What Is Gamstop Online?

Updated

Gamstop Online is a free service that lets you block your access to accounts on gambling websites and apps. You register once, and the block applies to gambling sites and apps that participate in the scheme. It is aimed at anyone who wants to stop or take a break from online gambling, whether or not they feel their gambling is out of control.

What the service does

The core function is self-exclusion from online gambling. According to the site, registering blocks your access to accounts on gambling websites and apps, and the process is described as "free, quick, and easy."

The site frames the service around several use cases:

  • Taking a break — even if you feel in control, you might block yourself to save money or focus on other things.
  • Cutting yourself off entirely — one featured story describes a user who "registered with Gamstop and cut myself off from gambling," reporting that life improved afterwards.
  • Acting on a friend's example — another story describes someone who registered after a friend said they were "Gamstopping."

Who it is for

Gamstop Online addresses two audiences directly:

  1. People who gamble online and want to stop or pause. The site notes that you don't need to feel out of control to use it.
  2. People affected by someone else's gambling. One story describes a partner who registered so that the person who gambles "can't use my details to gamble online," which the storyteller says gives "a sense of security." The site also has a dedicated page for supporting a loved one who gambles.

Managing your registration

If you have already signed up, the site says you should keep your details up to date so the block can continue to protect you. You can also extend your registration through your account. Both actions happen via the account login area.

What it does not cover on its own

Gamstop Online is presented as a starting point rather than a complete solution. The site points to additional measures used alongside it:

  • Gamstop Betting Shops — to block yourself from physical betting shops.
  • Gambling blocking software — installed on your devices.
  • Advice and support from specialist organisations — for people struggling with gambling.

How to get started

The path described on the site is straightforward:

  1. Go to gamstop.co.uk.
  2. Select Register now.
  3. Complete registration to activate the block on participating gambling sites and apps.

If you already have an account, log in instead to update your details or extend your registration.

Practical points to keep in mind

  • The service is described as free; the site does not mention paid tiers.
  • The block targets online accounts on websites and apps — it is not a substitute for blocking betting shops or installing device-level software, which the site lists as separate options.
  • Keeping your registration details current matters, because the site says the block depends on them to keep protecting you.
  • If your concern is about someone else's gambling, registering your own details can prevent them from using your information to open gambling accounts.