Independent report finds GAMSTOP an “effective tool” for 78% of users

Responsible Gambling

An independent evaluation of GAMSTOP has found that its users feel safer and more in control since registering with the online self-exclusion service.

The research by Ipsos found that 78% of users said GAMSTOP had delivered the results that they were hoping for and 80% would recommend the service to others. 

More than 4,650 GAMSTOP users took part in the research and 73% said they were satisfied with the service, with the number rising to 85% amongst those who no longer gamble. Three out of four felt more in control of their gambling behaviours since registering.

“GAMSTOP literally did what it said on the tin, it stopped me from being able to register with gambling websites, which was the major issue,” a service user with a five-year exclusion, who no longer gambles, told researchers.

Since its inception in 2018, more than 500,000 vulnerable consumers have registered with GAMSTOP. The evaluation found that the most common reason for registering was to stop gambling online altogether (55%), to regain control over their life (55%) and to spend less money on gambling (51%).

Three out of four users surveyed no longer gamble online and nearly one in two (48%) no longer gamble at all. GAMSTOP offers options to self-exclude for either six months, one year or five years, and users who had self-excluded for the maximum period were more likely to have stopped gambling altogether.

Whilst many users felt that GAMSTOP does not eradicate the “urge” to gamble, it provides a mostly effective physical barrier to online gambling and symbolises a commitment to stop gambling.

More than seven out of ten (72%) users said they felt safer from the negative effects of gambling. GAMSTOP reduced the short-term financial harms of gambling for individuals, as well as their close friends and family, giving them a sense of financial liberation and improving their mental and physical health.

Users reported having the time and disposable income to invest in their health and general mental well-being, easing the isolation and stress caused by concealing their gambling and freeing up time previously spent worrying about gambling. More than three out of four respondents (76%) are in work, with the largest proportion (21%) indicating they have a household income of £55,000-£99,000.

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