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How Gamstop works
Gamstop was created to help gamblers who have formed unhealthy gambling habits. And players who want to stop gambling can choose to self-exclude from all UK-based gambling sites for a predetermined period of time. This includes all online casinos, betting sites, bingo and any other form of real-money gambling online in the UK.
Because the organisation runs in the UK, it is only available to UK residents. And only affects UK-licensed gambling sites.
So, how long does Gamstop last? The simple answer is, as long as you want it to! As the player, you can choose to self-exclude yourself from these sites for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. Meaning that you won’t have access to any form of online gambling within UK territory for that length of time.
Not only that, but Gamstop also provides their clients with further support, and you can find details of which on their website.
Once your self-exclusion period is over, you must ring Gamstop on their free-phone number to ask them to lift the ban. If you don’t, your self-exclusion will remain in place.
What is Gamstop?
Gamstop is a not-for-profit organisation, operated by the National Online Self-exclusion Scheme Limited. The program aims to help problem gamblers in the UK by letting them self-exclude from all UK-based gambling sites for a set period of time.
Gamstop is an excellent service as, although all UK-licensed gambling operators offer their own self-exclusion programs, it takes time to register with each one individually. And it can be easy to let yourself be tempted by a new site that you haven’t played with before.
But, by signing up to Gamstop, you willban yourself from using any site in the entire UK automatically. Which makes the whole process easier for the players.
Plus, all UK-licensed gambling sites have a legal obligation to be part of the Gamstop program. So there’s no chance you’ll find an operator that isn’t part of in Gamstop.
Finally the Gamstop service is completely free to use. And clients can sign up for their chosen period of time easily through the Gamstop website.
Registering with Gamstop – Step by step
The team at Gamstop have made the registration program as simple as possible for players. But, he’s a run-down of the process, starting with when you land on the Gamstop website.
- Find and click on the ‘Register’ tab at the top of the screen
- You’ll be given details of how the program works, as well as what details Gamstop will need from you in order to register
- Go to the ‘Start’ button at the bottom of the screen and follow the instructions
- You’ll be asked to supply your full name, date of birth, address and postcode, telephone number and email address
- It’s also a good idea to supply previous addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses that might have been used to open accounts at gambling sites in the past
- Choose your self-exclusion period (6 months, 1 year or 5 years)
- Check your inbox for a confirmation email. It should only take a few minutes
- Your Gamstop registration is complete! But can take upto 24 hours to come into effect
Gamstop self exclusion periods
So, now that you know all about Gamstop, let’s take a look at exactly how long Gamstop lasts.
Because Gamstop is a self-exclusion program that’s voluntary for players, it means you get to choose your own self-exclusion period. Depending on what’s best for you and your individual habits.
So, with that in mind, let’s see how long does Gamstop last, and which time periods are on offer. As well as how each one could benefit you.
6 Month exclusion
This is the shortest self-exclusion period on offer. So it’s best-suited to players who, perhaps, have started to form unhealthy habits and want to nip them in the bud.
6 months is not a very long time. So, if you believe you have a problem, it’s probably better to opt for a longer period. But, if you feel like you just need a good break, then this amount of time could be perfect for you.
1 Year exclusion
The next time period you can choose is 1 year. So, this is a great option for players who know they need a good amount of time away from gambling. But who want to return to their hobby a little later down the line.
1 year is a decent amount of time. Therefore, in this period players can develop better habits, and potentially try gambling again when they feel that the time is right.
5 year exclusion
Finally, you have the 5 year self-exclusion. This is the best option for players who know in their heart of hearts that they should probably quit gambling for good. 5 years is a long time. So players who sign up for this are serious about kicking their gambling habit. And a lot of players don’t return to it after such a long time away.
What happens after your exclusion period has ended
Once your self-exclusion period has come to an end, it’s your responsibility to contact Gamstop. They will check the status of your account and, if your self-exclusion period has ended, they will lift the ban. And you will be able to gamble at UK-licensed real-money sites again.
What to do if you self exclude by mistake
If you find that you have self excluded by mistake, or you have a change of heart after you’ve submitted the online form, the bad news is you cannot undo your Gamstop subscription.
In fact, once your registration has been completed, your self-exclusion will start within 24 hours. Meaning that you will not be able to gamble at any UK-licensed sites again, until your self-exclusion period has come to an end.
Cancelling a Gamstop self exclusion
To reiterate, you cannot cancel your Gamstop subscription. So, you’ll only be able to return to gambling after your self-exclusion period has finished completely.
However, this does not mean that you can’t gamble at all. It simply means that UK-licensed real-money sites are no longer available to you.
Non gamstop casino sites are still available
If you’ve accidentally registered with Gamstop, or you’ve had a good break but your self-exclusion period hasn’t expired yet, you can still gamble at non-UK sites.
Offshore casinos, betting sites and bingo operators all welcome UK players. And you can find a great selection of games, along with bonus deals and promos, at gambling sites which aren’t part of Gamstop.
