Self-exclusion tools exist at three levels: the individual operator, the whole licensed industry, and your own bank. They serve different needs, have different strengths and gaps, and work best in combination. This guide explains each, what it covers, what it doesn’t, and how to set it up.
Operator-level self-exclusion
Every gambling operator licensed in Great Britain must let you exclude yourself from that operator for a minimum of six months. What happens:
- Your account is closed and cannot be reopened during the period.
- Any remaining balance is returned to you.
- The operator must remove you from all marketing.
- The operator must take reasonable steps to detect and refuse attempts to open a new account.
At the end of the period, the exclusion does not lift automatically. You must contact the operator and request reinstatement, after which a 24-hour cooling-off period applies before you can gamble. Many operators allow exclusion periods of one year, five years or indefinitely.
Operator exclusion is quick and effective for that operator. It does nothing about the other several hundred licensed sites.
GAMSTOP
GAMSTOP is a free national self-exclusion scheme. All online gambling operators licensed in Great Britain are required to participate. Registering once excludes you from every one of them.
| Aspect | Detail |
| Cost | Free |
| Periods available | 6 months, 1 year, 5 years |
| Coverage | All GB-licensed online gambling websites and apps |
| Registration | Online, with name, date of birth, address, email and phone |
| Reversibility | Cannot be cancelled early |
| End of period | Exclusion continues until you request removal, then a further 24-hour delay |
| Not covered | Unlicensed offshore sites; land-based venues; the National Lottery |
When you register, operators check new sign-ups and existing accounts against the GAMSTOP database and block matches. Because matching relies on the details you provide, it is important to register with all names, addresses and email addresses you have used.
GAMSTOP’s limitations are real. It does not touch unlicensed sites, which is one reason such sites advertise themselves to excluded players. It does not cover betting shops or casinos in person (a separate scheme, MOSES, covers betting shops; SENSE covers casinos). And it cannot stop someone gambling on an account in another person’s name — which is fraud, and which operators are increasingly able to detect.
Bank gambling blocks
Most major UK banks and several e-money providers offer a gambling block on debit cards and current accounts. When active, transactions coded as gambling under the card network’s merchant category codes are declined.
| Feature | Typical arrangement |
| Cost | Free |
| Activation | In the banking app, usually instant |
| Deactivation | Cooling-off period of 48–72 hours, deliberately |
| Coverage | Card transactions coded as gambling; some banks also block gambling direct debits and transfers |
| Gaps | Cash, non-gambling-coded merchants, some payment intermediaries |
Bank blocks catch some things GAMSTOP cannot — unlicensed sites that process cards, some retail gambling — and the cooling-off period on removal is designed to defeat impulsive decisions. Their weakness is that they can be bypassed with cash or by using an account without a block.
Credit card gambling has been banned in Great Britain since 2020, so credit cards do not need a separate block.
Software blockers
Device-level tools such as Gamban and BetBlocker block access to gambling websites and apps on a phone, tablet or computer. They work regardless of whether a site is licensed, which fills GAMSTOP’s largest gap. Some are free to UK residents through partnerships with support charities; others charge a subscription. Their limitation is that they only protect the devices on which they are installed.
How the tools fit together
| Tool | Blocks licensed online | Blocks unlicensed online | Blocks in-person | Blocks payment | Bypass difficulty |
| Operator exclusion | One site | No | No | No | Low (other sites) |
| GAMSTOP | All | No | No | No | Medium |
| Bank block | Partially | Partially | Partially | Yes (that account) | Medium |
| Software blocker | Yes | Yes | No | No | Medium (other devices) |
| MOSES / SENSE | No | No | Yes | No | Medium |
Someone who wants a firm break often uses several together: GAMSTOP to close the licensed online route, a bank block on every account, a blocker on every device, and — if relevant — MOSES or SENSE for in-person venues. Layering closes the gaps that any single tool leaves.
Who each tool suits
- Operator exclusion: a problem with one specific site, or as a first step.
- GAMSTOP: anyone who wants a clean break from online gambling for a defined period.
- Bank block: anyone who wants friction on spending regardless of where it happens; also useful for people who gamble occasionally and want a speed bump rather than a wall.
- Software blockers: people who know they will be tempted by unlicensed sites, or who want protection on a work device.
Setting them up
GAMSTOP registration takes a few minutes online. Bank blocks are in the app under card controls or spending settings. Software blockers are downloaded from the provider. Support organisations — GamCare, the National Gambling Helpline, Gordon Moody — can walk you through all of them and will not judge the request.
Related reading on site: Safer gambling footer links; “Tips for Managing Your Budget”.
If gambling is causing harm, free confidential support is available from GamCare (0808 8020 133) and GambleAware.
