What GamStop Is
GamStop is the free national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling in Great Britain. It is run by the National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Limited, a non-profit body funded by the gambling industry but operationally independent. Every online operator licensed by the UK Gambling Commission is legally required to integrate with GamStop, which means a single registration blocks your access across every legitimate British site.
How It Works in Practice
You register at gamstop.co.uk by providing your name, date of birth, address, email and mobile number. GamStop cross-references these details with the registration data held by every UKGC-licensed operator. Within 24 hours, any matching account is suspended, and any new attempt to register is blocked. There is no cost, no application form to download, and no paper to sign. The whole process takes roughly ten minutes.
Choosing Your Exclusion Period
GamStop offers three exclusion lengths: six months, one year or five years. Once you register, the exclusion cannot be shortened or cancelled. You can extend a current exclusion at any time. At the end of the chosen period you must actively contact GamStop to reinstate access — accounts are not unlocked automatically. This reverse-default is deliberate: it means the safer choice (staying excluded) requires no action.
What GamStop Blocks
GamStop blocks online gambling at every site licensed by the UKGC. That covers casinos, slots, sports betting, bingo, poker and lotteries — anything regulated in Great Britain. It blocks both web and app access. It blocks attempts to sign up with slight variations of your name or alternative emails, because matching is based on a wider set of identifiers. The system is robust and well established.
What GamStop Does Not Block
GamStop does not block offshore sites operating without a UK licence. Some of these sites actively market to self-excluded players, which is one of the strongest reasons never to use them. GamStop also does not block land-based gambling — high-street bookmakers and casinos use a separate scheme called SENSE for casinos and MOSES for bookmakers. National Lottery products and society lotteries are not covered either; you can self-exclude from these separately.
Layering Defences
GamStop is most effective when combined with other tools. Most UK banks now offer gambling-transaction blocks within their app, with a cooling-off period before they can be lifted. Software such as Gamban blocks gambling websites and apps at the device level. Removing payment methods, deleting bookmarked sites and asking a trusted person to hold a secondary card can all add helpful friction. For people whose gambling has become harmful, this layered approach matters more than any single tool.
Support During Exclusion
Registering with GamStop is often the moment a player faces what gambling has cost them — money, time, relationships, sleep. Free, confidential support is available through GamCare on 0808 8020 133, available 24/7. BeGambleAware operates a live chat service. The NHS runs specialist gambling clinics in several English cities, and similar provision exists in Scotland and Wales. None of these services will judge you, and none will pass your information to anyone else.
When the Exclusion Ends
If you reach the end of your exclusion period, the choice to reinstate is yours alone. Many players choose to extend, particularly first-time excluders. Others use the end of the period to take stock and make a deliberate decision about whether and how to return to gambling. There is no right answer. The strongest predictor of recovery is honesty with yourself about why you registered in the first place, and a willingness to layer in support.