Gambling can be fun up to the point it’s not. Everyone agrees that gambling can become addictive and that it is easy to slip. However, not many are taking any steps to prevent this from happening.
This is why organizations such as GamStop exist. Let’s look into the perks of GamStop, how it works, and what it is good for.
What is GamStop?
GamStop is a free self-exclusion organization covering all online gamblers from the United Kingdom. Much like the Self-Enrolment National Self-Exclusion program, which helps gamblers manage their gambling issues for brick-and-mortar casinos, GamStop does the same for online gambling activities.
If you’re a player from the UK and you have joined a UK licensed casino, you can self-exclude yourself from all gambling activities for at least half a year. However, if you decide to join non GamStop online casinos that are based offshore, the GamStop rules will not apply.
GamStop Duties
The main goal behind GamStop is to protect gamblers from potential gambling problems. Even if you already have a problem, you can join GamStop and prevent it from becoming a bigger issue.
GamStop, as an organization introduced by the UK Gambling Commission, has several duties, including:
Protect Problem Gamblers
If you’re an impulsive gambler that doesn’t know when to stop, GamStop will be there to help you through it. It will block access to all UK licensed casinos, preventing you from spending money or getting in debt. Even though almost all licensed casinos have their own responsible gambling policies, they are not as effective as GamStop.
Educate About Possible Gambling Harm
Educating about possible gambling harm is a more vital duty of GamStop. The organization points out the importance of responsible gambling. Even more so, through education, gamblers can become aware that they have a problem. GamStop speaks for more than just money-related issues. Gambling addictions are known to affect family relations, personal relationships, and much more. This is why it is important to know the risks of gambling addiction.
Counselling Punters
Another important duty of GamStop being a government technology is counselling punters. GamStop has partnered up with many organizations to offer the needed support. GamStop gives you the chance to take back control of your life. If self-exclusion doesn’t suffice, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask for professional help. GamStop has a few options available, including practical controls, debt support, gambling support, and emotional support.
The GamStop Workflow
There are only a few simple steps required for you to get into the GamStop program. If you’re questioning whether you should join the GamStop program, the answer is most likely yes. After all, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Let’s look into the workflow and learn how things work at GamStop.
Registration in GamStop
Given that it is a self-exclusion feature, it requires punters to sign up for the program themselves. This means that the decision is solely up to you. However, if you have had your counsellor suggest to you that you should take this action, it would be very careless to decide to ignore it.
You can register through the official GamStop website. You will need to enter your current address and postcode, as well as all the postcodes that you have previously lived at. Your birth date, all your email addresses and phone numbers are required too.
Once you enter the information, you can choose to self-exclude yourself from all kinds of online gambling activities in the UK for as little as 6 months. The maximum period for self-exclusion is set at 5 years.
Once you become part of the program, it is even more important to keep your personal details up to date. This means that if you get a new phone number, you should not hesitate and add it to the list!
Blocked Access to Online Casinos
It takes up to 24 hours for the registration to fully take place. Once the time has passed, the UK Gambling Commission will block your access to all casinos that hold a UKCG licence. This means that you won’t be able to play real money games at any of those casinos.
It is important to know that this action is not reversible. Even if you change your mind, you won’t be able to get your access back before the time you chose elapses. Nevertheless, you will be able to access all non UKGC licensed casinos.
Conclusion
Once you roll into the GamStop program, we suggest that you use that period to cool off from any gambling activities. However, if you’re still struggling to stop gambling offshore sites, there are other solutions.
You can use Gamblock, GamCare, Net Nanny, Betfilter, or any other alternative to completely block your access from online casinos worldwide. And if you decide to get back to gambling, remember the golden rule of gambling: never wager more than you can afford to lose!