Responsible gambling is the set of rules and tools meant to keep gambling a pastime. The usual tools are deposit limits, loss limits, session reminders, time outs and self exclusion. Many operators employ a responsible gambling officer who handles these requests and watches for signs of harm, and some countries fund a responsible gambling council that sets standards and runs campaigns, including an awareness week or month each year. Whether responsible gambling exists in practice depends on how firmly those tools are applied.
What happens if a player tries to breach self exclusion depends on the scheme, but operators are expected to close any account they find, refuse deposits and return or withhold stakes placed during the ban. Winnings from a breach are commonly voided. Self exclusion does not affect a credit rating, since gambling records are not shared with credit agencies, although spending patterns on a bank account can still be seen by a lender reviewing statements.
Self exclusion lasts as long as the period chosen at the start, commonly six months, one year or five years, and some schemes offer a lifetime option. It is not permanent unless that option is picked, but no one can cancel it early: a temporary self exclusion runs its full course by design. Once the period has expired, access does not return by itself on most schemes; the player has to ask for it, often after a cooling off period.