Blocking Software (Gamban / Gamblock)

Software installed on a device that blocks access to gambling websites and apps across the whole system.

Definition

Blocking software such as Gamban and Gamblock is installed on phones, tablets, or computers to prevent access to gambling sites and apps at the device level. Rather than relying on one operator's self-exclusion, it maintains and updates lists of gambling services and blocks them wherever the user tries to reach them, which is useful for covering unregulated or offshore sites that formal exclusion schemes may miss. It is designed to be hard to remove quickly, adding friction that supports someone trying to stay away from gambling. Blocking software is most effective as part of a layered approach — combined with self-exclusion, a bank gambling block, and support — because no single technical barrier is absolute: a person could use another, unblocked device, and lists can lag behind new sites. It is a support for a decision to stop, not a cure in itself.

Worked example

Someone in recovery installs blocking software on their phone and laptop so that even a late-night impulse to visit a gambling site is met with a block page rather than a login screen.

Why it matters

Learners see a practical, self-directed barrier that spans devices and operators. Professionals should mention it when signposting, while setting realistic expectations that technical blocks reduce, but do not remove, access.

Related

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