GAMSTOP Self-Exclusion 2026: How It Works, How Long It Lasts, What to Expect
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GAMSTOP is the free national self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain, and every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission must be part of it. Registering once blocks your access across all of them. This guide explains exactly what happens after you sign up, and what GAMSTOP does not cover.
What GAMSTOP is
GAMSTOP is run by a not-for-profit company and funded by the industry, but the decision to register is entirely yours and costs nothing. You provide your name, date of birth, address, email and mobile number, choose a duration, and licensed operators must then refuse to open or reopen an account matching those details and stop sending you marketing.
Choosing six months, one year or five years
The minimum exclusion is six months, with one year and five years also available. The period cannot be shortened once it starts. At the end of the term the exclusion stays in force until you actively ask to remove it, and a seven-day cooling-off period applies before access is restored. If you are unsure which length to choose, the longer option is the safer one — you can always leave it in place.
What it blocks and what it does not
GAMSTOP covers online and mobile gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain. It does not block betting shops, casinos and arcades on the high street, those have their own separate schemes, and it cannot reach sites operating without a UK licence. Blocking software on your devices and a gambling block through your bank close most of the remaining gaps and are worth setting up on the same day.
Getting your details right
Matching works on the information you give, so register every email address and mobile number you have used, and keep the record updated if you move house. An account opened under a variation the scheme does not hold may not be caught. If you find you can still access a licensed site after registering, report it — it is a licence breach and the Commission takes it seriously.
Support alongside the exclusion
Self-exclusion works best combined with support. The National Gambling Helpline from GamCare is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day, with live chat as well. GamCare, Gordon Moody and the NHS gambling clinics all offer structured treatment, and Gamblers Anonymous runs peer groups across the UK. Asking for help early is not a last resort, it is the step that makes the exclusion hold.