SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
GAMSTOP has reported a 12% year-on-year increase in sign-ups to its self-exclusion service, publishing its figures for the first half of 2023.
The UK organisation revealed that around 48,000 consumers registered in the first six months of the year, barring themselves from all licensed online gambling sites.
In March, GAMSTOP recorded its biggest month so far for sign-ups and a new monthly record was then set in May.
At the time, the group earmarked the month’s betting activity generated by the Cheltenham Festival as a likely reason for the upsurge in registrations, stating that the ‘biggest days’ for signups occurred in the ‘immediate aftermath’ of the races.
On the latest results, Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, commented: “Today’s data shows the continuing importance of GAMSTOP in helping consumers to protect themselves from gambling harm.
“At our Parliamentary reception in June to mark GAMSTOP’s fifth anniversary, we heard the moving stories of some of those who have benefitted from the scheme.”
Notably, the data for the first half of 2023 highlighted a 30% growth in the number of 16–24-year-olds signing up for the scheme, representing 21% of new registrants.
Furthermore, in research published by GAMSTOP and education charity YGAM in January, it suggested that one in four students who gamble may be experiencing harm and one in two claim that gambling has affected their university experience.
“This data puts those stories and lived experiences into a wider context and shows that self-exclusion is an increasingly important tool for anyone trying to take a break from gambling,” Palmer continued.
The group also detailed that for the first half of the year, 50% of new registrants chose to exclude themselves for five years, which is the maximum period available. There was a 71%-29% male/female split in new registrants, which is consistent with the all-time trends.
Overall, more than 390,000 people have registered with GAMSTOP since its inception five years ago, excluding themselves from all UK operators for a period of either six months, a year or five years.
