British gambling ban system GamStop with record figures

Anyone who gambles on slot machines or places sports bets in Germany will almost certainly be familiar with the OASIS player blocking system. GamStop can be seen as the British counterpart to this - and it was here that impressive figures were recently reported. Apparently, as the international trade press put it, a historic milestone has been reached: GamStop recorded half a million registrations in September 2024 since its launch and let other interesting facts be known to boot.

As recently as August of this year, we reported that there are still certain problems with the German player blocking system OASIS, but the number of OASIS users is still more than respectable, with more than 270,000 active exclusions and an increase of 80,000 self-blocks and third-party blocks from June 2023 to June 2024. However, the British have gone one better with their GamStop solution.

While many industry representatives praise the effectiveness of GamStop, there is also criticism in the UK (as here) of the system's circumventability due to the use of unlicensed providers outside the UK. Nevertheless, GamStop is regarded as a pioneer that is increasingly establishing itself as a model for other countries - such as Germany with its OASIS solution.

GamStop has a good reputation: impressive figures, but also worrying facts

Although the figure of 500,000 exclusions relates to the entire period of GamStop's operation since 2018, more than 440,000 people are currently blocked. It is particularly noteworthy that almost every second user has opted for the maximum exclusion period of five years.

More and more young people being banned

A study conducted by the Gambling Commission suggests that around 2.5 percent of the British population exhibits problematic gambling behavior. Of particular concern is the fact that younger people - including many under the age of 35 - are affected at an above-average rate. In the first half of 2024, half of new GamStop registrations were between the ages of 16 and 35, indicating a shift in the age structure of users. The number of 16 to 24-year-olds who opted for self-exclusion even increased by 12 percent compared to the previous year.

Record month of April

Another remarkable fact is that April 2024 was the record month since GamStop was launched, with 8,686 new registrations. According to those responsible, this development is no coincidence: the continuous awareness-raising efforts, in particular the cooperation with soccer clubs and other partners such as the English Football League (EFL), are significantly raising awareness of self-protection measures. Currently, self-exclusion messages are being displayed in soccer stadiums to target fans.

Great satisfaction with GamStop

The independent evaluation of GamStop by the market research institute Ipsos also appears to be particularly significant. More than 4,650 users were surveyed, with a whopping 78% of them confirming that the program had delivered the results they had hoped for. 75 percent of participants stated that they had experienced a noticeable improvement in their control over their gambling behavior as a result of self-exclusion. These results reflect the growing success of GamStop.

The Managing Director of GamStop, Fiona Palmer, found many positive words in a press statement:

“We've come a very long way since our launch in April 2018 - and GamStop is now widely recognized as an important tool to help vulnerable consumers take a break from gambling. We are proud that we have been able to help hundreds of thousands of people regain control of their lives through self-exclusion - and we hope to help many more in the years to come. It is right that we regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the service through independent research - and we will shortly be announcing the results of a comprehensive survey conducted by Ipsos, involving thousands of GamStop users.”

GamStop vs. OASIS: similarities and differences

GamStop and OASIS have key similarities, but also differ in key aspects of their implementation and scope. Both systems pursue the goal of player protection through self-exclusion, whereby they allow users to block themselves from gambling for a certain period of time. Participation in both schemes is free of charge and mandatory for all licensed gambling providers in their respective countries.

Online and offline

However, one key difference lies in the coverage: while GamStop focuses exclusively on online gambling sites, OASIS covers both online and stationary gambling - i.e. arcades, casinos and betting shops.

Exclusion period

There are also differences in the duration of the bans: GamStop allows users to choose between an exclusion period of six months, one year or five years, while OASIS offers more flexible options, including temporary and indefinite bans.

Third party bans

GamStop only allows self-exclusion. In contrast, the German OASIS system allows both self-exclusion and third-party exclusion. The latter can be initiated by relatives or at the request of gambling providers or counseling centers if there are clear signs of problematic gambling behavior.

Public perception

The effectiveness of both systems stands and falls with compliance by the providers, monitoring by the supervisory authorities and adequate reach and visibility. While GamStop is increasingly being brought to the attention of consumers through more intensive advertising measures, particularly in sports, OASIS is sometimes criticized due to technical challenges and a lack of efficiency.

Conclusion

Image source: Screenshot von https://www.gamstop.co.uk/