Self-Exclusion Explained: GAMSTOP, BetStop and Help in Each Country

Self-exclusion lets you ask gambling operators to stop you from gambling for a set period. It is one of the main tools available if you want to take a break or you feel gambling is becoming a problem. How it works depends on where you live, so this guide covers Great Britain, Australia, the United States, Canada and Ireland.

Great Britain: GAMSTOP

GAMSTOP is a free national scheme covering online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain. You register once with your name, date of birth, email, postcode and phone number, and choose a period of 6 months, 1 year or 5 years. The 5-year option can be set to renew automatically where offered. Every operator covered by the scheme must then block you from opening accounts, close existing ones and stop marketing to you.

• You cannot end your exclusion early. When the period finishes, it does not necessarily lapse on its own: you have to contact GAMSTOP to ask for removal, and a cooling-off wait applies. Check GAMSTOP’s own guidance for the current steps.
• GAMSTOP covers online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain. Betting shops, casinos and arcades have separate venue schemes. Lottery-only licences without instant-win games can fall outside the scheme, so GAMSTOP does not automatically block draw-only or charity lottery play.
• It does not block unlicensed offshore sites, so also consider blocking software.

Australia: BetStop

BetStop is the national register run by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. You can exclude yourself from all licensed online and phone wagering providers for a minimum of 3 months, up to a lifetime. Providers must close your accounts and stop marketing to you. To register you need a mobile number, an email address and an Australian driver licence, Medicare card or Australian passport. If you have none of these, you can contact BetStop to arrange another way of verifying your identity. BetStop contacts you before your exclusion ends to ask whether you want to extend it. It does not cover illegal services such as offshore online casinos, which are not permitted for people in Australia. Gambling Help Online (1800 858 858) offers free counselling.

United States: state by state

There is no single national register. Self-exclusion schemes differ by state, by product and by operator. Many state gaming regulators run programmes, and some let you exclude online and in person with one request or add a lifetime option, but coverage is not uniform and not every product is covered by a government scheme. Rules differ widely, so check with your state regulator and with each operator. The National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-522-4700) can point you to local help.

Canada: provincial programmes

Each province runs its own system. In Ontario, BetGuard is the province-wide self-exclusion platform for regulated online gambling, launched on 14 May 2026 for players aged 19 and over. Terms are 6 months, 1 year, 5 years or a custom period, and they cannot be shortened or cancelled once active. ConnexOntario (1-866-531-2600) offers free support. Other provinces run their own lines and programmes through their gambling corporations, so look for your province’s official scheme.

Ireland

Ireland’s new regulator is working towards a National Gambling Exclusion Register that will let you exclude yourself from all licensed operators at once, but at the time of writing it is not yet live, so exclusion is arranged with each operator separately. GAMSTOP does not cover Irish-licensed operators. Some Irish banks offer a gambling block on cards, which can be a useful interim tool.

Other tools that help

• Deposit limits and time-outs set with each operator.
• Bank gambling blocks offered by some banks in the UK and Ireland.
• Blocking software on your devices.
• Talking to someone: free, confidential helplines and counselling exist in every country.

Our free spend tracker can also help you set and monitor a limit, and you can learn how to check that a site is licensed in our guide to spotting unlicensed gambling sites.

When to consider self-exclusion

Think about it if you spend more than you planned, chase losses, borrow to gamble, hide gambling from others or feel anxious or irritable when you try to stop. You do not need to wait until things are severe: many people use self-exclusion as a precaution.

What to expect after you register

After you register with a scheme such as GAMSTOP or BetStop, operators have a short window to apply the block, so you may still receive marketing for a day or so. Keep screenshots or confirmation emails. If you receive offers or can still open an account after that period with a licensed operator, report it to the scheme or to the regulator.

Supporting someone else

If you are worried about a friend or family member, you cannot register for them, but you can talk to them without judgement, share the helplines in this guide and look after your own finances, for example by separating joint accounts if needed. Support services for family members exist in every country, and many helplines speak with relatives as well as gamblers.

Staying excluded

Self-exclusion works best alongside other changes: removing saved card details, deleting gambling apps, using blocking software and telling someone you trust. If you feel urges, contact a helpline or counselling service rather than relying on willpower alone.

The bottom line

Self-exclusion is free and effective, but it is local: GAMSTOP covers most online operators licensed in Great Britain (some lottery-only licences are outside it), BetStop covers licensed Australian wagering, US and Canadian programmes are run by states and provinces, and Ireland’s national register is not yet live. Find the scheme for your location and use it alongside limits and support if you need a break.

Sources

• GAMSTOP: How GAMSTOP works (gamstop.co.uk)
• Australian Communications and Media Authority: BetStop national self-exclusion register (acma.gov.au)
• BetStop: What to expect when registering (betstop.gov.au)
• National Council on Problem Gambling: Helpline and resources (ncpgambling.org)
• iGaming Ontario: BetGuard self-exclusion programme (igamingontario.ca)
• Gambling Regulation Act 2024 (irishstatutebook.ie)

18+ only (21 in most US states, 19 in most Canadian provinces for casino and betting). Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available: Great Britain: England and Scotland 0808 8020 133, Wales 0808 2819 265 (free, 24 hours), and GAMSTOP (gamstop.co.uk); US: National Problem Gambling Helpline 1-800-MY-RESET (the older 1-800-522-4700 also works); Australia: Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 and BetStop (betstop.gov.au); Ontario, Canada: ConnexOntario 1-866-531-2600; Ireland: speak to your GP or the HSE. Never gamble money you need for living costs.