How GamStop Works Explained

GamStop is one of the best-known free self-exclusion tools in the UK that allows players to exclude themselves from any gambling-related activity. The service was first launched in 2018. The service is used by a large number of people who have problems with gambling. From what we’ve discovered, more than 1 million people in the UK have minor or serious gambling problems. This can sometimes affect players’ relationships with their loved ones. Furthermore, those who cannot control their spending may end up in debt.

GamStop works for UK-based gambling platforms. There are still many online casinos outside of GamStop, but none of them has a licence from the UKGC. To learn more about GamStop and its pros and cons, as well as the way it works, please, read the following sections.

What Is GamStop?

GamStop is a self-exclusion tool that allows every player to restrict their access to UK-based online casinos. The service is free of charge and allows you to set periods during which you won’t be able to visit such platforms. These vary between six months and five years. To use GamStop self-exclusion for casinos, all you have to do is register with GamStop and provide any requested personal information.

How Does UKGC Self-Exclusion Program Work?

To activate GamStop at UK casinos, you should first access the official website of the self-exclusion service. Then proceed with the registration process. You’ll be asked to provide information regarding your current address, date of birth, and active email and phone number. GamStop collects and compares your details with the ones you’ve provided at online casinos. It usually takes no longer than 24 hours for your self-exclusion to be activated.

When this happens, you will not be able to access your casino accounts or create new ones on other websites. Simply put, the free tool prevents you from accessing any gambling-related platforms or applications. It’s important to keep your details up-to-date.

How Effective Is GamStop?

According to a survey on GamStop’s effectiveness, the majority of users like the way this tool works. More than 80% of British gamblers who participated in the survey said that they have reduced their gambling activity or stopped gambling in casinos altogether. Participants also like the quick registration process and the fact that the tool is free. Those who have not expressed a positive attitude toward GamStop tend to be neutral toward the program.

Advantages of GamStop

One of the most effective ways to block your access to any casino controlled by UKGC is to register with GamStop. As mentioned earlier, this is completely free and allows users to choose the time period during which they don’t want to gamble online. The list below contains some of the major benefits of this self-exclusion tool.

• ase Way to Exclude Yourself from Casinos:
  Registering on GamStop is incredibly simple, which is one of the most considerable advantages of the service. All you have to do is access the site and provide any required personal information. It is important to keep your information up-to-date. You can do that directly from your GamStop account.
• Applied to Online Sportsbooks:
  Offshore betting sites are online bookies not affected by GamStop, but one’s access to all UK-based sportsbooks will be completely restricted. In other words, apart from excluding themselves from playing casino games, GamStop users will also limit their access to sports betting platforms as well.
• Free of charge:
  Another key benefit of GamStop is the fact that this service is entirely free. You do not have to pay a single penny to create your account. There is no paid version of the tool. On the website, it’s stated that the service is free, and it will always be like that.
• Possible to Choose the Exclusion Period:
  Many people wonder how long does GamStop last, and the answer to this question is quite simple. It lasts as long as you want it to. The self-exclusion programme allows you to restrict your access to gambling platforms for five months, one year, or five years. The latter is the longest possible period during which GamStop can be active.
• Supported by Other Organisations:
  GamStop is supported by third-party organisations that offer emotional, debt, or family support. Some of them include GamFam, National Debtline, and BeGambleAware. Furthermore, GamCare provides users with information about residential treatment, additional services, and gambling addiction charities.

Disadvantages of the UKGC Self-Exclusion Scheme

Those who use this tool still have access to non GamStop casinos, but it’s still advisable for them to learn about the disadvantages of the service. We have highlighted all of them in the following list. Apart from the positive aspects of GamStop, the programme also has several disadvantages. For example, players can easily access non GamStop casinos, but they are still unable to cancel their exclusion before its expiration. We’ve highlighted the rest of the cons below:

• Casinos Controlled by UKGC Only:
  As you already know from what’s been written so far, GamStop only works with gambling websites licensed by the UKGC. Put differently, if you have a GamStop account and try to visit an offshore casino, your access to it will not be restricted at all.
• No Way to Cancel:
  Another thing to note is that there is no option to reverse GamStop self-exclusion once requested. Your access to UK online casinos will be blocked until the end of the period. There is no way to cancel your exclusion.
• Limited impact:
  GamStop is a great option when it comes to limiting your access to online gambling platforms. However, it is an undeniable fact that the service does not offer any further treatment to help you find the root cause of your gambling problem. The good thing is that you can find up-to-date details about many other organisations on GamStop’s official website.
• Easy to Bypass:
  Last but not least, most Brits probably know that there are different options to skip GamStop, and every registered player can easily utilise these. One of them is joining a non-UK casino. Furthermore, some gamblers choose to join crypto casinos as they operate under different regulations.