Arizona Launches New Campaign Promoting Gambling Self-Exclusion

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Arizona Department of Gaming has launched a new public campaign promoting its self-exclusion program and other consumer-protection tools.

The Arizona Department of Gaming has launched a new campaign promoting its self-exclusion program.
Listen to this news articleLISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:

The effort gives residents a clearer route to block themselves from gambling and broadens the state’s push on illegal operators, underage betting, and gambling harm.

The new campaign centers on “Take Back the Game”, a television, radio, and digital public service announcement designed to raise awareness of Arizona’s self-exclusion program. Under the system, residents can ask to be banned from all Arizona gambling establishments, event wagering, fantasy sports apps, or all three categories for one, five, or 10 years.

Department director Jackie Johnson said the state first introduced voluntary self-exclusion in the early 2000s for tribal casinos, then later expanded it to cover event wagering and fantasy sports. She said the latest campaign is meant to reinforce the program as a practical step for people who believe gambling is affecting their well-being.

Campaign Highlights Self-Exclusion and Wider Consumer Warnings

According to the Arizona Department of Gaming announcement, the self-exclusion program now has more than 11,900 participants since launch, with about 2,500 active exclusions currently in place. The department said excluded individuals are blocked from gambling for the full term of their ban, removed from direct marketing lists, and prevented from accessing winnings during that period.

The PSA itself is built around a live self-exclusion process at the department’s Phoenix office and is available in both English and Spanish. Arizona residents can begin the paperwork on their own or complete it in person, with the state handling the process through in-house administrators and notary staff.

The campaign is not limited to self-exclusion. Arizona has also introduced two additional PSAs, one warning that online casinos are not legal in the state and urging consumers to stick with licensed operators, and another focused on underage gambling and conversations with children about betting risks.

More Responsible Gambling

State Expands Reach Across TV, Radio, and Digital

The broader public education campaign has been developed with the Arizona Media Association and is being distributed across television, radio, streaming platforms, digital video, display advertising, and social media. The department said the campaign has already generated more than 14,700 English and Spanish television and radio spots since April 2025.

Regulators also said digital reach has grown sharply, with monthly digital impressions topping 1.4 million in February 2026 alone. That scale matters because Arizona’s message is no longer aimed only at casino visitors. It is increasingly directed at mobile bettors, fantasy players, families, and consumers who may be exposed to illegal gambling offers online.

The state’s approach reflects a wider shift in US gambling oversight, where regulators are trying to pair market expansion with clearer public-health messaging and stronger consumer education. In Arizona’s case, the latest push suggests self-exclusion is being framed less as a last resort and more as a standard protective tool.

What happens next will depend on whether the new campaign lifts awareness and participation levels further. For now, Arizona is putting more weight behind direct public messaging as it tries to steer players toward regulated betting and expand awareness of responsible gambling tools.

RELATED TOPICS: Responsible Gambling

Leave a Comment

user avatar
My Name United States of America
Rating:
0.0
Your Comment

User Comments

Comments for Arizona Launches New Campaign Promoting Gambling Self-Exclusion