GAMSTOP
A person registers once for free at gamstop.co.uk, entering their personal details, and chooses a self-exclusion length. Every UKGC-licensed online operator must check the central GAMSTOP database and block the registered person from opening an account or logging in for the chosen period; the exclusion cannot be shortened once set.
Key facts
Run byThe National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Ltd (a not-for-profit, industry-funded company)
CoversAll GB (UK Gambling Commission) online-licensed gambling websites and apps
ChannelOnline
Duration options6 months, 1 year, or 5 years (the 5-year option auto-renews unless the person actively ends it)
Operator mandateMandatory for all GB online gambling licensees since 31 March 2020 (a condition of the UKGC operating licence)
LaunchedApril 2018
Total registrations~562,000 cumulative by end of 2025117,756 new sign-ups in 2025, a ~19% year-on-year rise
CostFree to the individualFunded by the gambling industry
Mandatory since31 March 2020Condition of every UKGC online licence
Coverage gap
Online only and GB-licensed only — it does not reach unlicensed/offshore or crypto casinos, nor land-based betting shops/casinos (which use the separate Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Schemes)
Sources
Reference, not advice. A teaching summary of the United Kingdom scheme — confirm registration routes and current terms on the scheme’s own site.