The UK self-exclusion scheme, Gamstop, has recorded over 300.00 total registrations since the project’s launch in April 2018.
The concept is designed to allow people going through gambling harm to block themselves from gambling sites for a certain amount of time to cool off from playing.
In the first half of 2022 alone, there were a total of 43,500 registrations for the scheme, making for an average of 7,000 registrations a month, which is a 9% increase from the first half of the previous year.
However, Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer expressed that more should be done to protect those at risk of harm, saying, “Our most recent data suggests gambling-related harm remains a serious problem and it is widely accepted that action is needed to protect those most at risk,” she said. “We are now recording an average of more than 7,000 new registrants each month, which is almost a double-digit increase year-on-year.”
“Although we cannot be certain about the reasons for this, our internal analysis implies that higher volumes of self-exclusion are evidence of a sustained prevalence of gambling-related harm, as well as a greater awareness of Gamstop,” Palmer said. “We look forward to seeing the government’s recommendations for reforming the gambling laws in the forthcoming white paper, now expected this autumn.”
