# How to block gambling: bank blocks, GAMSTOP and self-exclusion > Gambling and money · Last updated 25 September 2026 Canonical HTML: https://moneyguide.org.uk/gambling-and-money/gambling-blocks-and-self-exclusion/ Markdown mirror: https://moneyguide.org.uk/gambling-and-money/gambling-blocks-and-self-exclusion.md ## Quick answer Use several blocks together. Turn on your bank's gambling block, register with GAMSTOP to block online gambling firms licensed in Great Britain for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years, self-exclude from betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and arcades through their national schemes, and install blocking software. All of these are free. ## Who should skip this Skip this if you need help with debts gambling has already caused: our [gambling debt guide](/gambling-and-money/gambling-debt-help/) covers free advice and debt solutions. To see how gambling is affecting your budget first, start with [gambling and your money](/gambling-and-money/gambling-and-your-money/). No single tool catches everything, which is why the Gambling Commission, GAMSTOP and GamCare all suggest combining them. This guide explains what each block covers, how long it lasts, how hard it is to undo and the gaps to watch for. It finishes with a step-by-step plan and an example timeline. ## Key facts - GAMSTOP blocks online gambling firms licensed in Great Britain for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years, and can't be cancelled early - A GAMSTOP block stays in place after the chosen period until you ask for it to be removed - Gamstop Betting Shops excludes you from chosen bookmakers for a fixed 12 months: call 0800 294 2060 - Bank blocks work card by card, and GamCare says banks usually make you wait 48 or 72 hours before gambling payments are allowed again - GAMSTOP says the blocking tools Gamban and BetBlocker are free for UK residents - A Notice of Correction on your credit report asks lenders not to give you credit ## Which gambling blocks can you use? There's a free tool for each way you might gamble: your bank card, online accounts, high street venues, your devices and borrowing. The table shows what each one covers. Every licensed gambling business must also offer its own self-exclusion. When you self-exclude, the Gambling Commission says the business must close your account, return any money in it and remove you from its marketing lists. *Free gambling blocks and what they cover* | Tool | What it blocks | How long it lasts | How to set it up | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Bank gambling block | Card payments to businesses coded as gambling, online and in person | Until you switch it off, then a cooling-off period | Banking app, phone or branch | | [GAMSTOP](https://www.gamstop.co.uk/) | Websites and apps of gambling firms licensed in Great Britain | 6 months, 1 year or 5 years, or 5 years renewing automatically | Online | | Gamstop Betting Shops | Betting shops you choose near home, work and where you socialise | Fixed 12 months | Phone 0800 294 2060 | | SENSE | All licensed land-based casinos in Great Britain | Ask when you register | At any casino, or by emailed application | | Bingo Industry Self-Exclusion Scheme (BISES) | Licensed bingo premises in Great Britain | Ask when you register | In person at a bingo venue or by phoning one | | Bacta and SmartEXCLUSION | Adult gaming centres, high street arcades and motorway service areas | Ask when you register | In person at a venue, or 01482 441 142 (option 1) | | Blocking software | Gambling websites and apps on each device you install it on | Depends on the settings you choose | Install on every phone, tablet and computer | | Notice of Correction | Asks lenders not to give you credit | Until you ask for it to be removed | Contact Experian, Equifax and TransUnion separately | ## How do bank gambling blocks work? A bank gambling block declines card payments to businesses coded as gambling, whether you're online or in a betting shop, casino or arcade. Most banks let you switch it on in their app. GamCare says blocks are set card by card, so if you have several cards you need to block each one. The important part is the delay before you can gamble again. GamCare's March 2025 guide says the cooling-off period is usually 48 or 72 hours, depending on the bank. For example, Barclays says you must wait 72 hours after switching gambling payments back on, and HSBC keeps declining gambling payments for 3 days after you turn its restriction off. NatWest says its block can't be removed for 48 hours after you switch it on. Blocks have gaps. HSBC says it can only block companies coded as gambling and doesn't cover payments made through Open Banking, and GamCare says a block may not catch a lottery ticket bought with your shopping, or payments by e-wallet or bank transfer. Report any gambling payment that gets through. On a joint account, each holder sets up their own block. A block doesn't show on your credit report, and gambling businesses in Great Britain can't take credit card payments at all. ## How does GAMSTOP work? GAMSTOP is a free national scheme that stops you signing up to, or using, online gambling accounts with firms licensed in Great Britain. You register online, choose 6 months, 1 year or 5 years (or 5 years with automatic renewal), and GAMSTOP checks your identity. It says the block can take up to 24 hours to start. GamCare and Experian say the identity check is a soft search, which other lenders can't see. You can't cancel during the period you choose. When it ends, the block stays in place until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it. Registering doesn't automatically return money left in your gambling accounts, so contact each firm to get it back. GAMSTOP only covers firms licensed by the Gambling Commission, so it won't stop illegal sites that operate without a licence. It's open to anyone living in the UK, including Northern Ireland, but still only blocks firms licensed in Great Britain. If you live with someone who gambles, you can register yourself so your details can't be used to open accounts. You can't register another person unless you hold a valid power of attorney for them. ## How do you self-exclude from betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and arcades? Each type of venue has a multi-operator scheme, so one request covers many premises. For betting shops, call Gamstop Betting Shops (previously called MOSES) on 0800 294 2060. The team uses a map to pick the shops you use, or might use, near where you live, work and socialise. You then send photo ID and a clear, recent photo of your face, which is shared with the bookmakers. A betting shop exclusion lasts a fixed 12 months and you can't leave early, but you can add shops at any time. If you decide to go back to gambling after the 12 months, there's a 24-hour cooling-off period first. For casinos, SENSE covers every licensed land-based casino in Great Britain; you can apply at any casino or by email. The Bingo Association's BISES scheme covers licensed bingo premises, and you register in person or by phoning a venue. For adult gaming centres, high street arcades and motorway service areas, register in person at the venue, or call Bacta or SmartEXCLUSION on 01482 441 142 and choose option 1. Sticking to an exclusion is your responsibility, but venues must take reasonable steps to stop you gambling. If you do gamble while excluded, tell the business; you can also tell the Gambling Commission, although it can't refund what you spent. Northern Ireland's venues aren't licensed by the Gambling Commission. nidirect says they also offer self-exclusion, usually for at least 6 months, or 12 months for betting shops. ## What other blocks can help? Blocking software stops gambling websites and apps on each device you install it on, and GAMSTOP says Gamban and BetBlocker are both free for UK residents. Deleting gambling apps, unsubscribing from gambling emails and texts, and using social media ad settings also cut down temptation; the Gambling Commission publishes guides to limiting gambling content on major platforms. To stop yourself borrowing to gamble, you can add a Notice of Correction of up to 200 words to your credit report asking lenders not to give you credit. You need to add it separately with Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Lenders must take it into account, and an application that would normally be scored automatically has to be checked by a person. Experian says changing or removing a notice typically takes 2 to 4 weeks, and that others who check your credit report, such as mobile phone or energy suppliers, may see it. It can also help to tell your bank. GamCare says banks may offer extra support, including blocking payments to specific businesses, and some let you opt out of being offered new lending. If you're already struggling to repay credit, FCA rules say lenders must treat you with forbearance and due consideration. ## Step by step: how to block gambling 1. Turn on a gambling block for every debit card you hold, in your banking app or by calling your bank. 2. Register with GAMSTOP and choose the period you're comfortable with, remembering you can't shorten it. Allow up to 24 hours for it to start. 3. Ask each gambling firm you've used to self-exclude you and return any balance. 4. Call Gamstop Betting Shops on 0800 294 2060 and join SENSE, BISES or the arcade schemes for any venues you use. 5. Install blocking software on every device, delete gambling apps and unsubscribe from gambling marketing. 6. Consider a Notice of Correction with all three credit reference agencies, and tell someone you trust what you've set up. 7. Get support alongside the blocks: the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day. ## Worked example: how long each block lasts Using the official periods, here's how the dates work if you set up your blocks on Saturday 26 September 2026. Your own dates will differ, and a betting shop exclusion starts only once your ID and photo have been processed. The delays are the point: they put time between an urge and a bet. If you're tempted to lift a block, the cooling-off period is a good moment to call the helpline. *Example timeline for blocks set up on 26 September 2026* | Block | Rule | Earliest it could end | | --- | --- | --- | | GAMSTOP, 6 months | Can't be cancelled during the period, then stays until you ask to remove it | 26 March 2027, and only if you then contact GAMSTOP | | GAMSTOP, 1 year | As above | 26 September 2027, if you then contact GAMSTOP | | GAMSTOP, 5 years | As above | 26 September 2031, if you then contact GAMSTOP | | Gamstop Betting Shops | Fixed 12 months from activation, then a 24-hour cooling-off period | 12 months and 1 day after activation | | Bank block with a 72-hour cooling-off (Barclays) | Gambling payments switched back on at 9am on Monday 5 October 2026 | Gambling payments allowed from 9am on Thursday 8 October 2026 | ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I cancel GAMSTOP early? No. Once you've registered, you can't cancel during the period you chose. When it ends, the block stays in place until you contact GAMSTOP and ask for it to be removed. ### Does a gambling block affect my credit score? No. Only your bank knows you've turned on a gambling block; it isn't shared with credit reference agencies. GamCare and Experian say GAMSTOP's identity check is a soft search, which lenders can't see. ### Can I put a gambling block on my partner's card? No. Each cardholder sets their own block, including on a joint account, unless you hold a power of attorney for them. You can register yourself with GAMSTOP so your details can't be used to open online gambling accounts. ### Does GAMSTOP work in Northern Ireland? GAMSTOP says anyone living in the UK, including Northern Ireland, can register. It only blocks online firms licensed in Great Britain, so it won't cover sites without a Gambling Commission licence. ### What happens to money left in my gambling accounts? Registering with GAMSTOP doesn't return it automatically, so contact each firm. If you self-exclude directly with a licensed firm, it must close your account and return any money in it. ### Will a bank block stop every gambling payment? Not always. It relies on businesses being coded as gambling and can miss payments by e-wallet, bank transfer or Open Banking, or a lottery ticket bought with other shopping. Combine it with GAMSTOP and blocking software, and report any payment that gets through. ## Primary source https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/page/free-multi-operator-and-national-self-exclusion-schemes, https://www.gamstop.co.uk/register, https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-blog/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-bank-gambling-blocks/, https://www.gamstop.co.uk/about, https://www.gamstop.co.uk/support-practical, https://www.gamstop.co.uk/support-loved-one, https://self-exclusion.co.uk/how-the-scheme-works, https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/page/self-exclusion, https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/lccp/condition/3-5-3-remote-sr-code, https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/page/i-want-to-know-how-to-block-gambling-transactions, https://www.barclays.co.uk/help/mobile-banking/spending/merchant-control/, https://www.hsbc.co.uk/help/card-support/gambling-restrictions/, https://www.natwest.com/life-moments/Struggling-financially/managing-your-gambling.html, https://www.experian.co.uk/consumer/guides/gambling-credit-protection.html, https://www.gamcare.org.uk/news-and-blog/blog/gambling-and-your-finances-what-impact-can-gambling-have-on-credit-reports/, https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-and-players/guide/gambling-using-a-credit-card, https://www.handbook.fca.org.uk/handbook/CONC/7/3.html, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/gambling ## Related - [Gambling and your money](https://moneyguide.org.uk/gambling-and-money/gambling-and-your-money/) - [Gambling debt: where to get free help](https://moneyguide.org.uk/gambling-and-money/gambling-debt-help/) - [Credit reference agencies explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/credit/credit-reference-agencies-explained/) - [Joint bank accounts explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/banking/joint-account-explained/) - [Lasting power of attorney](https://moneyguide.org.uk/family-life/lasting-power-of-attorney/) --- Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Information only — not regulated financial advice.