While gambling can be fun for many players, it can be a source of harm to others. The issue of gambling addiction is a major concern, and several agencies have come up with different methods that can help reduce its negative effects. Compulsive gambling is considered a disorder and there are ways to help people in need.
Self-exclusion is a process of excluding oneself from gambling for a particular duration of time. When you request self-exclusion from an operator, you’ll not be allowed to access that operator’s services until the time you set elapses. As a UK player, there are several ways you can exclude yourself from betting such as using the Gamstop platform. We will discuss a range of self-exclusion options in this article.
How do you exclude from gambling sites?
To self-exclude yourself from gambling at a physical casino, arcade or betting shop, you will need to visit the actual venue of the operator. You will have to take some passport-style photographs with you, which you will append to the self-exclusion request form.
However, if it is an online gambling site, you may need to chat with a representative of the casino about your desire to self-exclude. Some casinos offer a self-exclusion option in the player account settings. Services such as Gamban can be run as an app that can help players block the devices which they use to gamble online.
Gamestop works – but watch out for non Gamestop casinos
Gamcheck is a directory that lists all UK-licensed casinos. While it does not offer self-exclusion services, it makes it easy for players to find UK casinos and apply for self-exclusion. However, Gamstop is a non-profit service that allows players to exclude themselves from gambling based on their identity.
The good thing about the service is that players can exclude themselves from all UK licensed gambling sites at once. This will save them the stress of going to each gambling site to apply for self-exclusion. When using Gamstop, you can self-exclude for 3 to 60 months, and it takes 24 hours for self-exclusion to become active once you register for it.
As mentioned, this is only applicable for casinos in the UK, which means there are non Gamestop casinos available in the UK. This is gambling sites operating on other type of licenses, other than the UKGC-license.
Alternatives to Gamestop
While some self-exclusion services work based on user identity, others work based on the device used. Gamban falls in the latter category, and it is a service that can be installed on your Windows, Android and iOS devices. Once you apply for self-exclusion, the app will block any attempt you make to access a UK-licensed casino. The good thing about the service is that you can use a single account for multiple devices. Another service similar to Gamban is Netnanny. However, it is a general blocking software that allows you to block different services such as gambling, pornography and drug-related content. It also comes with a parental control feature.
There are several other self-exclusion services besides those mentioned in the previous paragraphs. However, the way they all work is similar. There are some banks, such as Starling and Monzo, that even allow players to block transactions from their account onto a gambling site. Another thing you can do is to add the address of the casino or casinos to a filter/blocking software.
While using Gamstop is free, you will be required to pay a monthly or annual subscription if you are using services such as Gamban and Netnanny. To block casinos not on Gamstop, you will have to visit the casino and apply for self-exclusion manually.
How to get bullet-proof on gambling sites
Throughout this article, we have briefly touched upon how you can self-exclude and the different platforms available for you to use. With self-exclusion, you can gradually reduce your addiction to gambling.
However, you should know that self-exclusion alone cannot stop you from gambling. If you think you are becoming addicted, you can also get help from professional services. Nevertheless, you will find platforms such as Gamstop, Gamban, Netnanny and Betfilter useful for excluding yourself from online gambling sites. Remember that you can also block casinos not on Gamban or other self-exclusion platforms by simply chatting with the customer support of that casino.
