No. The venue process covers named gambling venues. Arrange separate account exclusions and check TAB, Lotto NZ and casino coverage directly. Official guidance.

Official resources and references

This guide explains public registration instructions. We have not enrolled anyone or tested enforcement. Confirm your own agreement with the scheme. Detachr is not affiliated with these services and this page is not legal or clinical advice.

Detachr Editorial Team

Detachr's editorial team writes and updates practical gambling recovery content using official guidance and primary research where available. Our articles are educational and are not clinically reviewed or a substitute for professional advice.

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