Is GAMSTOP free?
Yes. Registration with GAMSTOP costs nothing.
In short
GAMSTOP is free and covers every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission, which must participate since 31 March 2020. You choose six months, one year, five years or five years with automatic renewal. It cannot be cancelled during that period, and at the end it stays on until you ask for it to be removed, with a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours.
What is GAMSTOP?
A free online self-exclusion scheme that blocks you from the websites and apps of gambling companies licensed in Great Britain. The Gambling Commission made it compulsory: since 31 March 2020 all online gambling operators it licenses must participate in GAMSTOP. One registration therefore covers every brand on the Gambling Commission register.
How long does a GAMSTOP exclusion last?
You choose the minimum period when you register: six months, one year, five years, or five years with automatic renewal. GAMSTOP’s terms of use call this the Minimum Exclusion Period. With automatic renewal, a new five-year period starts when the current one ends, and you can only switch renewal off during the last six months of a five-year period.
| Option at registration | What happens at the end |
|---|---|
| Six months | The exclusion stays active until you ask GAMSTOP to remove it |
| One year | Same: removal only on request |
| Five years | Same: removal only on request |
| Five years with automatic renewal | A new five-year period begins unless you switched renewal off in the last six months |
When does it start working?
Usually within 24 hours. GAMSTOP’s terms say it takes care to activate a self-exclusion as soon as possible and generally does so within 24 hours, but that how each operator applies it depends on the operator’s own systems.
Can I cancel it early?
No. The minimum period cannot be shortened. After it ends, the block is not lifted automatically: you have to contact GAMSTOP and complete its removal process, and it will not deactivate the exclusion within a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours.
What GAMSTOP does not cover
Businesses that are not licensed by the Gambling Commission. GAMSTOP works through the licensed operators, so a site outside the register is not bound by it. Before you open an account anywhere, check the domain against the register. If you need to talk to someone now, the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day, according to the NHS.
Frequently asked questions
Do all UK gambling sites have to use GAMSTOP?
All online gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission have had to participate since 31 March 2020.
Can I remove GAMSTOP before the period ends?
No. Removal is only possible after the minimum period, on request, with a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours.
Sources consulted
- GAMSTOP · Terms of use, read on .
- Gambling Commission · Online operators required to participate in GAMSTOP from March 2020, read on .
- NHS · Help for problem gambling, read on .
Updated .
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