The BetStop is an Australian government initiative to block users from all licensed Australian online and phone gambling providers.

The ACMA said the register allows people to “self-exclude” for a minimum of three months up to a lifetime.

Of the 28,000 registrants, the ACMA gathered the following statistics:

• Almost half were aged 30 and under, and around 80% were aged 40 and under.
• Around 40% have decided to self-exclude for life.
• Fewer than 20% of registrants chose the minimum period of three months.
• More than 14% have already extended or reactivated their self-exclusion period.

ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin said that the register’s first year of operation has shown that Australians want help in managing their gambling behaviour.

“Online gambling can cause a great deal of harm to individuals, their families, and friends, so it’s encouraging that so many people have decided to take the step and register to self-exclude,” she said in a statement.

“Many people are also choosing to nominate someone to support them. Stopping online gambling can be a difficult decision to make – having someone to support you can make the decision much easier.”

“And many people are committing to long-term change, with a high percentage of people choosing to exclude for life,” O’Loughlin said.

Australians can register to self-exclude from online and phone wagering at www.betstop.gov.au.