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How does Gamstop Self-Exclusion Program Work How Does Gamstop Self-Exclusion Program Work?
Gamstop is a voluntary scheme, meaning that players must create accounts first, verify their e-mail address and supply a set of personal information. It’s not suitable for everyone, so we’ll share how to find out if it’s the right choice for you and the steps to follow to become a member.
➡️Who is Gamstop for?
Only residents of Great Britain and Northern Ireland may sign up for Gamstop. It’s a free tool that’s geared towards players who struggle with addiction issues and need to get back on track.
Over 500,000 people are enlisted in the program at the moment. Other auxiliary resources are also available for better protection, such as confidential advice through the National Gambling helpline, family and emotional support.
At the same time, Gamstop is not just a voluntary resource for players, it’s also a legal requirement for local operators. All gambling sites licensed by the UKGC must sign up. Once a person has excluded themselves from one UKGC hub, they’re automatically denied access on all of them.
➡️What are the Requirements Before Registering to Gamstop?
In addition to being a UK resident, you must also agree to other conditions before you can become a member, including sharing personal details and verifying your identity.
➡️How do you Register at Gamstop?
Signing up for Gamstop will only take a few minutes of your time. To make the process easier, follow our detailed instructions below:
- Go to the Gamstop.co.uk site
- Click on the ‘register’ button from the top menu, then scroll to the ‘start’ option
- First, supply a valid e-mail address. You’ll receive a confirmation link in your inbox that you must click
- Then, you’ll be asked to share the following personal information: title, first and last name, date of birth, phone number and postal address
- Make sure you also have a document on hand for the identity verification (photo ID, driver’s license or passport)
- You may also be asked other questions to confirm your identity
- After this final step is completed, registration will be successful
➡️How long does Gamstop last?
Gamstop implements fixed periods for self-exclusion, and can last from a minimum of 6 months to 1 or 5 years. It all depends on the choice you make when registering.
➡️Can you cancel the subscription?
It’s not possible to cancel Gamstop in advance as the system was designed to be bulletproof and prevent relapse. All you can do is wait it out. The team will not notify you once your self-exclusion period ends, so you must verify your account to not miss your window to act.
Afterwards, if you wish to remove it, you must contact Gamstop via phone for free at 0800 138 6518, from 10 AM to 8 PM (available 7 days a week). They will re-verify your personal details, then a mandatory 24-hour cooling-off period will be imposed.
During that, you’re still restricted, in case you may change your mind. If you don’t, after the 24 hours are up, you’re free from the program and can start playing again on UKGC online casinos and betting sites.
➡️Is Gamstop Valid for Betting Shops or Real Casinos?
No. Gamstop only applies to online gambling operators licensed in Great Britain. For land-based establishments, there are other apps and resources you can use.
For instance, Moses allows exclusion from UK betting shops through a simple phone call at 0800 294 2060, whilst SENSE enables you to restrict yourself from all land-based UK casinos by filling a digital application form.
Furthermore, through the Bingo Association and the BISES scheme, you may reach out to a participating location and self-exclude from all licensed bingo venues across Great Britain. BACTA does the same for arcades and gaming centers within the country.
What are the Pros and Cons of Gamstop?
Although it was created to be as efficient and all-encompassing as possible, the Gamstop program is not without its flaws and may not be suitable for all players. In the past, some have ‘cheated’ the scheme by changing their user details and opening new accounts, showing there’s still room for improvement.
Why Does Gamstop not Work for you?
If Gamstop didn’t work for you, there are certain obvious culprits you can look into. For example, you may have submitted an invalid e-mail address, so you never received the confirmation link. Double-check it and try again if that’s the case.
On the other hand, if you’ve altered other personal information, for example used a changed address or a misspelled surname upon registering on a new casino, the exclusion will once again not be enforced.
Finally, you may have accidentally signed up on one of the non Gamstop casinos, which are typically licensed by other authorities such as Curaçao eGaming or Costa Rica. By default, these hubs don’t partake in the UK scheme, only UKGC-licensed casinos do, so they will not flag you as a member or deny your access.
What are the possible solutions?
Now that you’ve done the troubleshooting and identified the problem, you can use several solutions to resolve it. The fastest is to contact Gamstop themselves. This can be done through the official site, using the contact form, via phone (0800 138 6518, 10 AM to 8 PM, 7 days a week), through web chat or e-mail, at helpdesk@gamstop.co.uk.
Another more time-consuming workaround is to manually self-exclude from every online casino or bookie. This process is usually done either directly, through the player account settings, or you may have to contact customer support with your request.
You can also try signing up for Gamstop again with different details, particularly if you’re sure you’ve mistakenly used a wrong address. Alternatively, other software tools exist to achieve similar purposes and ban gambling sites just as effectively.
Are there any Alternative Tools for Online Support?
There are numerous apps, software solutions and filters if you’re interested to know how to block gambling sites. Below, we’ll analyze the most relevant ones, how to use each and what benefits lie in store.
Gamblock
Gamban
Betfilter
Net Nanny
Should I Subscribe to Gamstop?
If you need a one-stop solution to circumvent all UKGC-licensed casinos, bookies and gambling apps efficiently, Gamstop is the way to go.
It provides easy registration and fast protection, plus you benefit from flexibility by setting different time periods for exclusion. In addition, you don’t have to go through the trouble of restricting yourself from multiple UK websites manually, as this process will happen automatically once you’re a member.
It only takes a few minutes. You need to insert an e-mail address on the site, click on the confirmation link in your inbox, then wait for the Gamstop team to confirm your identity.
No. It may take up to 24 hours for the Gamstop block to become active on all participating sites.
No, you can ask for a removal only after the self-exclusion period ends and it can’t be done earlier. For this process, you must contact Gamstop on the phone or through the website.
Yes, if you want to keep your Gamstop subscription, the best course of action is to not do anything after the initial interval ends, as it’ll renew automatically for 7 more years.
It doesn’t cost anything, Gamstop is a free program for residents of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
No, UKGC casinos will not be able to target you with any promotional material following your restriction. However, international operators still might because they’re not part of the scheme.
