At present, over 440,000 are currently excluded via the platform, as some registrants having resumed gambling after a period of exclusion. Players can exclude themselves from all gambling sites licensed by the Gambling Commission for between six months to five years.
The milestone figure comes shortly after a record-breaking month for Gamstop, with 8,686 new registrants signing up in April. This is the highest volume of monthly registrations since Gamstop’s inception.
A record 2023 for the scheme saw over 92,000 players sign up to the register.
“We have come a very long way since our launch in April 2018,” Gamstop CEO Fiona Palmer said. “Gamstop is now widely recognised as an important tool to help vulnerable consumers take a break from their gambling.
“We are proud to have been able to help hundreds of thousands of people to take back control of their lives though self-exclusion. We hope to help many more in the years to come.”
Following a similar trajectory as Gamstop’s sign-ups, online gambling activity in the UK increased significantly in the last six months. Q1 and Q2 were both record months for online gross gambling yield (GGY) according to UK Gambling Commission data.
Between May and July active players for real event betting amounted to 19.4 million, up 10.9% from last year, while slots players also increased 10.8% to 13.3 million for the period.
More younger people seeking support from Gamstop
Gamstop previously flagged a concerning trend of increasing registrations among younger players. It’s H1 data said one in two people who registered were aged 16-35. Alongside this, it noted a 12% year-on-year increase in the number of 16–24 year-olds choosing to exclude.
This was based on recent research from the Gambling Commission, which also found 2.5% of all respondents reported suffering from problem gambling. Men and those aged under the age of 35 experience higher rates of harm.
Gamstop has received a hugely positive response since its inception. An independent evaluation by Ipsos revealed 78% of surveyed Gamstop users said the scheme delivered the results they were hoping for. In addition, 75% feel more in control of their gambling choices. The report, to be published in September, used a sample of 4,650 Gamstop users, representing only 1% of those using the register.
Football clubs across England will use National Self Exclusion Day on 12 September to highlight Gamstop’s benefits. Self-exclusion messaging will feature at stadiums across the weekend of 7-8 September, while digital assets will also appear on partner clubs’ social channels.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/sustainable-gambling/responsible-gambling/gamstop-registrations-surpass-500000/
