What is GamStop?
GamStop is a free tool which serves as the UK’s national online gambling self-exclusion program. It was initially designed for those who feel their gambling is out of control or who simply want a break from online betting and gaming. The service is operated by the National Online Self Exclusion Scheme (NOSES). It is available to people living in the UK and Northern Ireland. This means that if you live in Britain and you feel that betting is becoming a problem you can voluntarily exclude yourself.
It is compulsory for all gambling platforms licenced by the UK Gambling Commission to be part of this scheme. Once registered, the user will be blocked from logging in, creating new accounts, depositing and placing bets for the duration of their chosen exclusion period.
How does GamStop work?
All UKGC gambling platforms must participate in GamStop. Therefore, there will be an easy to find link to the GamStop website. You can register within a few minutes, and your exclusion should be effective across all operators in 24 hours. You can select exclusion periods ranging from six months to five years.
When you register, all of your personal data such as your name, date of birth, email addresses, physical addresses and phone numbers are collected. This information is stored securely in a database which UKGC licenced gambling platforms must check with when people either attempt to sign up or access existing accounts. If a match comes up, then the operator must refuse entry to the site and must not allow you to deposit or take part in any sort of gambling activity until the self-exclusion period has expired.
Which sites are covered by GamStop?
All online gambling sites licenced by the UKGC must participate in GamStop’s self-exclusion program. This extends to the following verticals.
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Online casinos
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Online Sportsbooks
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Betting exchanges
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Poker rooms
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Bingo Sites
All of the recognised platforms from the UK’s licenced gambling scene are included. This means that the UK version of William Hill, Betfred, 10bet, SpreadEx, BoyleSports, Jeffbet, Highbet, Parimatch, Coral, Ladbrokes and Parimatch are all covered by GamStop.
Is the National Lottery on GamStop?
At the time of writing, the National Lottery is not covered by GamStop. There is no restriction on you buying a ticket in person and although lottery tickets are available online, your lottery account is not automatically blocked when you register with GamStop.
Is PokerStars on GamStop?
PokerStars holds a UKGC licence. This means that it is mandatory for them to participate in GamStop. If you register with GamStop you will not be able to access an existing PokerStars account and you will be unable to sign up, deposit or play real-money poker throughout the time of your exclusion.
How to register for GamStop
Registering with GamStop is free and the process only takes a few minutes. Once the registration procedure is completed your exclusion should be fully operational in 24 hours. We have provided a step-by-step guide to registering with GamStop.
Visit the official GamStop website (www.gamstop.co.uk). You will be able to follow a link from UKGC gambling platforms.
Click register to begin the process
Enter your personal details. This is quite extensive and includes full name, date of birth, current address, email and phone number
Verify your identity
Select your exclusion period from the options provided
Confirm your registration. The exclusion should be effective in 24 hours
GamStop phone number and contact
All operators in the UK who are licenced by the UKGC will have contact details for GamStop on their website. You can contact GamStop in the following ways.
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GamStop phone number: 0800 138 6518 10am to 8pm, seven days a week
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GamStop Email: [email protected]
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GamStop Live Chat: Web chat available webchat 10am to 8pm, seven days a week
How long does GamStop last?
There are a number of options available when registering with GamStop. You can choose from the following timescales.
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Six months
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One year
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Five years
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Five years with auto-renewal
When this period ends your exclusion is not automatically lifted. You need to contact GamStop in order to confirm that you are ready to come off the database. You are then given a 24-hour cooling off period where you can decide whether or not you are making the correct decision to lift your self-imposed ban. Furthermore, you can go for automatic renewal where a new self-exclusion automatically kicks in at the end of your five-year plan.
How to cancel GamStop
The first thing to note is that you cannot cancel your GamStop exclusion early. If you opted to self-exclude for six months, then you are blocked from UKGC sites for six months. Once your exclusion period is up you must request removal, complete ID checks and then wait out the compulsory 24 hour cooling off period. You also need to remember that some gambling sites may take a few extra days to update their records. Here is a step-by-step guide to cancelling GamStop.
Log in to GamStop
Check that your exclusion period has finished
Request removal. You will see an option to “Remove Self-Exclusion”
Complete ID verification
Observe the 24-hour cooling off period
After 24 hours the block is listed, and you can use UKGC websites
GamStop review — Is it Effective?
GamStop reviews show that it is extremely effective at blocking access to gambling platforms in the UK who hold UKGC licences. Once you have registered and put self-exclusion in place then you are locked out of UK online betting and gaming for the agreed period. You then need to request to have your exclusion lifted and the process gives you plenty of time to access whether you are making the correct decision. It is one of the strongest self-exclusion tools available to UK residents.
However, GamStop does not cover all bases. It does not prevent you from gambling in person at betting shops, casinos and bingo halls. If you want to be denied entry to in-person bookmakers and casinos you must register on a separate scheme. As mentioned earlier, you can still buy national lottery tickets.
GamStop does not block access to offshore casinos and sportsbooks and, providing you can access these (sometimes through a VPN), you will be able to gamble there. GamStop does not block bank transfers and unless your bank is instructed otherwise you can still transfer money to gambling platforms. Only UKGC online bookmakers and casinos will prevent these transfers when your details come up via the GamStop database. GamStop also has no control over gambling adverts and notifications, which could make staying away from betting harder for some, popping up when you are online.
Overall, GamStop is a highly effective tool, and it has been a great help to many who have let their gambling spiral out of control. However, it does not cover all bases, only online gambling with UKGC licenced platforms. This means that you will still be able to gamble at non GamStop betting sites and casinos during your self-exclusion.
Alternatives to GamStop
There are a number of other tools which can work alongside GamStop. For those who have decided to use GamStop but find themselves using offshore casinos and sportsbooks, you can register with GamBan or BetBlocker. GamStop provide information on organisations that block other forms of gambling. For betting shops there is GamStop Betting shops, for Casinos there is SENSE. Arcades have an organisation called Bacta and you can get details on exclusions from Bingo halls at the Bingo Association.
You can make it very difficult to fund betting accounts if you get your bank on board. Most leading banks will agree to put a block on transactions involving gambling companies. You can assess further information on this at the GamStop website. There is also info on blocking gambling related advertisements online and specifically, on your social media feeds.
There are also self-exclusion plans for land-based bookmakers and casinos in the UK. Before you set up a GamStop self-exclusion, UKGC operators will run their own self-exclusion programs. You can also set deposit and bet limits. UKGC sites will also have reality checks where a pop-up message will notify you of how long you have been logged in.
Non GamStop Casino Sites
Should you feel fully in control of your gambling habits then there are a number of reputable non GamStop casino sites and sportsbooks that we recommend. The sites on our list have strong UK versions licenced by the UKGC but also have international versions, licenced by creditable overseas bodies, available. These overseas sites are secure; however, they do not have to follow UKGC guidelines and do not participate in GamStop. A plus point is that you have greater freedom, however, you must be aware that you also have less protection. Common licences include Curaçao and Anjouan. Some operators without a UKGC will be licenced in Malta or Gibraltar.
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Getting help with problem gambling
At TPP we believe that gambling should be an enjoyable leisure activity. If and when the fun stops and it becomes a problem, we urge you to seek help. GamStop is a reliable self-exclusion program which prevents you from accessing UKGC betting websites. As well as this their website has a range of tools and information.
There are other tools, resources and methods available that can work with or in place of GamStop. GamCare provide free information, advice and support for those affected by gambling problems. GamCare operate the National Gambling Helpline (0808 8020 133) which is available 24 hours a day. This helpline can also be accessed through the NHS who offer various means of regional and national support. GambleAware, also offer 24/7 support in the UK. GamStop also provide links to GamAnon and GamFam.
GamStop FAQs
Anyone living in the UK and Northern Ireland can register with GamStop.
All online casinos and bookmakers who are licenced by the UKGC use GamStop. Participating in GamStop is compulsory under the conditions of the UK Gambling Commission’s licence.
No. Once you have registered with GamStop and set a period of self-exclusion you have to see that time out. Once your exclusion has finished you must log in to your GamStop account and follow the necessary procedures to be able to access UKGC websites again.
When your exclusion ends you remain blocked from UKGC websites until you log in to your GamStop account and confirm that you want to lift your exclusion. Once you confirm you wish to end the exclusion you have a 24-hour cooling off period to give you time to reflect and make sure you are happy with your decision.
GamStop prevents you from accessing gambling platforms licenced by the UKGC. You can still access offshore casinos and sportsbooks which are not licenced and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission. Likewise, GamStop does not prevent you from gambling in land-based casinos and bookmakers.