What does Gamstop block, and what does it leave open? Gamstop is the national online self-exclusion scheme in Great Britain. Once you register, every online gambling company licensed by Great Britain's Gambling Commission has to refuse you an account for the period you choose. It does not cover websites licensed elsewhere, betting shops, casinos, bingo halls or arcades.
If gambling is causing harm, support is free. In Great Britain, the National Gambling Helpline run by GamCare is on 0808 8020 133. The service describes itself as free support for anyone affected by gambling harms in Great Britain. If you live elsewhere, Gambling Therapy offers free online support to anyone, wherever they live. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call the emergency number for the country you are in.
This guide gives general information and is not legal or medical advice. It was checked against the pages of Gamstop and the Gambling Commission on 5 October 2026.
What is Gamstop and who runs it?
Gamstop is a free service that lets people living in the UK exclude themselves from licensed online gambling. Its full name since November 2025 is Gamstop Online, and the shorter name is still the one in everyday use. Gamstop says it is run by a not-for-profit organisation, The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited, and that it is independent of both the gambling industry and the government.
Taking part has been compulsory since 31 March 2020 because of a licence rule. Social responsibility code provision 3.5.5 of the Gambling Commission's Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice says that licensees must participate in the national multi-operator self-exclusion scheme. It applies to remote licences, with a short list of exceptions such as gambling software and remote lottery without instant win games, according to the Gambling Commission. The Commission says the scheme has been available since April 2018.
That makes Gamstop a register tied to one licence. It reaches each Gambling Commission licence holder and nobody else. Gamstop reported 614,738 registered consumers in a press release dated 16 July 2026. For wider figures on harm, see what official surveys show about gambling harm.
How does Gamstop work?
Gamstop compares the details you gave when you registered with the details you give a gambling company. Licensed companies must check with Gamstop whenever you try to register or log in. For existing accounts, they must check your status every day, according to Gamstop's help centre.
Registration is done on the Gamstop website. The process has a few clear steps.
- Go to the Gamstop registration page and enter your title, name, date of birth, email address, mobile number and postal address.
- Take a photo of a photo ID that shows the same name and date of birth, such as a driving licence or passport. Gamstop says you cannot use a picture that is already saved on your device.
- Choose how long the exclusion should last.
- Confirm your details and finish the registration.
Gamstop says it can take up to 24 hours for the block to become effective. Keep your details up to date. If your email address, postal address or mobile number changes, update them in your Gamstop account so the block keeps working. To add a new name, contact Gamstop, which asks for proof.
Gamstop says it is open to anyone living in the UK, meaning Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The block applies to online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain, so it works through the Gambling Commission's licences.
How long does a Gamstop exclusion last?
You choose between six months, one year, five years, or five years with auto-renewal. Gamstop says it cannot remove anyone's exclusion early, so the period you choose is the minimum that applies. Choose with that in mind.
What happens at the end of the period is easy to miss. According to Gamstop, an exclusion is not automatically removed at the end of the minimum period. It remains in place for a further seven years unless you take steps to remove it. The block does not end by itself.
To remove an expired exclusion, you log in to your Gamstop account, use the removal request and then speak with Gamstop by chat or phone. With auto-renewal, the exclusion renews automatically when the period ends, so the protection stays in place without any further action.
What does Gamstop block?
Gamstop covers accounts, registrations and logins at every online gambling company licensed in Great Britain, on websites and in apps. It also covers the online instant win games of the National Lottery, including online scratch cards. Companies where you already held an account should take you off their email marketing lists.
If you are registered with Gamstop and a site still lets you open an account, treat it as a warning sign, not a loophole: either the site is not licensed in Great Britain, or the company holds different details for you. Stop using the site. To check whether a site is licensed in Great Britain and takes part in Gamstop:
- Find the company name and licence number in the site footer.
- Search for the company or the domain in the Gambling Commission's public register. You can search by business name, trading name, domain name or account number.
- Compare the result with Gamstop's list of participating companies, which was last updated on 30 September 2026.
- Treat a Gamstop logo in the footer as a claim, not as proof.
The register shows whether a licence exists and which company holds it. It does not show how a company treats its customers. A fake seal is only a copied image. Check the register, not the logo.
The obligation comes from the Gambling Commission's licence, and it ends where the licence ends. It applies only to holders of that licence, and only to their online gambling.
What does Gamstop not block?
Gamstop says that blocking yourself with it only stops access to online gambling websites and apps. For anyone who wants to block more than online gambling, the table lists a tool for each gap, but not every tool closes its gap completely.
| Not covered by Gamstop | What can cover it |
|---|---|
| Websites without a licence for Great Britain, whether licensed elsewhere or not licensed at all | Gambling blocking software, a gambling block on your bank account, and operator-level self-exclusion with each company you use |
| Betting shops | Gamstop Betting Shops, a separate scheme |
| Casinos | SENSE (Self Enrolment National Self Exclusion) |
| Bingo halls | The Bingo Industry Self-Exclusion Scheme (BISES) |
| Arcades | The Bacta scheme or SmartEXCLUSION, depending on the venue |
| National Lottery draw games, including Lotto and EuroMillions | The player tools in your National Lottery account |
| Gambling adverts, and marketing from companies you never registered with | Advertising settings on the platforms you use |
| Money left in existing accounts | Contacting the operator directly, since registration does not return it |
The first row matters most. The Gambling Commission warns about overseas websites that seek British customers and says they may not have the protections it requires. Gamstop cannot reach them, because the licence rule behind it does not. Read how gambling blocking software works and where it falls short. Blocking software can slow you down, but it is one layer and not a full answer.
The scheme names in the table follow the Gambling Commission's page on free multi-operator and national self-exclusion schemes.
Sometimes a person is registered and still manages to gamble with a licensed company. Gamstop says this is unlikely and asks people to contact the gambling company first. One possible reason follows from the matching process: the details held by the company differ from the details in the register. Keep your Gamstop details up to date.
Does Gamstop work outside the UK?
No. Gamstop is a national register, and there is no international one. A person living outside the UK cannot use Gamstop and should look for the scheme in their own country. National self-exclusion schemes in other countries are collected in one place, with the country named for each.
The same principle works in reverse. A national register blocks only operators licensed in that country. Before you rely on any register, ask which jurisdiction licenses the operator.
Where can you get free support if gambling is causing harm?
Gamstop is one tool. Deposit limits, blocking software and support from other people can work alongside it. Free and confidential support is available.
In Great Britain, the National Gambling Helpline run by GamCare is on 0808 8020 133. The Gambling Commission also lists a separate line for Wales: 0808 2819 265. Outside Great Britain, Gambling Therapy provides free online support. More on tools and rules is on SlothBet's responsible gambling page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gamstop free?
Yes. Gamstop describes itself as a free, quick and easy service. It is run by a not-for-profit organisation. Registering costs nothing, and the only things you need are your personal details and a photo ID.
Who can register with Gamstop?
Anyone living in the UK, meaning Great Britain and Northern Ireland, can register. You need your name, date of birth, email address, mobile number and postal address, plus a photo ID. The details must match the document exactly.
How long does it take for Gamstop to start working?
Gamstop says it can take up to 24 hours for the block to become effective. Once it is effective, licensed companies must check with Gamstop whenever you register or log in.
Can you cancel Gamstop before the exclusion period ends?
No. Gamstop says it cannot remove anyone's exclusion early, in order to offer the best possible protection. The period you chose applies in full. Think about the length before you confirm it.
What happens when a Gamstop exclusion period ends?
Nothing changes automatically. Gamstop says the exclusion remains in place for a further seven years unless you take the steps to remove it. An exclusion can also be kept in place for longer, and the five-year option with auto-renewal does this automatically.
Does Gamstop cover the National Lottery?
Only partly. Gamstop covers online instant win games, including online scratch cards. Draw games such as Lotto and EuroMillions are not covered, and the National Lottery offers its own tools in the player account for those.
Does Gamstop work if you live in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man?
Gamstop says that if you register from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you will not necessarily be restricted from gambling by all participating companies. Ask Gamstop what applies to your situation before relying on the block.
Does Gamstop cover betting shops, casinos and bingo halls?
No. Gamstop only stops access to online gambling websites and apps. Betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and arcades each have a separate scheme, listed in the table above, and you need to join each one you want to use.
Does Gamstop stop gambling adverts?
Not completely. Gamstop says you should be taken off the email marketing lists of companies you were registered with. You may still receive marketing from companies you were not registered with, and you may still see gambling adverts online.
Sources and checking date
All pages were accessed on 5 October 2026.
- Gamstop: home page
- Gamstop: how it works
- Gamstop: register
- Gamstop: participating companies
- Gamstop help centre
- Gamstop: registration figures, 16 July 2026
- Gambling Commission: social responsibility code provision 3.5.5
- Gambling Commission: public register of gambling businesses
- Gambling Commission: free multi-operator and national self-exclusion schemes
- Gambling Commission: how gambling companies keep you safe while betting online
- GamCare: National Gambling Helpline
- Gambling Therapy