GAMSTOP Self-Exclusion

What GAMSTOP Is

Online self-exclusion works through a shared register rather than a separate request to each gambling business. GAMSTOP has a central service and licensed online operators that check against its register. The service administers the self-exclusion records, while operators are responsible for carrying out the checks required of them. This division explains how the scheme functions across participating online gambling businesses.

The National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme

GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion service for online gambling. Launched in 2018, it applies to Great Britain and provides a way for people to exclude themselves from participating online gambling operators through one national scheme. Rather than requiring a separate request to each business, the service allows an exclusion to be checked across the licensed online market.

The scheme’s purpose is to help prevent problem gambling by giving people a consistent way to set a boundary on online gambling. When an operator checks a customer against the register, the self-exclusion request can be recognised across participating services. GAMSTOP is therefore a UK gambling scheme focused on online access, not an individual operator’s account setting. For online gambling in Great Britain, it offers one national route to self-exclusion across participating licensed operators.

Who Runs It and Who Takes Part

GAMSTOP is run by The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited, a not-for-profit company. The company operates the service and its register; it is distinct from both the gambling regulator and the businesses that must check customers against the register.

These are the main participants and their roles:

• The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited: This not-for-profit company runs GAMSTOP and administers the central service used to record self-exclusion requests.
• Licensed online gambling operators: Operators licensed by the Gambling Commission must take part and check customers against the register, a requirement in force since 2020.
• Individual operators: Each participating business is responsible for making the required customer checks against the register and responding when a record matches.
• The Gambling Commission: The Commission regulates licensed gambling operators in Great Britain; its licensing requirements make participation and register checks mandatory for online operators.
• People who self-exclude: A person’s request creates the record that participating operators can check, making the customer’s choice the starting point for the scheme’s process.

The central company runs the shared service, but the operator remains responsible for checking its customers against the register. This split connects one national record with the compliance duties of each licensed online business.

How Registration Works

GAMSTOP self-exclusion involves selecting a fixed period and submitting the details needed to register. The decision is significant because the chosen period cannot be cancelled once it is in force. After registration, participating licensed operators are required to act on the exclusion across their online gambling services. Knowing what to expect at each stage can help you choose a duration that fits your circumstances and understand what happens next.

Choosing a Period

GAMSTOP offers three registration periods: six months, one year or five years. The period you choose determines how long the exclusion applies; it is not a trial that can be ended early if your plans change. Consider the duration carefully before submitting your registration, especially if you are unsure how long you want a restriction in place.

The examples below are practical ways to think about the time commitment, not official eligibility categories or recommendations. GAMSTOP does not require you to match a particular period to a particular reason. Your choice is personal, and each option has the same key restriction: it cannot be cancelled during the selected period.

GAMSTOP registration periods

Period	Typical planning use	Can it be shortened?
Six months	A defined, shorter-term commitment covering the next half-year	No; registration cannot be cancelled during the chosen period
One year	A commitment planned around the next 12 months	No; registration cannot be cancelled during the chosen period
Five years	A longer-term commitment covering five years	No; registration cannot be cancelled during the chosen period

To compare the options, start with the time horizon you can realistically accept rather than treating the shortest period as a temporary test. Six months means committing for half a year; one year gives a 12-month horizon; five years is a substantially longer commitment. None of the three periods should be selected on the assumption that you can switch to a shorter one later.

Before registering, read the period choices on the current GAMSTOP form and check that the selected duration is the one you intend. Take a moment to review the number of years or months shown before confirming. If you are uncertain, pause to consider the full commitment rather than choosing quickly; the registration period is a central part of how the UK gambling scheme applies to you.

The practical choice is the duration you are prepared to maintain without early cancellation. There is no universally right option: a six-month period is shorter than a year, while five years makes the longest commitment. Select only after weighing those time frames, because the duration cannot be reduced once registration is active.

What Happens After You Register

After you submit your registration, the process moves from checking your details to action by participating operators. These steps matter because the exclusion needs to be associated with the right person and then applied to operator accounts and attempts to open new ones.

1. Details are checked. The information you provide is used to verify your registration and help identify you accurately; correct personal details are important for matching operator records.
2. Operators close existing accounts. Participating licensed operators must close your accounts, preventing continued use of those accounts while the exclusion applies.
3. Marketing is stopped. Operators must stop sending you gambling marketing, reducing promotional contact from the businesses covered by the scheme.
4. New accounts are refused. Participating operators must refuse to open new accounts for registered customers, so a new sign-up should not bypass the exclusion.
5. Checks continue. Operators use checks against registered-customer information when applying these requirements, helping identify existing or attempted account access during the exclusion.

The account and marketing actions are obligations for licensed operators participating in the scheme, not settings you need to apply separately with each one. The checks support those obligations when an operator handles an account or a new application.

Keep the details used for registration accurate, since mismatches can make identity matching more difficult. The process is designed to apply the exclusion across participating operators, rather than relying on a person to contact each operator individually.

Extending or Ending Exclusion

The chosen registration period cannot be shortened: you cannot cancel GAMSTOP self-exclusion before that period ends. Treat the date selected at registration as a firm commitment, not as an end date that can be moved forward if your circumstances change. This restriction is why checking the selected duration before confirming is important.

When your chosen period comes to an end, read GAMSTOP’s current terms to understand how the registration ends or how an extension can be made. Those terms are the relevant source for the process that applies at that time, so check them rather than relying on an older explanation or assuming the same procedure will always apply.

Do not assume that the registration will end or extend automatically; check the current terms for the applicable arrangements and any action required. The six-month, one-year and five-year choices are fixed periods, but the steps at expiry should be confirmed through GAMSTOP’s up-to-date information before the end date.

What GAMSTOP Does Not Cover

GAMSTOP self-exclusion applies to online accounts with licensed operators, but it does not block every way of gambling. Land-based venues and websites without a British licence fall outside its coverage for different reasons. Separate safeguards can address some of these gaps, although they do not all work in the same way. Knowing which protections apply helps you understand the boundaries of the UK gambling scheme.

Betting Shops, Casinos and Bingo Halls

GAMSTOP covers online accounts with licensed gambling operators; it does not exclude you from entering or gambling at a betting shop, casino or bingo hall. A registered online exclusion should not be treated as a venue ban. Land-based gambling takes place at premises where staff and operators manage access and customer accounts separately from online platforms.

Venues and their operators have their own self-exclusion arrangements. The process and scope depend on the venue or operator, so an arrangement for one premises should not be assumed to apply to every shop, casino or bingo hall. Some operators offer arrangements across their own venues, but these remain separate from GAMSTOP and are administered through the land-based business.

The distinction exists because an online scheme can identify participating accounts across connected licensed websites, while physical venues control entry and gambling on site. A venue must manage its own exclusion requests and determine how they apply to its premises and services. The result is two different systems rather than a single ban covering both online and in-person gambling.

This separation matters when considering the impact of self-exclusion: an online restriction does not automatically change a venue’s records or access controls. Anyone seeking exclusion from a physical location needs to use that venue or operator’s own arrangements. GAMSTOP’s online coverage should not be read as confirmation of a land-based exclusion.

Sites Without a British Licence

Websites that do not hold a British gambling licence are not required to participate in GAMSTOP. A self-exclusion registered through the scheme therefore does not apply to accounts on those sites. Their existence outside the British licensing system means they are not subject to the same UK regulatory requirements as licensed operators.

Using an unlicensed site also means losing access to British protections tied to licensed gambling, including the UK complaint and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework. ADR is a route for eligible disputes with gambling operators; it cannot be assumed to apply when a site is outside the British system. The availability of a licence from another country does not make that site part of UK oversight or bring it into GAMSTOP.

This is an important boundary for anyone relying on self-exclusion as a way to limit online gambling. An unlicensed site may not recognise the exclusion, and safeguards required of British-licensed operators may not be available. That can leave a person with fewer practical protections if a dispute arises or gambling becomes difficult to control.

For these reasons, sites without a British licence should be avoided. They do not provide the coverage of the UK self-exclusion program, and access to UK regulatory protections, including ADR, cannot be relied upon. Choosing a British-licensed operator is essential if you expect those regulatory safeguards to apply.

Other Safeguards

Other tools can add friction to gambling access or help manage spending, but each operates differently. They can complement an exclusion without extending GAMSTOP’s coverage.

• Operator limits: Licensed gambling operators may offer account controls such as deposit or spending limits, letting customers set a cap within that operator’s platform.
• Operator time-outs: A time-out temporarily restricts access to an individual operator’s account; its duration and conditions depend on that operator’s available controls.
• Bank gambling blocks: Several UK banks offer card controls that can block or restrict gambling transactions, although availability and activation steps vary by bank.
• Device blocking software: Blocking software can restrict access to gambling websites or apps on a computer, phone or tablet where it is installed and configured.
• Support services: UK services such as GamCare and NHS gambling treatment services provide support for people affected by gambling and can discuss appropriate help.

These safeguards have different limits: an operator control applies within that operator’s service, a bank block concerns eligible transactions, and device software works on configured devices. GAMSTOP is not a treatment for gambling problems, and technical restrictions alone do not provide clinical or emotional support. Support services can offer help alongside practical measures, including when gambling is affecting a person’s wellbeing or finances.

Questions About GAMSTOP

These answers clarify what GAMSTOP changes for registered customers and where its protections apply.

Is GAMSTOP free?

GAMSTOP is free to use: registering and maintaining an exclusion do not require payment to the scheme. You do not need a subscription or a paid account to submit a registration, and the service does not charge according to the exclusion period selected. This means the cost of using GAMSTOP is not a barrier to placing a self-ban from gambling with participating licensed online operators. Any separate products or services offered by other organisations are not GAMSTOP registration fees; check what a provider charges before buying anything described as gambling support. The scheme itself remains free for people who register.

Can I end GAMSTOP early?

The exclusion period you choose cannot be shortened once your registration is active. Your online accounts remain subject to the exclusion until that selected period has finished, so contacting GAMSTOP or an operator does not provide an early release. This fixed commitment is intended to make self-exclusion a dependable barrier during the period a person has chosen, rather than a restriction that can be reversed during a moment of temptation. It also gives participating operators a consistent instruction to apply when matching registered customers. The key practical point is to select a period you can commit to before completing registration.

Does GAMSTOP cover betting shops and casinos?

GAMSTOP does not cover betting shops, casinos, bingo halls or other land-based gambling venues. Its scope is online accounts with operators licensed in Great Britain, so a GAMSTOP registration is not a venue-based self-exclusion and does not itself prevent entry or gambling at a physical location. Customers seeking exclusion from a betting shop or casino need to contact the relevant venue or operator and ask about its own self-exclusion arrangements. Those arrangements are separate from GAMSTOP and may have their own registration steps and coverage. The distinction is between online operator accounts covered by the scheme and gambling carried out at a physical venue.

Does GAMSTOP stop gambling emails and adverts?

Licensed operators must stop marketing to customers registered with GAMSTOP. This obligation concerns marketing sent by operators covered by the scheme, including direct promotional communications such as emails and text messages; it is separate from the blocking of gambling accounts. GAMSTOP does not control every advert shown online, so promotions from unrelated publishers or advertising platforms may still appear even after registration. Nor does registration amount to a general unsubscribe from non-gambling messages sent by a company. If a marketing message from a licensed operator continues after registration, use the operator’s stated contact or complaints route to raise it.