For most people, online gambling is a fun and exciting form of adult entertainment. It’s a safe way to a few hours and perhaps make a little extra money in the process. Unfortunately, this is not true for everyone. There are a number of online gamblers who are struggling with a gambling problem. Because the online gambling industry is aware of this, they do have some facilities in place to protect problem gamblers.
Hopefully, you will have the ability to recognize you have a problem. For the most part, it’s up to you to know when it’s time to stop playing. For compulsive gamblers, that’s just as difficult to do as it is for an alcoholic to say no to a beer.
Contrary to popular beliefs, the online gambling industry is not interested in preying on problem gamblers. It’s irresponsible and in some jurisdictions, it’s illegal. For these reasons, most online operators maintain resources to help identify potential problem gamblers. They can do this by monitory for common compulsive gambling behaviors. When they see customers with a potential issue, there are steps they can take to try to protect the individual from irreparable harm.
For online casinos, a far better option is to provide potential problem gamblers with access to a self-exclusion program. That’s where the Gamstop self-exclusion program comes into play.
What is Gamstop and How Does It Work?
The Gamstop self-exclusion program was first introduced in 2018. The program is an online registry that links member online casinos together under one umbrella. If someone is seeking help for their gambling problem, they can go to the Gamstop website and for self-exclusion from online casino gambling.
The good news is one simple registration process will allow each problem gambler to exclude themselves from gambling on any online casino website that has signed on as a Gamstop member. It’s worth noting that approximately 60% of all online casinos and sports books in the UK have already ed the registry. Furthermore, Gamstop has the full backing of the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gambling Commission. In the very near future, it’s a good bet that the UKGC will make hip mandatory, putting licensing on the line for website operators who don’t want to comply.
For the problem gambler, the protection is invaluable. It takes less than five minutes to fill out the registration screen. As soon as the registration is accepted by Gamstop’s management, the problem gambler is immediately blocked from gambling on member websites for the duration of the self-exclusion period. That period it determined by the problem gambler with the available time ranges going from a minimum of six months up to permanent exclusion. Furthermore, the problem gambler is required to return to the registry when the self-exclusion period has expired. At that point they need to confirm they are ready to resume gambling. Otherwise, the self-exclusion order will stay in place.
If you are struggling with an online gambling problem, you need to visit the Gamstop website (https://www.gamstop.co.uk/) and to protect yourself and your family.
