Self-exclusion: how the Latvian register works and where to start

Updated October 2026

Self-exclusion is the strongest step a player can take: instead of setting a limit you might later raise, you ask to be kept away from gambling altogether for a fixed period. In Latvia this is done through a national register rather than through one casino at a time. This guide explains what the register is, how it differs from closing a single account, and how to approach the application without relying on middlemen. If you live outside Latvia, the last sections show where to look instead.

What the register is and who keeps it

The Pašatteikušos personu reģistrs, literally the register of self-excluded persons, is a state register in which a person, by their own decision, records that they want to be barred from gambling with licensed organisers in Latvia for a set time. Until 1 April 2026 it was kept by IAUI, the former gambling inspectorate. Since that date supervision of gambling and lotteries, including the register, sits with VID, the State Revenue Service. The register was not closed during the transition. It continues to work, and the information about it is now published on the VID website: vid.gov.lv: Pašatteikušos personu reģistrs. The page is in Latvian; a browser translation is enough to follow it, but if anything is unclear, use the contacts VID lists there.

The minimum term is 12 months

You cannot exclude yourself for less than 12 months. That length is intentional. A short pause helps you catch your breath, while a year gives time to change habits, sort out finances and work out what place gambling should have in your life, if any. Which terms you can choose, and what happens when the term ends, are set out on the VID page. Do not plan around the assumption that everything simply reverts after a year; read the conditions before you apply.

Step by step

Make the decision and write down why

One sentence about why you are doing this is enough. It is useful later, when the urge to come back appears and the reasons feel distant.

Deal with your existing accounts

Check any balance you hold with operators and withdraw it, and unsubscribe from their emails and messages. How a balance or an active bonus is handled is up to each operator, so ask it directly.

Open the VID page

Go to the self-exclusion register page on vid.gov.lv and read how to apply, which terms are available and what identification is required.

Apply exactly as VID describes

Use only the route described by VID. Do not use intermediaries, and ignore anyone offering to do it for you for a fee. If something is unclear, ask VID through the contacts on its page.

Do not carry it alone

Tell someone you trust about the decision and, if it helps, call the help line on +371 293 232 02.

What changes once you are on the register

The point of the register is that licensed gambling organisers in Latvia check players against it and deny access to anyone listed. That is why asking a support agent to “open the account just for today” leads nowhere, and why opening a new account with another licensed organiser should not work either. It is also why the register is stronger than any limit inside one account.

At the same time, the register only protects you where it is checked: with licensed organisers. A site whose company is not on the VID list of licensed gambling organisers may not check it at all. If after self-excluding you see adverts for “play without limits” or “no checks”, that is exactly the place where your protection does not reach, and a reason not to go further. If you catch yourself searching for such sites, that is a good moment to call the help line.

The register versus self-exclusion at one operator

Question	Latvian self-exclusion register	Time-out or self-exclusion at an operator
Who keeps it	VID	The individual operator
What it covers	Licensed gambling organisers in Latvia	Only that operator, plus its other brands if its terms say so
Length	At least 12 months	Depends on the operator's settings
Where to apply	As described on the VID page	In the account settings or through the operator's support
When it fits	You want a long break across the whole licensed market	You need a short pause, or a break from one site only

The two do not exclude each other. You can start with a time-out at your operator and, if that is not enough, join the register. You can also do it the other way round: register first and close your accounts as well, so that no door stays open. The right order is the one that works for you.

If you do not live in Latvia

The Latvian register applies to licensed gambling in Latvia. If you live somewhere else, your country may have its own self-exclusion scheme, run by a regulator or another public body, or it may have none. Look it up on your regulator's website rather than relying on a summary from a third-party site, ours included. Whatever the national picture, the operator-level tools still exist: most licensed operators let you take a time-out or close your account from the account settings, and blocking software for gambling sites can add another layer on your own devices. For a conversation about why the break is needed, Gambling Therapy offers international support online.

Where to get support

Self-exclusion is a decision about access. It does not always answer the question of why gambling became so important. In Latvia the help line for people affected by gambling and their families can help with that: +371 293 232 02, azartaatkariba.lv. According to azartaatkariba.lv it works every day from 12:00 to 22:00, and relatives can call as well. We have not confirmed the consultation languages, so if you need English, ask at the start of the call. More on limits, warning signs and help for families is on our responsible gambling page.