What Is Gamstop Self Exclusion: Customer Support and FAQs

Gambling might look as an interesting and fun activity but it carries many dangers. Including the risk of huge financial losses and addiction. That’s why the UK’s authorities have taken plenty of steps to ensure you’ve got various tools, information and support to gamble responsibly and prevent that from happening or to get help should you develop any gambling related harms. One of them is the Gamstop self exclusion programme.

What is Gamstop and how does it work?

Gamstop is the national level self exclusion system designated to help people who’re experiencing gambling issues control their habits and bounce back from the harms of their addiction. It consists of a centralized system which allows players to voluntary register to be self banned from the UKGC licensed gambling sites. Once you’ve signed yourself up with them, all casino and betting websites will block your access to your currently open accounts and will not allow you to open new ones.

Is Gamstop free?

Gamstop is a completely free service. It doesn’t cost players anything to sign up, neither will you need to pay any fees and taxes later on. It’s finances by the government through the taxes paid by the gambling operators who’re licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. The program is deliberately made to be free so as to be of use to anyone who needs help controling their gambling and for all UK customers who might be experiencing any levels of addiction.

How to sign up with Gamstop?

Signing yourself up with the UK’s GAMSTOP scheme is a process which will take you no more than several minutes, so it’s really easy and quick thing to do.

Information you’ll need

When you’d like to register with Gamstop, you’ll need to provide the following details:

• first and last name
• date of birth
• email addresses you’re using
• mobile phone numbers you’d like to be included in the self exclusion
• postal address

You’ll need a photo ID to verify it’s you who’s placing the gambling ban and some additional questions might also be asked for ID verification.

Step by step registration

In order to sign yourself up on Gamstop, you’ll have to:

• visit https://www.gamstop.co.uk/
• click the ‘Register now’ button
• click on Start
• provide email address
• click on the link they Gamstop’s team has sent you
• fill in the registration period
• select a length for the self exclusion period (6 months, one year or five years)
• answer the questions

Once you’ve gone through those steps successfully, you’ll get an email confirming your registration has been successful. It will take up to 24 hours for your self exclusion to get into effect.

How long does GamStop last?

The self exclusion can be set up to last for a different period that you can set up yourself. The minimum limit is six months whereas the max is currently five years but there are a handful of options allowing you to extend it (aside from registering once more, of course).

6 month exclusion

The shortest duration of the ban is six months. There is no way to set up the scheme to work for less than that, neither will you be able to remove it sooner. When the period is about to elapse, you can choose to deregister or to keep in going for longer.

1 year exclusion

The second option you’ll be offered is the 1 year exclusion. That’s just slightly more time allowing you to get your finances and habits in check and take care of any gambling related issues. Once again, you’d be able to extend this period but if you’ve chosen it, you cannot make it shorter.

5 year exclusion

The longest option currently available is 5 years. That’s the max period for which you can set up the GAMSTOP self exclusion. If you’d like, you can activate the auto renewal option which means the ban will keep on further after the five years have elapsed without you having to call the GAMSTOP team or go through registration again.

Which sites are covered by GamStop?

If you’re experiencing any issues related to your gambling habits and you’re considering using the GamStop scheme to help you out, it’s important to know which sites it covers and what it doesn’t include so you’d be able to plan accordingly.

What’s included?

GAMSTOP is a program that covers ONLINE casino and sportsbook sites (the bingo ones, too) that operate under an UKGC license. This means you won’t be able to log into your already existing accounts or open new ones with the gambling websites and apps that are operated under the regulation of the UK Gambling Commission.

What’s NOT covered?

Since the programme is operating on a national level within the UK, it’s not affecting the gambling websites and apps that are licensed by other gambling authorities. Thus, the offshore casinos and sportsbooks are not affected. And keep in mind that GAMSTOP is an online program, so it doesn’t cover the land based casinos and sports betting shops.

How to remove or cancel GamStop?

Some additional important info you’ll need to pay attention to when setting up your Gamstop block is what should you do when it’s near expiration and whether you’d be able to stop your participation sooner.

Can you cancel early?

It is not possible to cancel your self exclusion before it elapses. Once the ban takes effect, you’ll simply have to wait it out. You cannot go around it or stop it before it expires.

After the minimum period ends

Once the Gamstop self exclusion period has elapsed, you won’t be deregistered automatically. You’ll need to do it by reaching out to the support team of the program by calling 0800 138 6518 (available from 10 AM to 8 PM daily). Once you verify your identity, you can request that the ban is removed upon its expiration. Then, following a mandatory 24 hour period (so called cooling off time), you will no longer be signed up with the scheme. Provided you don’t go through those steps, your ban will be expanded with seven more years.

Most important details to know about the GAMSTOP self exclusion scheme

• GAMSTOP is a completely free programme you can use to block yourself from accessing your current gambling accounts and opening any new ones.
• GAMSTOP is a scheme that’s based on voluntary participation and you’ll need to verify your identity to sign yourself up with them.
• GAMSTOP includes all UKGC gambling operators that work ONLINE. It does not encompass the offline casino halls, betting shops and bingo venues.
• A GAMSTOP ban can be set up to last 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.
• A GAMSTOP ban CANNOT be deactivated before it expires.
• If you do not cancel your participation within the last months of the self exclusion period, it will be automatically renewed for seven years.
• If you do cancel it throughout this time, it will only last for the full duration for which you’ve set it up in the beginning (no less than that).

Additional responsible gambling tools

Along with the national wide self banning programme, you’d be able to utilize plenty of other resources available for you to deal with any gambling related harms and addiction.

GAMBAN (software blocker)

GAMBAN is a software which allows you to stop the access to all sorts of online gambling sites when you install it on your PC or mobile device. You simply download it and activate it. Once you’re ready with this, you register with email, Google or X account and it will stop your access to all platforms related to casino games, sports betting or other gambling activities (not only those licensed by the UKGC but the ones which are operating in other countries, too) without interfering with how your device works in any other way. It does block gambling related apps, too, not only websites.

Gamcare

Gamcare is the nation wide UK organization that provides consumers with information and support about gambling related harms. Since 1997 they’ve been helping problem gamblers reshape their life and handle their addiction. They are the organization behind the National Gambling Helpline which you can reach out to at all times by dialing 0800 8020 133.

Aside from providing assitance through the helpline, they also offer one to one help sessions and treatment, both in person and online. You can also reach out to their advisers via live chat or connect with other people who’ve been through gambling addiction and have gotten help.

Bank gambling blocks (Monzo, Starling, etc.)

Lots of the banks that operate within the UK provide you with free tools to use to block all sorts of transactions that are associated with gambling. This takes effect both when it comes to online deposits and to offline payments. Some banks, such as Monzo, go even further and allow you to limit the cash withdrawals from ATMs, write notes to help you remind yourself why you’ve done so, self exclude from lending and block both personal and business cards from gambling associated transactions. Similar options are available at most e wallets, too, including Paypal and Revolut.

Deposit limits & reality checks

All online gambling operators within the UK are obliged to provide you with the option to set up deposit limits. Those are restrictions you’d be prompted to place right after sign up (but you can do so at any other time, too) and they will limit the amount of money you can deposit per day, week or month. If you attempt to credit more than that into your casino account, you won’t be able to. Anytime you try to increase the limit, you’ll be able to do so but there is a mandatory 24 hour cooling off period before the chance takes place.

The so called reality checks, on the other hand, are notifications that you can turn on. You pick the amount of time you don’t want to play more than, say, 30 minutes, 2 hours, etc. If you spend it all within the website, the notification will pop up to tell you the given period has elapsed and remind you to take a break from gambling.

GamStop alternatives & support

The UK has a rather well developed support system which includes many organizations delivering help, support and assistance both for problem gamblers and their friends and family. And along with GAMSTOP and the options mentioned above, other tools you’d be able to use include:

• BetBlocker: A free app you can use to block access to gambling related apps and sites.
• MOSES (Multi Operator Self Exclusion Scheme): A programme allowing you to exclude yourself from the UK betting shops.
• SENSE: Another self exclusion programme for land based operators but related to casino halls.
• BISES (Bingo Industry Self Exclusion Scheme): A programme which excludes you from the bingo venues that operate offline within the UK.
• The Samaritans: An organization that offers help and support for people suffering from gambling addiction. You can call them at all times at 166 123 for free.
• Support groups: There are many support groups operated all over UK for people who’d like to connect with others going through the same experiences. You can find a local support group at gambleaware.org.

Gambleaware.org provides you with additional tools like gambling harms questionairre, gambling spend calculator, information and resources related to gambling harms, as well as links and contact details for other support organizations. Their goal is to help both those who suffer from gambling addiction and their families and friends.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is it possible to self exclude for longer?

No, the five year period is the longest time for which you’d be able to set up your self exclusion. You’ll be offered to activate auto renewal, though, for additional five years. And if you haven’t turned it on but haven’t contacted the GAMSTOP team to deactivate the ban when it’s nearing its end, it will be renewed for seven years automatically.

Does Gamstop block marketing emails?

Yes, signing up yourself on Gamstop means that the operators you’ve been registered with will stop sending you marketing emails. The programme doesn’t affect the advertisements you see on social networks, though.

Is the GAMSTOP ban taking effect on the same date I turn it on?

No, usually the GAMSTOP block will take effect after a 24 hour period. It is not effective immediately.

How long will it take for my GAMSTOP ban to lift?

Once you’ve stated you’d like your block to stop once the chosen period is over, you’ll have to wait for it to actually elapse and then there is a 24 hour cooling off period after which it will be lifted.