Why It’s So Easy to Bypass GamStop’s Self-Exclusion?

As a UK online gambling enthusiast, it's your responsibility to make sure you are enjoying your gambling efforts. Even if your goal is to actually make money on a regular basis, fun and enjoyment should still be your primary objectives.

Here is what you need to worry about. If your online gambling should ever start adversely affecting the rest of your life, take that seriously. It could be a sign that you are starting down the path toward problem gambling or even gambling addiction.

If by chance that is where you end up or where you might be now, you would really need to think about giving your online gambling activities a break.

Taking an Online Gambling Break With the Help of the GamStop Self-exclusion Scheme

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) helped develop the GamStop Self-exclusion scheme with one thing in mind. They wanted to make sure that potential problem gamblers had a way to help themselves stay away from online gambling for as long as it takes them to regain control over their online gambling activities.

To ensure that GamStop would have the full support of online operators in the UK, the UKGC decided to make operator membership in the program mandatory. If fact, they decided that should any licensed UK operators choose not to subscribe to the GamStop scheme, there will be a cost tied to that decision. The cost would be heavy fines and or the loss of the right to legally provide online gambling services in the UK.

As a UK resident and online gambler, you should be aware of the fact that GamStop exists specifically for people like you. This is the self-exclusion program you want to choose if you want to voluntarily ban yourself from accessing any online gambling sites operating in the UK under licensing from the UKGC.

It's your responsibility to tell UK online gambling operators how long you plan to steer clear of online gambling. You can choose:

6 months

1 year

5 years

After completing your registrati9on with key personal information, that information will be used to track you and exclude you from using any of your existing gambling accounts or opening new accounts.

Ways to Get Around GamStop Self-Exclusion

First of all, we would like to say that bypassing GamStop is not the best solution for your life. There are plenty of interesting activities you can be distracted by while you are actively self-excluding. But, people are entitled to make their own choices.

While the program works, it only works to stop you from using online operators that are licensed by the UKGC and subscribed as members of the GamStop scheme. Clearly, that is not the whole universe of online gambling options. Therefore, GamStop's value lies in your willingness to abide by your original decision to stop gambling online for a while.

If you change your mind and decide to start gambling again in spite of your GamStop exclusion, you would have options. Those options would include:

Attempting to register with a licensed UK operator with a reputation for poor account verification protocols

Enlisting the online gambling services of a crypto-only gambling site where anonymity is king

Finding an online gambling home with an operator operating out of another regulatory jurisdiction

Asking a friend or relative to open an account on your behalf under their identity

Taking a risk and aligning yourself with a non-GamStop UK operator

The last item on this list might be your best option if you can accept that many unlicensed operators are quite reputable and responsible. If you want to play on British non GamStop online casinos, you may do so without GamStop scrutiny because such operators do not have access to the GamStop database.

Why It’s So Easy to Bypass GamStop’s Self-Exclusion?

There are three reasons it is so easy to get around GamStop. The first reason is that the UKGC has limited power. They can only legislate over that which they have authority. Their authority is confined to online gambling operators that want the ability to legally provide online gambling services to UK residents. That requires the issuance of a license by the UKGC.

The second reason is the UKGC has limited resources. It's likely they could do more to stop non-GamStop operators from operating on UK soil, but then they would encounter enforcement issues. The reality is they have limited manpower and financial resources, which doesn't enhance their ability to chase uncooperative operators around the country.

Finally, the UK government and the UKGC specifically have to be careful about violating your rights as a UK citizen. The whole point of the GamStop scheme is to make sure you can get help if you want help. GamStop is not intended to be a punishment. It's there for the people who want it and or need it. Your gambling issues will only affect the UK government if those issues lead to bad behaviors like hurting people or breaking the law.