How GAMSTOP works: An in-depth guide to GAMSTOP Self-Exclusion Scheme

Last week, we wrote about GAMSTOP, a free service that lets residents within the United Kingdom (Great Britain and Northern Ireland) put controls in place to help restrict their online gambling activities. The piece covered the inner workings of the GamStop API. GAMSTOP is operated by a not-for-profit organization called The National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Limited.

If you have heard of GAMSTOP you probably would like to know how this platform actually works. Well, it is simple and complicated at the same time, and below we will try to explain it as much as possible. Keep in mind that GAMSTOP works with players and online casinos so there are two separate parts of the process in order to make this platform work well and be successful. We will cover all the facts below.

Registration

Using GAMSTOP starts with registration. All a user has to do in order to activate GAMSTOP is to register. This is done only on the official website. During the process, you will have to enter the full name, address, phone number, and email address you have been using.

By the way, keep in mind that it is important to enter all the email addresses you have been using for gambling. It is a well-known fact that many gamblers use multiple email addresses for gambling online. If you change any of the details in your life afterward you should update them on the account page at GAMSTOP. Once registered you will be prevented from using gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain, for a period of your choosing.

This is basically all you have to do. Once you are done, GAMSTOP will create an account and page with all your details. Then, these details will be shared or sent to all the casinos in the database. However, only UK casinos use the GAMSTOP database, many players prefer to use non-GAMSTOP English casinos like on NonGamStopSlots, so they will not be blocked on those sites. Usually, it is a bit trickier to exclude yourself from such brands, because you need to ask their support to do it.

This is the first part of the process and it is obvious and simple. The actual process takes a few minutes only and can be done via any device you like. Yes, smartphones and tablets are supported and there is no need to use a PC. Of course, you will need an internet connection.

Once you are done with the registration you will have to choose the duration of the self-exclusion ban. You have 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years to choose from. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to make the duration shorter. It can only be prolonged. So, if you have selected 1 year you cannot make the self-exclusion 6 months long. But, you can increase the ban to 5 years. This is one of the strongest sides of GAMSTOP and one of the main downsides for certain players.
Once the self-exclusion ends you are not done. You will have to contact customer support at GAMSTOP and you will have to ask them to lift the ban. Then you will have to wait 24 hours. Once this is done you are free to gamble at all GAMSTOP casinos. Don’t forget that this is a mandatory step and it is something all users must perform if they want to gamble once again.

Let’s just add that GAMSTOP is free to use and there are no fees of any kind. You can use it as long as needed and you won’t have any complications to worry about.

GAMSTOP API

While for you this is a one-minute task, for online casinos it is a much more severe process. First, an online casino will have to integrate GAMSTOP API into the website. This covers a complicated process and it is done by developers. Once this is done the process can start. All casinos with UKGC must be part of GAMSTOP. It is mandatory if a casino wants to offer games to UK players and wants this license.

When you try to enter your data to play games at that casino, the casino will check it against the GAMSTOP database. If the data matches, you won’t gain access. It simply means that your name and other personal information are in the GAMSTOP database and you have active self-exclusion. If your data is not in the GAMSTOP database you will be allowed to play there and you can gamble as you would normally do it. Once the self-exclusion is removed. Your details will be removed from the main database hence there will be no reason to block your account anymore.

The best part is the fact all of this works instantly and you won’t have to wait for the check or anything similar. You will just try to log in to your account and you are done. We can add that GAMSTOP works well and it is one of the simplest options of this kind on the web and one of the most successful ones.

However, this is not all. Online casinos change all the time. They become more advanced, bigger and offer more betting and gambling options. This means that the online casinos using GAMSTOP must continue to share information with the organization and they must cooperate all the time in order to make this work well.

Conclusion

GAMSTOP is one of the simplest methods to distance yourself from gambling online and one that works well and requires a few minutes to activate. It is trending and covers many online casinos which is a nice thing and a clear advantage. Now you know more about how this works and you can decide will you use it or not.