UK Gamstop self-exclusion scheme: independent study finds positive feedback

An evaluation conducted by Ipsos has found that the majority of Gamstop users feel they have more control of their gambling.

UK.- An independent evaluation of the Gamstop gambling self-exclusion scheme in the UK has found positive feedback on the programme. Conducted by Ipsos, the study found that the majority of users felt safer and more in control of their gambling after registration.

Based on a survey of 4,650 users, the study found that 78 per cent felt Gamstop had delivered the results they had hoped for, and 80 per cent said they would recommend the service to other people. 

The research found that 73 per cent of users were satisfied with the service. That figure rose to 85 per cent for people who no longer engaged in gambling. Meanwhile, 72 per cent said they felt more protected from the potential harms associated with gambling, and around three-quarters felt more in control of their gambling habits.

The evaluation also looked into the reasons why people sign up for Gamstop. The most cited reasons were to stop gambling completely (55 per cent), regain control of life (55 per cent) and reduce spending on gambling (51 per cent). 

While the feedback was mainly positive, the survey found several potential areas for improvement. Users said that the scheme provided an effective barrier to online gambling but did not prevent the urge to gamble. The report also suggests that Gamstop could introduce longer exclusion periods or even the option for lifetime exclusion to provide more peace of mind for those users who want to stop gambling completely.

Users also raised concerns about the availability of unlicensed online gambling platforms. Some respondents mentioned using illegal operators that explicitly promote themselves as not using Gamstop. As a result, the report recommends that the Government and the Gambling Commission take more action against black-market gambling and impose stricter regulations and controls on the promotion of such sites.

Commenting on the evaluation, Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer commented: “We regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the service through comprehensive independent research and it is gratifying to know that most of our users feel Gamstop has helped them significantly reduce gambling-related harm.”

This month, Gamstop expanded its outreach by collaborating with The New Saints FC for Self-Exclusion Day, aimed at promoting responsible gambling awareness

Gamstop is the national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling in Britain. It allows players to exclude themselves from all gambling sites licensed by the Gambling Commission. Players can choose an exclusion period from six months to five years.

The scheme has surpassed 500,000 registrations since its launch in April 2018. Some of those registrations have lapsed, with 440,000 people on the register excluded as of the end of August.

April of this year remains the month with the highest number of registrations so far, with 8,686 new registrants. Last year, 92,000 people signed up, the highest full-year total to date