Free ways and tools to block gambling sites
Sports betting and playing casinos games of chance for real cash are great forms of adult entertainment. That's absolutely true until a gambler discovers they are having difficulty controlling their desire to gamble. When gambling goes awry, it's incumbent on the gambler to figure out how to say no to gambling.
The best way to prevent oneself from gambling online is to figure out how to restrict access to online gambling sites. Since problem gamblers are usually a little short of money, free ways and tools to block access would be preferable. With that in mind and assuming you want to stay away from online gambling for a while, here are four possible solutions in the UK.
Register With GamStop
When problem gamblers get caught in the cycle of addiction, they don't need ridicule. What they need is access to help. Knowing this, administrators at the UK Gambling Commission innovated the concept of the GamStop Self Exclusion Program. The program offers gamblers a way to tell licensed online gambling operators that they want to be blocked from having access to online gambling sites.
The real strength of the program lies in the fact that the gamblers themselves get to dictate how long their self-exclusion will last. For that duration, all GamStop member operators are supposed to commit to blocking said gambler. Gamblers can select from three self-exclusion options:6 months, 1 year, and 5 years. When the self-exclusion period ends, registered gamblers should be permitted to resume their gambling activities.
Sometimes, registered gamblers want to start gambling online again before their exclusion expires. Since the GamStop system won't allow them to do that, those gamblers might be compelled to play on British non GamStop online casinos.
Using Gamban
Gamban is a very popular and free software solution. After downloading the software onto a device, that device is blocked from having access to any gambling site that can be identified as an online gambling site.
Once the software is employed, the blocking of online gambling sites is permanent. While the option is effective in terms of blocking sites, gamblers aren't excluded from simply using other devices for their online gambling activities. The free app is compatible with the Android, Windows, and iOS mobile operating systems.
Download BetBlocker
BetBlocker is very similar to Gamban. What is different is BetBlocker is actually the name of a UK registered charity that operates for the sole purpose of helping problem gamblers. The BetBlocker app is one of the proprietary tools they offer to help gamblers avoid gambling websites.
What gamblers like about this software is it allows them to set a self-exclusion period much in the same way GamStop works. The minimum exclusion period is 24 hours with the max being a permanent block. BetBlocker is compatible with Linux, Windows, iOS, and Android devices and also blocks gambling sites from other parts of the world.
Block Banking Transactions for Gambling Sites
Banks are not big fans of the gambling industry. When banks have problems with customers being delinquent or loans or overdrawing their accounts, a gambling problem is one of the common culprits. For that reason, many banks have very strict guidelines about enabling people to send money to online gambling sites.
For your part, you can actually authorize your bank to block your bank account and credit cards from sending payments to online operators. It's not a foolproof system but it does establish a barrier to you funding your gambling accounts. The biggest issue with this option is removing the block is almost as easy as putting the block in place.
Choosing the Right Option
Each of the aforementioned online gambling blockers offers a little different approach to the task at hand. It's incumbent on each gambler who wants to be blocked to choose the option that will suit their needs,
Here is the problem with any gambling exclusion option. If problem gamblers really want to gamble, they will find a way. The UKGC knows this. Therefore, they require online operators to monitor the play of their customers. If a particular customer is displaying common signs of problem gambling issues, online operators are supposed to reach out to that customer and offer help. In some cases, the operator might choose to ban a gambler for the gambler's own protection. Even then, gamblers still have thousands of other online gambling options for which to choose.
GamStop or not, the only thing online operators can do that is of any real benefit is to make sure problem gamblers can find information of how and where to get help. Whether or not the compulsive gambler uses those resources is up to them.