UK gambling self-exclusion is split across online and land-based services. GAMSTOP Online covers gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain, while separate schemes cover betting shops, casinos, bingo premises and some arcade or adult-gaming-centre venues.
Registering with one service does not necessarily exclude you from every form of gambling. The practical task is to match each place or channel you use with the scheme that covers it, then add payment, device and support controls where useful.
This guide maps the main free multi-operator and national schemes. It does not explain how to cancel an exclusion or how to get around one.
Quick coverage map
| Where gambling takes place | Main self-exclusion route |
|---|---|
| Websites and apps licensed in Great Britain | GAMSTOP Online |
| Land-based betting shops in areas you select | GAMSTOP Betting Shops, previously known as MOSES |
| Licensed land-based casinos in Great Britain | SENSE |
| Licensed land-based bingo premises in Great Britain | Bingo Industry Self-Exclusion Scheme (BISES) |
| Adult gaming centres, high-street arcades and related venues | BACTA or the venue process described by the operator |
The Gambling Commission’s current directory of free multi-operator and national self-exclusion schemes is the best starting point for current routes and contact details.
GAMSTOP Online: websites and apps
GAMSTOP Online blocks access to existing accounts and new registrations with online gambling companies licensed in Great Britain. It is designed for websites and apps, not for every land-based venue.
When you register, you choose an exclusion period from the options offered by the service. GAMSTOP’s current public information describes periods from six months to five years and an auto-renewal option. It also explains that keeping your personal details up to date helps the matching process remain effective.
GAMSTOP Online compares registration information with the details used at gambling companies. If your name, address, email or phone number changes, update the scheme record rather than assuming the old details will always match. Our separate guide explains how GAMSTOP matches your details without suggesting ways to defeat the system.
Online coverage is tied to companies licensed in Great Britain. The service is not a universal internet filter and does not replace blocking software, bank controls or land-based schemes.
GAMSTOP Betting Shops: local bookmakers
GAMSTOP Betting Shops, previously known as the Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme or MOSES, is for land-based betting shops. Its public site says the free service helps people exclude from multiple bookmakers in the areas where they live, work or socialise.
An adviser uses a mapping process to identify the shops to include. The scheme relies on information and a current photograph so staff at participating premises can recognise an excluded person. It is therefore different from the database matching used for online accounts.
Because the coverage is based on selected geographical areas and participating betting shops, do not assume that an online GAMSTOP registration automatically creates the same land-based exclusion. Use the current helpline and instructions shown on the official scheme site.
SENSE: licensed land-based casinos
SENSE stands for Self Enrolment, National Self Exclusion. The official service describes itself as the national scheme covering all licensed land-based casinos in Great Britain.
SENSE is the relevant national route when the concern is entry to licensed casino premises. Its current site provides enrolment guidance and an online route, while the Gambling Commission directory says people can also obtain information at a casino venue.
SENSE does not replace GAMSTOP Online for casino websites or apps. A casino brand may operate both a building and an online service, but the consumer controls for those channels are separate. Someone seeking broad coverage may therefore need both SENSE and GAMSTOP Online.
BISES: licensed bingo premises
The Bingo Industry Self-Exclusion Scheme, usually shortened to BISES, covers licensed land-based bingo premises across Great Britain. The Gambling Commission directory says registration can be arranged in person at a licensed bingo premise or by telephoning the premise directly.
Again, the channel matters. A land-based bingo exclusion is not the same as an exclusion from remote bingo websites or apps. Use GAMSTOP Online for GB-licensed remote services and the bingo-industry route for physical premises.
Arcades and adult gaming centres
The Gambling Commission directory also lists a BACTA self-exclusion route for adult gaming centres, high-street arcades, motorway service areas and family entertainment centres with age-controlled sections. The process is venue-based and may begin by visiting or contacting a participating centre.
Ask which premises and areas the exclusion covers, how identification will be used and what to do if you visit several locations. Do not assume a betting-shop, casino or bingo exclusion automatically applies to an arcade simply because all are land-based.
Why one scheme may not be enough
The schemes are organised around different gambling environments. A person might use a betting app, visit betting shops and go to a casino. In that case, one registration is unlikely to cover all three routes.
A practical coverage review can follow these steps:
- List the gambling websites, apps and physical premises you use or are likely to visit.
- Match each one to the official online, betting-shop, casino, bingo or arcade route.
- Register through the official scheme or participating venue, not an advert or unofficial intermediary.
- Save confirmation and note the locations or channels covered.
- Add financial and device controls for gaps that self-exclusion does not address.
You do not need to test an exclusion by attempting to gamble. Use the scheme’s account, helpline or participating venue to confirm coverage.
Add bank and device controls
Self-exclusion focuses on access to gambling services. It does not necessarily stop every payment or block every gambling-related webpage. A bank gambling block, lower cash-withdrawal limits, removal of saved payment details and reputable device-level blocking software can add friction across other routes.
Our guide to bank gambling blocks explains why card controls can still have gaps around transfers, cash, e-wallets or merchant coding. Combine controls based on the gaps that remain; do not treat one setting as a guarantee.
If gambling is already affecting bills, debt, relationships or wellbeing, use our practical guide to stopping gambling to build a broader plan with support rather than relying only on technical barriers.
Keep your details and coverage current
Online matching depends on accurate personal details. Land-based schemes may depend on the locations selected, a current photograph and trained venue staff. When you move, change contact information or begin using different premises, check whether the original registration still covers the places and channels that matter.
Use the official scheme site to update a record or ask for guidance. Do not send identity documents to an affiliate, forum user or paid “exclusion agent”. The services listed by the Gambling Commission are free, and their official pages explain the legitimate registration route.
If an excluded operator still allows gambling
Record the date, operator or venue, account details and how the exclusion was registered. Do not continue gambling to collect evidence. Contact the relevant scheme and the operator or venue through their official channels and ask them to investigate.
For a GB-licensed business, use its formal complaints process if the initial report is not resolved. The Gambling Commission regulates licensees but does not award compensation or decide an individual complaint in place of the operator and any applicable alternative dispute resolution process.
Choosing the right UK self-exclusion scheme
Start with the channel, not the brand name:
- online website or app: GAMSTOP Online;
- betting shop: GAMSTOP Betting Shops;
- land-based casino: SENSE;
- land-based bingo: BISES; and
- arcade or adult gaming centre: the BACTA or participating-venue route.
Where several channels apply, combine the relevant schemes. Then add payment controls, device blocking and human support to address what those exclusions do not cover.
Sources and review date
Reviewed 10 October 2026. Primary sources: Gambling Commission free multi-operator and national self-exclusion directory, GAMSTOP Online, GAMSTOP Betting Shops and SENSE. Scheme names, enrolment routes and contact details can change; use those official pages for the current process.