Puerto Rico joins the United States in offering a national self-exclusion regime across land-based and online gambling.
On Tuesday, Puerto Rico’s gaming regulator, the Puerto Rico Government Commission, announced its participation in the National Voluntary Regulation Program (NVSEP).
The merger, scheduled to begin in June this year, will introduce a centralized mechanism that will allow residents to voluntarily opt out of multiple licensed gambling operators across all local jurisdictions.
The regulated gaming sector is steadily expanding in Puerto Rico. It now includes land-based casinos, regulated sports betting, and a variety of licensed gambling activities.
Centralized self-exclusion model
NVSEP first launched in 2024 as a cross-state platform for carriers and regulators across the United States. It currently operates in California, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Louisiana. Puerto Rico will join the lineup later this year, followed by Massachusetts.
According to the press release, self-exclusion procedures were initially piecemeal. Players required separate exclusions for each individual operator or region, which often led to confusion and reduced program utilization.
However, NVSEP’s centralized approach directly addressed this complexity by integrating registration and compliance processes.
The system allows players to restrict access to casino venues, sports betting websites, and other regulated gaming services through a single online application.
Juan Carlos Santaela Marquán, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission, commented: “This partnership strengthens our public policy efforts to maintain a safe and highly regulated gaming industry based on responsible gaming practices. Our goal has always been to provide accessible tools and resources to those seeking support with gambling-related issues.”
He added that this initiative is in line with ongoing education campaigns on responsible gaming, and reiterated the Commission’s dedication to consumer protection.
Partnership with idPair
The platform was developed by idPair, a technology company specializing in cross-jurisdictional exclusion lists. Jonathan Ayvazian, CEO of idPair, said: “This platform simplifies self-exclusion for individuals and streamlines the process for operators.”
idPair’s platform facilitates data sharing between jurisdictions and enhances the ability of regulators to coordinate enforcement activities and operators’ compliance management.
Puerto Rico joins wave of voluntary exclusions
Self-exclusion programs are becoming increasingly common worldwide. Brazil launched its own program late last year. The introduction of the self-exclusion regime became part of the SPA’s 2025-26 regulatory agenda, which was set out in April 2025.
Digital systems like NVSEP have been prioritized because they improve accessibility and reduce administrative burden by eliminating multiple registrations. Portugal recently updated and centralized its self-exclusion portal to enhance its ease of use and accessibility.
The Puerto Rico Gaming Commission positions this consolidation as a step toward modernizing regulatory oversight while prioritizing consumer protection. Currently, carriers that utilize idPair’s services elsewhere can easily integrate NVSEP data, while other carriers may need to opt-in to receive and implement self-exclusion information as part of their compliance framework.
The launch of NVSEP is scheduled for June, but the commission has not disclosed how many carriers have pledged to participate from the start.
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