Which tool stops online gambling completely?

None on its own. GAMSTOP blocks sites and apps licensed in Great Britain; blocking software such as Gamban or BetBlocker also blocks unlicensed sites, but only on the devices where it is installed. Together they cover more than either alone.

Can I cancel GAMSTOP early?

No. You cannot cancel your registration during the exclusion period, and it stays in place after the period until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it.

Not in England and Scotland since 31 March 2026: it costs £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year after a 7-day free trial. It is still free for residents of Wales. BetBlocker is free.

Where does B4GAMBLE fit?

Beside the tools, not instead of them. B4GAMBLE blocks nothing; it helps you decide the amount and the time before you play and keep a plan. If a Spelpaus or ROFUS pause is ending, the pause plan shows the day it ends and the ten steps for the day after.

Control tools compared

Which gambling control tool fits you?

If you want to stop for a while, start with GAMSTOP: it blocks gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain and cannot be cancelled during the period you choose. Blocking software and a bank block add a second barrier, and a deposit limit caps one account. B4GAMBLE (Before Gamble) is a free 10-step programme that helps adults keep online gambling under control without having to quit. It blocks nothing, so it fits when you have decided to keep playing by your own rules, or when a pause is ending.

Updated 15 October 2026B4GAMBLE earns commission from licensed casinos. This page links to none of them.

The tools side by side

United Kingdom. Facts checked on 15 October 2026 at the sources below.
Tool	What it does	Cost	What it does not cover	When it fits
GAMSTOPNational self-exclusion	Blocks you from gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. You cannot cancel it during that period, and it stays in place afterwards until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it.	Free.	Gambling in person: high street bookmakers have a separate scheme, Gamstop Betting Shops. Sites without a licence in Great Britain.	You want to stop online gambling for a set time, with a barrier you cannot undo on a bad evening.
GambanBlocking software	Blocks gambling sites and apps on up to 15 of your devices, including sites without a licence. An installation cannot be removed early.	£4.99 a month or £29.99 a year after a 7-day free trial. Free for residents of Wales; no longer free in England and Scotland since 31 March 2026.	Gambling adverts and sports information sites (Gamban's own list), gambling in person, and any device it is not installed on.	You also want to block sites that GAMSTOP cannot reach, such as unlicensed ones.
BetBlockerBlocking software	Blocks more than a million gambling sites on your devices for a period you choose, from 1 day to 5 years. The block cannot be lifted before the period ends.	Free. BetBlocker is a charity registered in Scotland.	Gambling in person, and any device it is not installed on.	You want a free block on your phone or computer, with no account needed.
Bank gambling blockYour bank	Stops card payments to online gambling accounts and betting shops. Some banks, such as Nationwide, let you switch it on in their app; Nationwide makes you wait 72 hours to switch it off again.	Check with your bank.	At Nationwide: bank transfers and open banking payments, some scratch cards and lottery tickets in shops, and gambling companies that use the wrong merchant code.	You want a barrier on the money itself, alongside a self-exclusion.
Deposit limits and time-outsAt each gambling company	Licensed operators must prompt you to set a deposit limit when you open an account or make your first deposit. Lowering a limit applies at once; raising it waits at least 24 hours. Time-outs of 24 hours, one week or one month and reality checks are offered too.	Part of your account.	Other gambling companies: each limit sits on one account. Setting a limit is prompted, not forced.	You have decided to play and want a hard ceiling on one site.
National Gambling HelplineHelpline, run by GamCare	Advice and support by phone, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 0808 8020 133 in England and Scotland, 0808 2819 265 in Wales. GamCare also offers live chat on its website.	Free.	It blocks nothing by itself.	Gambling already hurts, or you want to talk it through before you decide.
B4GAMBLEFree 10-step programme	Helps adults keep online gambling under control without having to quit: the amount and the time decided before playing, one person who knows, and a plan you review.	Free.	It blocks nothing, and it is not treatment.	You want to keep playing with your own rules, or a pause is ending and you want a plan for the day after. The plan for the day after a pause

The tools can be combined. GAMSTOP covers sites licensed in Great Britain; blocking software also covers unlicensed sites, but only on the devices where it is installed.

In Sweden or Denmark the tools are different:

Start with step 1

Free and private. You need no account to begin; you create one only when you want to save your Starting Point and carry on.

Start step 1 now

Questions people ask

Which tool stops online gambling completely?: None on its own. GAMSTOP blocks sites and apps licensed in Great Britain; blocking software such as Gamban or BetBlocker also blocks unlicensed sites, but only on the devices where it is installed. Together they cover more than either alone.
Can I cancel GAMSTOP early?: No. You cannot cancel your registration during the exclusion period, and it stays in place after the period until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it.
Is Gamban free?: Not in England and Scotland since 31 March 2026: it costs £4.99 a month or £29.99 a year after a 7-day free trial. It is still free for residents of Wales. BetBlocker is free.
Where does B4GAMBLE fit?: Beside the tools, not instead of them. B4GAMBLE blocks nothing; it helps you decide the amount and the time before you play and keep a plan. If a Spelpaus or ROFUS pause is ending, the pause plan shows the day it ends and the ten steps for the day after.

The tools side by side

Start with step 1

Questions people ask

Sources (checked 15 October 2026)