Blocking questions without judgement

Not on its own. Every barrier has a route around it: a different device, mobile data, an unlicensed site or a payment method the bank does not catch. What a blocker does well is add time and effort, so that acting on an urge becomes slower and more deliberate. Many people find that space is enough for the urge to pass. Combining a device barrier with self-exclusion and a bank block narrows the gaps considerably, and support from people fills in what settings cannot.

A blocker works on access: your phone, computer or network refuses to load gambling sites. Self-exclusion works on the operator's side: licensed companies must refuse to let you open or use an account. GAMSTOP applies self-exclusion across all online operators licensed in Great Britain at once. Because one stops the website loading and the other stops the account working, they cover different failures and work well together. The account boundaries guide explains the self-exclusion side in more detail.

No. GAMSTOP covers online operators licensed by the Gambling Commission, which must take part in the scheme. Sites operating without a British licence are outside it, even if they accept UK players. GAMSTOP also does not cover betting shops, casinos or other land-based venues, which have separate self-exclusion arrangements. That gap is the main reason to pair GAMSTOP with a device or network blocker that recognises gambling sites regardless of licence.

It depends on the layer, and that is partly the point. Device settings and router filters can be reversed by whoever holds the passcode. Some blocking tools, such as BetBlocker, let you choose a period during which removal is not possible. GAMSTOP cannot be cancelled before the chosen period ends, and bank gambling blocks usually involve a waiting period before they lift. Choosing layers that are slow to undo is a reasonable way to protect a decision made on a calmer day.

Many people find it helps. A passcode you know can be switched off in seconds; one held by a trusted person needs a conversation first. That person does not need to monitor you — their only job is to keep the code and, if you ask for it, follow whatever pause you agreed together. If there is no one suitable, writing the code down and storing it somewhere awkward still adds friction. The support guide has a short plan for that conversation.

A home router or broadband filter only covers devices connected to that home network, so it does nothing on mobile data or other Wi-Fi. Settings that live on the device itself — Screen Time, a dedicated blocking app, or Android's Private DNS — keep working wherever the device connects. That is why a device-level barrier usually comes first, with a network filter added for the rest of the household. The network layers guide covers these differences.

Usually not. The hosts file only blocks the exact addresses you type into it, and gambling sites change and multiply over time. It also protects only that one computer, and anyone with administrator rights can edit it. It is a useful, free addition on a laptop, especially for a short list of sites you already know, but it works best alongside a maintained blocklist from a dedicated tool or a DNS filter with a gambling category.

Many UK banks and card providers offer a gambling block, usually in their app. Once switched on, card payments to merchants coded as gambling are declined, and turning the block off generally involves a waiting period. Credit cards can no longer be used with operators licensed in Great Britain, so the block mostly matters for debit cards. Some e-wallets and transfers may slip through, so it is worth asking your bank what its block covers.

Online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain is only legal from the age of 18, and operators must verify age before anyone can gamble. If you are worried about a young person's access, the same device and network barriers described on this site can be applied to their devices, and broadband provider filters were largely designed with families in mind. GamCare also offers support for parents and carers.

GamCare runs the National Gambling Helpline for England, Scotland and Wales, with phone and live chat support and no referral needed. The NHS runs specialist gambling clinics, including the NHS National Problem Gambling Clinic in London, and a GP can help with referral. Gamblers Anonymous and GamAnon offer peer support, and Citizens Advice and StepChange give free debt advice. Details are on each organisation's website and in the support guide.