GamStop

Not to be confused with GameStop.

GamStop is a national gambling self-exclusion scheme in the United Kingdom.

History

GamStop was established in April 2018[1] after being delayed from late 2017.[2] It has been mandatory for internet-based gambling services licensed in the United Kingdom since 31 March 2020.[3]

In February 2021, GamStop saw a 21% growth in admissions, which was linked to an increase in spending on gambling in the previous year in the context of the COVID-19 lockdown.[4]

In April 2023, Sky News reported an instance in the previous year in which William Hill permitted a person enrolled in the scheme to spend more than £2,000.[5] In the following month, Paddy Power was handed a £490,000 fine by the Gambling Commission for electronically sending promotional material to GamStop registrants. The CEO of Paddy Power's parent company Flutter Entertainment Ian Brown apologised, saying that the company aimed to "lead the industry in safer gambling" and that the material was "was sent in error".[6]

In early 2026, Gamstop reported a 40% increase in self-exclusion requests from gamblers aged 16-24 in the second half of 2025.[7]

Effectiveness

The Association of British Bookmakers cited a survey in which 83% of GamStop's users said that it had reduced or stopped their gambling, and 71% said that they had stopped using their nominated betting sites since joining the scheme. A 2019 investigation by the BBC found that a gambler who self-referred was still able to gamble by changing their user details, such as misspelling their surname.[8]

In December 2025, The Guardian reported on foreign-registered gambling websites which circumvent the scheme.[9] The publication further reported in March 2026 that generative AI chatbots including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot and Meta AI were readily detailing methods to evade self-exclusion when prompted to do so.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ Mick Tucker (13 January 2019). "Gambling addiction: Flaws exposed in online self-exclusion scheme". BBC News. Retrieved 19 July 2025.
  2. ^ Rob Davies (18 May 2018). "Regulator unconvinced by industry problem-gambling measure". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Online operators required to participate in GAMSTOP from March 2020". Gambling Commission. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  4. ^ Rob Davies (5 April 2021). "Number of gamblers trying to block themselves online surges". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  5. ^ Gurpreet Narwan (27 April 2023). "How problem gambler was able to dodge checks to spend thousands". Sky News. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  6. ^ Rob Davies (25 May 2023). "Paddy Power fined after push notifications sent to people self-excluding from gambling". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  7. ^ Fletcher, Robert (30 January 2026). "Gamstop reports surge in self-exclusion among younger bettors". iGB. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  8. ^ "Gambling addiction: Flaws exposed in online self-exclusion scheme". BBC News. 13 January 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2025.
  9. ^ Rob Davies (17 December 2025). "'It's shattered our family': how illicit offshore bookies exploit struggling gamblers who are trying to quit". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  10. ^ Rob Davies; Maxence Peigné (8 March 2026). "AI chatbots point vulnerable social media users to illegal online casinos, analysis shows". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 March 2026.

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