The gambling industry is a major industry in the UK. Due to the rise of virtual activity, the online gambling industry has been growing at a rapid pace. This widespread interest in online gaming has motivated UKGC to double up on the regulations of Gamstop. Promoting safe gambling is the policy of the UK and Gamstop exactly does that. 

With the self-exclusion program, punters are required to register at Gamstop and decide the period of time for the ban. From 31st March 2020, the UKGC has mandated online gambling sites to join hands and permit their customers to use Gamstop. This voluntary service extends its partnership with many football clubs to raise awareness among the fans and address the issue.

Gamstop And Its Aim

Gamstop is a free self-exclusion scheme that was developed by the UKGC for gamblers in the UK. Players who wish to participate in Gamstop can voluntarily sign up for the program. They can choose to self-exclude for a minimum period of six months up to a maximum of five years. Once a gambler registers with Gamstop, he will not be able to access online casinos under the UKGC for 6 months, a year, or 5 years. When GamStop self-exclusion ends the restrictions on gambling sites are removed, allowing individuals to resume access to these platforms.

Gamstop aims at curbing problem gambling in the UK and protecting punters from gambling addiction. As per 2021’s annual review, Gamstop had 257,000 new registrations. More than 235,000 of those punters are still excluded from online gambling. There has been a 25% spike in registrations during the first 6 months of 2021 when compared to the same period in 2020 and a 32% rise for the second half as well. 70% of these registrants were men while the number of women signing up with Gamstop has increased to 30%. 43% of the registrations are from the age group of 25-34. 50% of registrations in 2021 selected the 5-year self-exclusion period, 24% chose one year whereas 26% opted for the 6 months.

Even though the GamStop scheme is gaining popularity, there is still a non GamStop sportsbook where you can bet online while self-exclusion. Those bookies that don`t use GamStop have internal self-exclusion tools that are more convenient to players. For a fun betting experience, these sites are recommended. If your gambling style is different, consider using bookies on GamStop.

Gamstop And Football Betting

UK fans love gambling and football betting. To avoid scrutiny for being associated with gambling interests, major football clubs have tied with Gamstop to promote responsible and safe gambling habits. They show their support by joining hands with Gamstop and denouncing sports corruption. Several top soccer clubs have sponsorship deals with Gamstop due to its large fan base.

Luton Town FC

For decades, the majority of local football have shown their support for Luton Town FC. The club has collaborated with Gamstop to promote responsible gambling. The club has included its benefits across its websites and social media platforms.

Middlesbrough FC

The ownership of the club has expressed their intentions to support Gamstop due to its noble cause. The collaboration took place when the club had openly denounced any efforts to bring about gambling corruption in UK football clubs. By joining hands with Gamstop; they have raised awareness and it supports the cause on its website.

Queens Park Rangers

Gamstop has recently agreed to partner with WPR, an English football club. This collaboration would help raise awareness of the tool and motivate punters to self-ban themselves from casinos in the UK.

Why Should Football Fans Register With Gamstop?

Football, as already stated, is the most popular sport in the UK. A major section of UK esports fans likes to gamble. However, not all are compulsive gamblers. Sports gambling seems to be a very lucrative opportunity for the punters but obsessive gambling needs attention and support. Therefore, when sports companies tie up with Gamstop, they promote the scheme on their websites, social handles, and even during ongoing matches. Fans across the globe get to know the benefits of Gamstop and might consider giving it a shot for a better life. Thus, it is a good decision for football fans to join Gamstop.

This scheme is not only restricted to punters who love casino games but also to bettors who stake in basketball, football, tennis, and other popular sports in the UK. Fans are made aware of the scheme when sports clubs promote it. The main reason behind registering with Gamstop is to avoid bankruptcy. Gamstop achieved an operating milestone in 2021 when the scheme saw a spike in users joining the program. As of 2020, there were 51,000 new applicants whereas, in 2021, it went up to 67,000 punters registering under Gamstop.

Conclusion

In the future, UK residents can expect a larger and stronger relationship between football clubs and Gamstop. As more sponsorship deals are finalized, Gamstop will handle the gambling harms and addiction issues to help more and more punters. Gamstop is a much-needed solution for gambling addicts. Football and Gamstop together can continue to raise awareness among gamblers and increase the number of Gamstop registrations as well. Apart from football clubs, the UKGC and Gamban have also partnered with Gamstop to fulfil their aim of spreading gambling awareness.