Reading Time: 2 minutes
- The Lords event was organized by a peer who was the initial advocate for multi-operator self-exclusion.
- Since it was established in April 2018, GAMSTOP has accumulated a user base exceeding 380,000 members.
- May 2023 saw an unprecedented number of registrations, surpassing those recorded in March 2023.
Members of Parliament, regulators, gambling organizations, charities, and individuals who have personal experience with gambling, came together at Westminster to commemorate the fifth year since GAMSTOP, the UK’s autonomous online gambling self-exclusion program, was established.
On Wednesday, June 14th, Lord Browne of Belmont, who initially proposed a nationwide scheme for individuals to voluntarily exclude themselves from gambling, organized an event. Former gamblers shared their experiences and emphasized the significance of GAMSTOP in aiding them in overcoming their gambling issues.
In April 2018, GAMSTOP was introduced, and after two years, it became mandatory for all UK operators to join the program and also offer their own self-exclusion systems. Over 380,000 individuals have signed up for GAMSTOP since its introduction, deciding to exclude themselves from all UK operators for durations of six months, one year, or five years.
GAMSTOP had its busiest month ever in the past month, with a remarkable 8,594 new customers signing up for the free service. This surpassed the previous record set in March 2023 by 90 registrations.
According to a recent interview conducted by an independent research agency called Sonnet, users expressed that GAMSTOP was a crucial support system and self-exclusion played a significant role in their path to recovery. At a gathering hosted by the House of Lords, former gamblers came together to share their personal journeys through a video presentation to the attendees.
Stacey Goodwin The person from Chesterfield, who is currently in the process of recovering from a dependency that lasted for eight years, mentioned:
“ GAMSTOP has played a crucial role in my journey of overcoming addiction. While many people have praised my strength during this process, I personally don’t perceive myself as strong. In reality, when I’m struggling, it is GAMSTOP that provides me with the necessary support and resilience.
Matt Blanks, The person, who began gambling at the age of 11, revealed that they lost approximately £700,000. :
“GAMSTOP is truly a lifeline for many individuals, including myself, who are facing difficulties with gambling. It provides an opportunity to pause, contemplate, and eliminate the allure of gambling.”
Jack Scott The individual, who managed to conquer their gambling problem and now excels as an endurance runner, stated:
“GAMSTOP broke through the barrier effortlessly, as I had grown weary of the person I had transformed into. With a resource like GAMSTOP at your disposal, which can enable you to become the best version of yourself, why would you not choose to utilize it?”
Fiona Palmer , CEO of GAMSTOP, told guests:
“We are always seeking ways to enhance the satisfaction of our customers, making sure that GAMSTOP provides a secure and efficient method of excluding oneself from online gambling for those who have registered. Additionally, we aim to optimize the process for individuals to easily exclude themselves from all forms of gambling, not just online, and ensure they are promptly directed to additional support and treatment if desired.”
Speaking at the event, Professor Henrietta Bowden-Jones OBE is a highly esteemed academic.The National Clinical Advisor for the NHS, an expert on gambling addiction, praised the UK for being at the forefront of self-exclusion efforts and urged for more attention to be given to self-exclusion in physical gambling establishments.
“We are combating technology with technology. Patients are becoming increasingly aggravated by self-exclusion measures as they are unable to overcome them. Consequently, a few patients are resorting back to bookmakers as it seems like their only viable option. They are exploiting cashback from Tesco to bypass bank restrictions. Addressing the urgent need to prevent individuals from entering bookmakers, a nationwide unified system is crucial.”
