How to block gambling sites: self-exclusion, bank blocks and apps

The most reliable way to block gambling sites is to use three layers at once. First, join your market's national self-exclusion scheme, which stops every licensed operator there from letting you play. Second, switch on your bank's gambling block so card payments to gambling businesses are declined. Third, install blocking software on every phone, tablet and computer you use. Each layer covers gaps the others leave: schemes only reach licensed sites, bank blocks miss some payment methods, and software only protects the devices it is installed on. The UK Gambling Commission's own self-exclusion guidance suggests considering blocking software, and GamCare says a combination of practical tools and support often makes a lasting difference.

How does self-exclusion work?

Self-exclusion means asking to be refused gambling for a fixed period. A national scheme passes that request to every operator licensed in the market, and each must then refuse to let you gamble. You usually register once, online, and choose a period. Some schemes, such as Sweden's Spelpaus, cannot be ended early at all; that is deliberate.

Self-exclusion only covers licensed operators. A site without a local licence does not check these registers, which is why our explainers on casinos not on GAMSTOP and unlicensed casino red flags matter if you are worried about offshore sites.

Which self-exclusion scheme covers you?

All details as of October 2026, from each scheme's or regulator's own pages unless stated.

A few points the table cannot hold:

• Great Britain: draw-based lottery games such as Lotto are outside GAMSTOP, according to the UK Gambling Commission. Self-exclude from those with the lottery operator.
• Alberta: the province's regulated online market opened on 13 July 2026 (reported by CDC Gaming), and Gaming Intelligence reported in April 2026 that all operators must integrate with the AGLC's centralized self-exclusion system. The AGLC page does not yet say whether its existing programme covers every new operator, so confirm with the AGLC (se@aglc.ca, 1-844-468-8034).
• Michigan: a separate Disassociated Persons List covers Detroit's commercial casinos for life, with an option to request removal after five years.
• Ontario: sites keep their own self-exclusion options as well, according to the AGCO.

How do bank gambling blocks work?

GamCare says most UK banks and building societies now let you block gambling transactions. Typically you switch the block on in your banking app, and gambling card payments are then declined.

Check exactly what your bank's block covers. NatWest, for example, says its gambling card control:

• blocks UK-regulated gambling payments in person, online and in apps, plus online lottery purchases;
• cannot be turned off for 48 hours once it is on;
• does not stop bank transfers, open banking payments, PayPal and other e-wallets, cryptocurrency platforms, unregulated gambling sites or in-store lottery tickets.

That list of gaps is the reason a bank block is one layer, not the whole plan.

Which blocking apps and tools are there?

GamCare describes two kinds of blocking software: gambling-specific blockers and broader parental-control software.

• BetBlocker is free, run by a charity registered in Scotland, and available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and Fire OS. It offers fixed-length and scheduled blocks and needs no registration.
• Gamban blocks gambling websites and apps across major platforms under one licence. Its site offers a seven-day free trial.
• Built-in controls. GamCare suggests iPhone and iPad parental controls, ideally set up by someone else who keeps the password, and suggests asking your internet provider whether it can block adult or gambling sites.

We mention these tools because established support services do; we have no commercial relationship with them.

In practice: a worked example

Player A lives in England and wants a long break.

1. Registers with GAMSTOP for 5 years.
2. Turns on the bank's gambling block (at NatWest, for example, it cannot be removed for 48 hours).
3. Installs BetBlocker on a phone, a tablet and a laptop.
4. Removes saved cards from e-wallets, because the bank block does not reach them.
5. Asks the lottery operator about self-exclusion from draw-based games.
6. Saves the National Gambling Helpline number, 0808 8020 133.

Each step closes a gap the others leave. If Player A lived in Ontario, step 1 would be BetGuard; in Sweden, Spelpaus; in Germany, OASIS; in the Netherlands, CRUKS.

What mistakes should you avoid?

• Relying on one layer. Self-exclusion does not reach unlicensed sites; bank blocks miss e-wallets and crypto; software only protects the devices it is on.
• Choosing too short a period. If a short break was not enough last time, pick a longer one.
• Forgetting other products. Lotteries, land-based venues and sports betting may need separate steps.
• Not telling anyone. A trusted person can hold passwords and notice when things slip.

Where to get support

If money is stuck with an operator, our complaints hub explains the steps, and our safer gambling hub has more support, including for family and friends. For how licensing works in general, see our online casinos hub.