An independent evaluation of GAMSTOP has found that its users feel safer and more in control since registering with the online self-exclusion service.
The research by Ipsos found that 78% of users said GAMSTOP had delivered the results that they were hoping for and 80% would recommend the service to others.
More than 4,650 GAMSTOP users took part in the research and 73% said they were satisfied with the service, with the number rising to 85% amongst those who no longer gamble. Three out of four felt more in control of their gambling behaviours since registering.
“GAMSTOP literally did what it said on the tin, it stopped me from being able to register with gambling websites, which was the major issue,” a service user with a five-year exclusion, who no longer gambles, told researchers.
Since its inception in 2018, more than 500,000 vulnerable consumers have registered with GAMSTOP. The evaluation found that the most common reason for registering was to stop gambling online altogether (55%), to regain control over their life (55%) and to spend less money on gambling (51%).
Three out of four users surveyed no longer gamble online and nearly one in two (48%) no longer gamble at all. GAMSTOP offers options to self-exclude for either six months, one year or five years, and users who had self-excluded for the maximum period were more likely to have stopped gambling altogether.
Whilst many users felt that GAMSTOP does not eradicate the “urge” to gamble, it provides a mostly effective physical barrier to online gambling and symbolises a commitment to stop gambling.
More than seven out of ten (72%) users said they felt safer from the negative effects of gambling. GAMSTOP reduced the short-term financial harms of gambling for individuals, as well as their close friends and family, giving them a sense of financial liberation and improving their mental and physical health.
Users reported having the time and disposable income to invest in their health and general mental well-being, easing the isolation and stress caused by concealing their gambling and freeing up time previously spent worrying about gambling. More than three out of four respondents (76%) are in work, with the largest proportion (21%) indicating they have a household income of £55,000-£99,000.
The report makes three key recommendations:
- provide the option of a longer or lifetime exclusion period to give greater “peace of mind” for those who use GAMSTOP to stop gambling online altogether
- communicate more frequently with users after their minimum exclusion has ended
- continue advertising on social media to raise awareness amongst younger audiences
The report calls for black-market gambling to be addressed by the government, the Gambling Commission and other stakeholders through greater regulation and the imposition of restrictions on its promotion through social media. Service users raised concerns about illegal or unlicensed gambling operators, including targeted advertising of websites claiming to be "not on GAMSTOP”.
The report concludes that GAMSTOP exclusion remains an effective blocking mechanism for licensed UK online gambling operators, but some users have engaged with unlicensed gambling operators since registering with GAMSTOP. It also says that wider regulation of advertising would improve the recovery of GAMSTOP users.
The report concludes:
“The evaluation has established that GAMSTOP is an effective tool for reducing gambling-related harm for individuals seeking to exclude themselves from online gambling operators…The service provided is widely considered both satisfactory and impactful. This is most significant for individuals with a sustained commitment to reducing their gambling behaviours, seeking a lifestyle change rather than a break”.
“Our evaluation found that satisfaction with GAMSTOP is high for the majority of people who use the service. This includes registration and the overall experience of having the self-exclusion in place. The majority of people also found that GAMSTOP delivered against their expectations and that they would recommend it to others”.
GAMSTOP CEO Fiona Palmer said:
“We regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the service through comprehensive independent research, and it is gratifying to know that most of our users feel GAMSTOP has helped them significantly reduce gambling-related harm.
Six out of ten users who were surveyed said they rely on GAMSTOP as their sole means of support, and we are aware of the responsibility that this brings with it. We will study the recommendations in detail, including the suggestion of extending self-exclusion periods, although exclusion periods do already continue automatically for seven years unless a user asks for it be lifted”.
