In 2020 people around the world are spending time and money playing at online casino and other gambling related sites. The current pandemic has completely changed the way we think and act. Our daily lives and routines have been interrupted indefinitely. In fact, many online gambling sites have seen an increase of 30% or more in new player sign ups and in deposits. With so many people being forced to stay home and avoid social gatherings it’s no surprise people are beginning to go stir crazy. That’s why in the last 6 months many casinos and online gambling commissions and regulators have started implementing new ways to help protect gamblers from going into serious debt or worse. One of the leading gambling related organization currently in the United Kingdom is GAMSTOP. But who is GAMSTOP and what purpose do they serve?
Who is GAMSTOP?
GAMSTOP is a non-profit organization that was launched back in 2018 in the UK in order to help gamblers get help when they needed it. GAMSTOP is a service that players can sign up to in order to help them put a pause of even a complete stop on their uncontrolled gambling. In order to take advantage of GAMSTOP service players need to register an account with them. The service has been gaining in popularity. GAMSTOP has proved to be an invaluable tool in helping gamblers get help so much so the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission) has now made it a mandatory requirement for new online casinos to get their online gaming license for the UK and Ireland markets.
How does it work?
In order to take advantage of the services provided by GAMSTOP players need to begin by signing up on GAMSTOPs website. Once a player signs up GAMSTOP will add their user details to their massive database of players who have already signed up over the years. These users will need to provide basic information like their postal code, date of birth and email address. As part of the signup process users are requested to select a predetermined amount of time such as 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. This will indicate how long they remain self-excluded with GAMSTOP.
It’s very important to remember that players are responsible to ensure their details always remain up to date. If someone moves or changes their active email address this info will not get updated in GAMSTOPs database unless the players do so themselves. Failure to do so can make it harder for GAMSTOP to protect its users from relapsing.
Once the information is collected it’s then made available to all online gambling sites operating in the UK and Ireland. This allows them to cross check new players that signup at their individual sites. The idea is that when a person signs up with a new online casino in the UK or Ireland the online casino is responsible to ensure the player is eligible to play. The online casino will then be required to verify the player in question does not appear on any gambling caution lists like GAMSTOP. If the casino does find the player in question on GAMSTOP they will automatically close the players account and block them from making any deposits.
GAMSTOPs evolution
GAMSTOP started out as a non-profit organization to help UK gamblers find some help with dealing with their gambling issues. In the past websites who wanted to show they are being responsible would place the GAMSTOP logo on their sites. Recently the UKGC who govern the casino industry decided all online gambling sites operating the UK and Ireland will need to place the GAMSTOP logo on their sites in order to receive their gaming license. Sites who do not comply can face fines or even worse lose their license. Despite GAMSTOP being mandatory for all gambling sites to promote, only the person themselves can sign up for the service. It is prohibited for a friend or family member to sign up anyone to GAMSTOP. They can however assist the person in question to do it themselves.
What happens once you are registered with GAMSTOP?
Once a player has signed up to the service, they will receive an email confirmation. This informs them that they were successfully added to GAMSTOPs database. This can take up to 24 hours to take effect. Once the service takes effect the player is excluded from joining or depositing at any online casino in the UK. This means when a new player opens an account, they will be blocked within hours of using the site. They will be blocked from making any deposits or playing games until the checkup clears which it doesn’t.
The service is meant to give players another level of protection against themselves. Like having a friend to help you through those moments of weakness. Once the exclusion period has ended the player will need to reach out to GAMSTOP and ask they be removed. Otherwise, they will not be allowed to play again despite the exclusion period being over.