Why Gamstop is the best way to control your online gambling

Since the arrival of the internet, the gambling industry has made remarkable and rapid growth. The days when gamblers had to walk or drive to their local betting shop to place their wagers or even plan a night out at a land-based casino are long gone. The internet has provided people across the globe with the opportunity to stay in the comfort of their homes and browse the net, including browsing betting sites and placing their bets from home from their smartphones. This modern mode of communication was quickly recognised as a tool by betting sites to reach out to their customers and constantly mulled how to improve their products to consolidate their market and, when possible, expand the number of clients using their services.

Although the internet has helped accelerate the growth of the gambling industry, gambling has been around for many decades and has grown in popularity worldwide. Betting shops and land-based casinos have existed for several decades and can be termed as the predicate for modern online betting sites. Like any country, gambling in the United Kingdom is very popular. Most Britons like to place their bets on football, horse racing, boxing, tennis, and other sporting activities, live for the weekend to follow the English Premier League, and place their wagers on their favourite football or rugby team. The live streaming of sporting events has allowed gamblers to spend more time gambling and made the activity more exciting and fun. Gambling addictions, unfortunately, do develop, with many gamblers seeking ways and means to get around self-exclusion.

Gambling in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the gambling industry is governed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which has several rules and regulations. UK-based betting platforms must comply with the Commission’s requirements to procure and retain their licenses. One of the primary objectives of the UK Gambling Commission is to protect gamblers from overspending and to get into social and financial challenges which could affect the gambler, the family, and friends. With this objective in mind, the Commission has recently introduced a voluntary self-exclusion scheme with the sole purpose of helping and protecting problem gamblers. The Commission requires all UKGC licensed betting platforms/websites to join Gamstop. Gamstop is a charitable organisation offering self-exclusion services to gamblers wanting to self-exclude themselves from gambling. Generally, Gamstop only applies in respect of online platforms, and land-based casinos are not obliged to provide the services of the Gamstop program. That said, most land-based casinos do manage unique self-exclusion programs of their own.

How Gamstop can halt gambling addictions

Gamstop only applies to UKGC licensed casinos, and there is now law or restrictions against playing games provided by other casinos operating outside the United Kingdom’s jurisdiction. Therefore, gamblers, including those registered with Gamstop, can still seek online casinos that are not on Gamstop and/or operating overseas. Playing in non-Gamstop casinos offers little protection and assistance to players with genuine gambling problems. However, it is appropriate to note that Gamstop is only one of many gambling regulators in the worldwide gambling industry. Jurisdictions like Curacao, Malta (MGA), Alderney, the United States of America, Canada, and Australia all have credible and respectable regulators that approve and oversee gambling activities in their respective localities.

In addition to Gamstop, there are other alternatives that can assist problem gamblers, including Gamcare, Gamblock, and Gamcare. Like Gamstop, these programs help gamblers block their gaming activities for a limited and specified period of time.

Voluntarily registering for help

Gamblers who voluntarily register to Gamstop need to adhere to the robust KYC procedure during sign-up, which is aimed at helping casinos gather enough information to identify and determine players registered for self-exclusion. Giving personal details during the registration phase is essential; however, this could be a crucial drawback for some addicted gamblers who want to remain anonymous and not divulge their gambling habits. Although Gamstop is aimed at online casinos, offline casinos have their own self-exclusion program that asks for Self-Enrollment National Self Exclusion (SENSE). This program is designed for all UKGC land-based casinos and is very similar to Gamstop. Registration is voluntary and aims to block addicted gamblers from accessing land-based casinos; gamblers can choose to self-exclude for a specified period, precluding casinos from sending advertising material during this period. Obviously, registration requires gamblers to provide their details, which again can be a hurdle for those bettors wishing to conceal their identity.

Gamstop is efficient if you do not seek to bypass it

Notwithstanding the UKGC and Gamstop to ensure the safety of their gamblers, there are ways to circumvent their registration to Gamstop and return to gambling within the self-exclusion period. These include using different and fake personal details to create a new account, asking friends to use their accounts, using a VPN, or gambling on an offshore gambling site. So, Gamstop alone cannot fully protect problem gamblers; they also need to have the will to honour their self-exclusion. The same principle applies to alcoholics and drug abusers. It is relevant and positive to attend Groups and seek support, but at the end of the day, it has to be the addicts themselves to have the will and be honest with themselves to refrain from drinking or drugs.

Gamstop was not designed to be foolproof but to help problem gamblers to control their online gambling habit. The services offered by the program are free for anyone residing in the United Kingdom. Registered self-exclusion cannot be cancelled until the chosen duration has elapsed, and at the end of the period, the gambler needs to contact Gamstop for the self-exclusion to be removed. These terms may seem somewhat draconian but are essential to protect and safeguard the gambler’s interest. Gamstop, together with the will and honesty of the problem gamblers, are the best tools and way to control your online gambling.