GAMSTOP breaks milestone as the organisation records over 250,000 registrations since launching 3 years ago! (Image by Markus Spiske on Unplash.com)
GAMSTOP continues to go from strength to strength since it was first launched back in April 2018 as a measure to help problem gamblers overcome their addiction. Players that feel they have a gambling problem can use the service to voluntarily ban themselves from online betting platforms.
March 2020 was a key month for GAMSTOP, as this was the point at which all online gambling operators had to start participating in the self-exclusion scheme. Now, three and a half years since it was established, GAMSTOP has announced that it has surpassed a significant milestone by clocking up over 250,000 registrations in the United Kingdom.
2021 has been another successful year for GAMSTOP, as over 67,000 people have signed up, which is more than a 30% increase from 2020 when 51,000 people signed up. In March of this year, the gambling protection scheme registered 7,047 new participants, which was its second-most successful month. Still today, over 228,000 people are continuing to self-exclude from UK online casinos and other gambling platforms thanks to the GAMSTOP service, proving just how successful it has been.
Gambling addiction is a serious illness and one that the UK Gambling Commission and organisations such as GAMSTOP are working hard to combat. The COVID-19 pandemic has predictably seen a rise in problem gambling as those affected financially by the pandemic have looked for other ways to make ends meet. Some have turned to live casino games, others to video slots, in an attempt to replace any lost income. However, as we all know, the house usually wins in the long run.
While we work within the online casino industry and love playing live casino games, we have always urged players to seek help if they believe they have a gambling problem. You can use services such as GAMSTOP, Gamcare, and BeGambleAware to get support, advice, and guidance. Please only gamble money you can afford to lose and never treat gambling as a form of income.
More About GAMSTOP and How it Helps Problem Gamblers
GAMSTOP is a measure to help a player control their online gambling usage. Once you have registered, you will be prevented from using gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in the UK. The person who registers has a choice of how long they wish to be restricted. Depending on the option the player chooses, they will be excluded from online gambling with UK licensed gambling companies for a period of either 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. GAMSTOP provides a free service for users and is available to anyone residing within the UK only.
Other organisations work closely with GAMSTOP to help further the effects of the service and to bring stronger benefits to the registered person. These organisations include Gamcare, Gamban, Gordon Moody, Betknowmore, the Northern Gambling Clinic, Citizens Advice, Peer Aid, and the TalBanStop project. In addition, several English Football League clubs have shown support and raised awareness of GAMSTOP’s work, these are Harrogate Town, MK Dons, Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End, Morecambe, QPR, Middlesbrough, Brentford, and Crystal Palace.
CEO of GAMSTOP, Fiona Palmer, informed of how GAMSTOP has developed this year to make the registration process smoother, as well as trying to raise the profile of the scheme. She also admitted that the registration figures were higher than expected. It could well be the effects of Covid-19 which caused an increase in online gambling usage. GAMSTOP wishes to keep moving forward after being encouraged by the latest figures, and also the positive impact that the scheme is having on so many individual lives and households.
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