What Is GamStop and How Does It Work?
GamStop is a self-exclusion service, free to use, that blocks a person from every gambling website and app licensed in Great Britain. It works by comparing the details you register with the details you use to gamble: each time someone opens an account or logs in, the operator checks the GamStop register and refuses access when there is a match. This guide explains how GamStop works, how to join, what it covers and where its limits are.
What Is GamStop?
GamStop is the national online self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain. It is run by The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited and costs nothing to use. More than 500,000 people have registered.
Taking part is compulsory for operators. Since 31 March 2020, every online casino, bookmaker, bingo room and poker site with a British licence has had to be connected to the register, so one registration covers all of them at once. Before GamStop existed, a player had to ask each site separately.
How Does GamStop Work?
- You register on the GamStop website and choose how long the exclusion should last.
- GamStop adds your details to its register. The block usually becomes active within 24 hours.
- Licensed operators check the register whenever an account is opened or a player logs in.
- If the details match, the operator refuses access and is expected to stop sending you marketing.
The match is made on personal details, not on a device or an internet connection. That is why the block follows you to a new phone or a different network, and also why it depends on those details being accurate.
How to Register with GamStop
Registration is done online and takes a few minutes. GamStop asks for:
- your full name and title;
- your date of birth;
- your home address and postcode, plus any earlier addresses used on gambling accounts;
- every email address you have used to gamble;
- every mobile number you have used to gamble.
The more complete this list is, the fewer gaps the block has. GamStop may confirm your identity through a credit reference agency, then asks you to pick an exclusion period and confirm it. The registration has to be made by the person it applies to. A friend or relative can help with the form, but nobody can be signed up by someone else.
What Happens After You Register
GamStop confirms the registration by email, and from that point the operators do the rest. Existing accounts at British-licensed sites are closed or suspended as each operator picks up the match, and any balance left in them is returned to you. New registrations are refused. If an account stays open after the first day or two, contact that operator directly and tell GamStop, since the usual cause is a detail on the account that differs from the one on the register.
It is worth signing in to GamStop whenever your details change. A new surname, a move to another address or a second email account all need to be added for the block to keep working.
GamStop Exclusion Periods
| Period | Typical use |
|---|---|
| 6 months | A break to reset spending or habits |
| 1 year | A longer pause with time to build other routines |
| 5 years | A long-term stop |
The period you choose is a minimum and not an expiry date. GamStop does not shorten, pause or cancel it for any reason. Once it has run out, nothing changes by default: the block remains until you request its removal, for as long as seven further years. The removal steps are set out in the guide on how to cancel GamStop.
What GamStop Covers and What It Does Not
| Covered by GamStop | Not covered by GamStop |
|---|---|
| Online casinos with a British licence | High-street betting shops, which have a separate scheme |
| Online betting sites | Land-based casinos, covered by the SENSE scheme |
| Online bingo and poker rooms | Bingo halls and arcades, which run their own schemes |
| Mobile apps of those operators | Gambling sites licensed outside the UK |
The last row is the one most often misunderstood. A casino licensed in another country has no access to the register, so a GamStop exclusion is not applied there. Anyone who wants a block that reaches those sites as well needs device-level software in addition to GamStop.
Limits of GamStop
- It relies on accurate details. A new email address, phone number or home address should be added to your GamStop account, otherwise an operator may not find a match.
- It does not block websites. A gambling site will still open in the browser. What GamStop stops is registering and logging in.
- It does not remove all advertising. Direct marketing from operators should stop, but general adverts on television and online remain.
- It is not treatment. GamStop removes access. It does not address the reasons behind gambling, which is where counselling and support services come in.
Tools That Work Alongside GamStop
- Blocking software. Gamban and BetBlocker prevent gambling pages from loading on a phone or computer, including sites licensed abroad.
- Bank gambling blocks. Most UK banks offer a switch in the app that turns away card payments to gambling companies.
- TalkBanStop. A joint programme of GamStop, Gamban and GamCare that combines all three layers and provides Gamban free of charge.
The full list of tools and support services is on the responsible gambling page.
FAQ
Does GamStop affect your credit rating?
No. GamStop may run an identity check through a credit reference agency when you register, but it is a soft search. Lenders cannot see it, and it has no effect on your credit score or on a mortgage application. It appears only on the copy of the credit report that you request yourself.
What casinos are not on GamStop?
Casinos licensed outside Great Britain, for example in Curacao, Malta or Anjouan, are not on GamStop, because only British-licensed operators are required to join. These sites are usually called non GamStop casinos. Every casino that holds a British licence is on GamStop without exception.
Is GamStop free?
Yes. Registering, changing your details and removing the exclusion after it has run its course all cost nothing. The removal phone line is also free to call.
How long does GamStop take to start working?
The exclusion usually takes effect within 24 hours of registration. GamStop does not guarantee that timeframe, so the block should not be assumed to be in place the same minute.
Does GamStop cover betting shops and land-based casinos?
No. GamStop is an online scheme. Betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and arcades each have their own self-exclusion scheme, and a separate request is needed for each type of venue.