GAMSTOP covers online gambling only. It does not cover betting shops, bingo halls, casinos or arcades, which each have their own self-exclusion scheme. National Lottery draw games such as Lotto and EuroMillions are not covered either, while National Lottery online instant win games are.
Here is what sits inside GAMSTOP, what sits outside it, and what each part has instead. Checked on 15 October 2026.
What GAMSTOP covers
All online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain must be part of GAMSTOP. They check it whenever you register or log in, and companies you already have an account with check your status daily. GAMSTOP works by matching the details you gave it with the details you give a gambling company. Keep your email, phone number and address up to date in your GAMSTOP account so the match works.
Gambling in person: separate schemes
Land-based gambling is outside GAMSTOP. Each type has its own scheme, and GAMSTOP links to all of them:
- Betting shops and bookmakers: their own self-exclusion scheme, listed under Sources below.
- Bingo halls: a scheme through the Bingo Association.
- Casinos: a scheme called SENSE.
- Arcades: a scheme through bacta.
If you also gamble in person, a GAMSTOP exclusion leaves that part open. Each scheme is a separate step.
The National Lottery: draw games out, instant wins in
National Lottery draw games, such as Lotto and EuroMillions, are not covered by GAMSTOP. National Lottery online instant win games, including online scratch cards, are covered. The National Lottery has its own limits and its own exclusion, which you set in your National Lottery account.
Sites without a British licence
Sites without a British licence are not part of GAMSTOP. That is not a gap to use. It is simply the edge of what a register of licensed companies can reach, and we do not name or link any such site.
Blocking software and bank tools
GAMSTOP and blocking software do different jobs. GAMSTOP makes licensed companies check your status. Software such as Gamban blocks gambling sites on a device. GAMSTOP recommends using both, together with your bank's tools. Gamban has not been free in England and Scotland since 31 March 2026.
Your own rules reach where no scheme does
Every scheme closes one door. Your own rules go with you through all of them, online and in person. You don't have to quit. You have to be in control.
- The amount before the app: decide how much you can spend in a week before you open any account again. A number, not a feeling.
- The time before the app: decide which days and for how long, before you log in.
- One person who knows: choose someone who gets to hear the real number.
If it feels hard
The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is on 0808 8020 133. It is free and confidential, and GamCare says it is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year. You can also use live chat or WhatsApp through GamCare. If it is urgent and you cannot get through, call Samaritans on 116 123. In an emergency, call 999.