Does GAMSTOP block bonuses?
Does GAMSTOP block bonuses? Yes. While your GAMSTOP self-exclusion is active, every online gambling business licensed in Great Britain must refuse you service, close or lock your accounts and stop marketing to you, so no welcome offers, free spins or reload emails should reach you from them. Here is what it covers, where the gaps are, and what else helps.
By the Top Casino Bonus team. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Licensed online operators must refuse service and remove you from marketing within two days of a GAMSTOP exclusion.
- With no account access and no marketing, there is no route to a bonus from those businesses.
- GAMSTOP does not cover land-based venues or draw lotteries, and unlicensed sites ignore it.
- Exclusion can’t be cancelled early and stays in place after the period ends until you ask for it to be removed.
- Short answer
- Yes, at all GB-licensed online operators
- Cost
- Free
- Periods
- 6 months to 5 years
- Marketing removed
- Within two days
- Mandatory for operators
- Since 31 March 2020
Does GAMSTOP block bonuses? The short answer
GAMSTOP blocks bonuses by blocking everything that a bonus depends on. A bonus needs an open account, a deposit and, in most cases, a marketing message to tell you about it. Once you self-exclude through GAMSTOP, licensed operators must refuse you service, so you can’t log in to play or opt in to a promotion, and they must take you off their marketing lists. There is no separate ‘bonus block’ to switch on; it comes with the exclusion.
This page is part of our casino bonus questions and is written for anyone thinking about self-exclusion, or already excluded and still seeing gambling offers. It contains no offers. If you need to talk to someone now, the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133.
What GAMSTOP is and who has to follow it
GAMSTOP (opens in a new tab) is the free national online self-exclusion scheme for gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain. It is run by The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited. You choose a period from six months to five years, and you can set it to renew.
Taking part is not optional for operators. Since 31 March 2020, every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission has had to participate, under licence code 3.5.5. In November 2022 the Commission suspended a business, LEBOM Limited, for failing to do so. Our GAMSTOP rules page covers the legal basis, and the GAMSTOP glossary entry gives a quick definition.
What operators must do when you self-exclude
Licence code 3.5.3 (opens in a new tab) sets out what a remote operator must do once you are self-excluded. Each duty closes off a different route to a bonus.
| Duty | What it means for bonuses |
|---|---|
| Refuse service | You can’t gamble, so you can’t meet a qualifying deposit or bet, or use spins |
| Close accounts and return funds | No account means nothing to opt in to; cash balances go back to you |
| Remove you from marketing within two days | No offer emails, texts or app notifications from that operator |
| Signpost support | You should be pointed to help services rather than to promotions |
Money in your cash balance must be returned. Bonus funds that had not yet converted to cash are not deposited money, so expect them to be removed when the account is closed. If you think you are owed a cash balance, contact the operator; the self-exclusion rules page explains what you can expect.
What GAMSTOP does not block
GAMSTOP is a strong barrier, but it has edges. Knowing them helps you close the gaps with other tools.
| Type of gambling | Covered by GAMSTOP? | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Online casinos, betting and bingo licensed in GB | Yes | Nothing further needed |
| Online lottery instant win games | Yes | Nothing further needed |
| Draw-based lotteries such as Lotto | No | Contact the lottery operator or use a bank block |
| Betting shops, casinos, bingo halls, arcades | No | Use the separate land-based self-exclusion schemes |
| Sites without a Gambling Commission licence | No | Use blocking software and a bank gambling block |
Sites that operate without a Commission licence do not check GAMSTOP and are not bound by any UK rules on bonuses, withdrawals or harm. Advertising that promotes gambling ‘not on GAMSTOP’ is aimed at people who have chosen to stop. Our guide to offshore casino bonus risks explains what you lose there, including the right to an independent dispute service.
Still getting bonus emails after self-excluding?
Operators must remove you from marketing within two days. If you are still receiving offers after that, the cause is usually one of these: the message came from an unlicensed site, from an affiliate list you signed up to separately, or the details you gave GAMSTOP do not match the account (an old email address or a previous home address, for example).
- Check the sender: is it a licensed operator, an affiliate or an unknown site?
- If it is a licensed operator, contact its support and quote your GAMSTOP exclusion.
- Make sure GAMSTOP has every email address, phone number and address you have used for gambling.
- Unsubscribe from affiliate newsletters and mark unknown senders as spam.
- If a licensed operator keeps contacting you, complain to it in writing and keep copies.
The Gambling Commission also explains how to stop gambling marketing texts and emails (opens in a new tab). Our guide on how to stop bonus emails covers the steps for people who aren’t self-excluded but want fewer offers.
Bonuses stop for signs of harm, with or without GAMSTOP
Self-exclusion is a choice you make. The Commission also requires operators to act when they see signs of harm themselves. Under licence code 3.4.3, which has applied in this form since 12 February 2023, an operator that identifies strong indicators of harm must stop marketing to that customer and stop them taking up new bonuses. Our page on bonuses and harm indicators explains what operators look for, such as spending patterns and time spent.
Marketing consent rules help too. Since 1 May 2025, remote operators must let customers opt in to marketing product by product and channel by channel, with opt-out as the default. See marketing consent rules for details.
What happens to bonuses when a GAMSTOP exclusion ends
You cannot cancel a GAMSTOP exclusion early. When the minimum period ends, the exclusion stays in place until you contact GAMSTOP and ask for it to be removed; nothing lifts automatically. Even then, any operator you return to has to verify you again and apply its customer interaction checks.
Coming back to a flood of welcome offers can be hard. Before asking for removal, it is worth talking it through with GamCare or a counsellor, and planning which tools you will use. Our page can you claim a bonus after self-exclusion looks at what operators may and may not offer, and when to say no to a bonus helps with the decision.
Other tools that work alongside GAMSTOP
GAMSTOP works best as one layer among several. These tools are free or built into banking apps.
| Tool | What it does | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| GAMSTOP | Self-exclusion from all GB-licensed online gambling | Licensed websites and apps |
| Bank gambling block | Declines card payments to gambling merchants | Licensed and unlicensed sites |
| Blocking software (e.g. Gamban) | Stops gambling sites loading on your devices | Most gambling websites and apps |
| Single-operator self-exclusion | Excludes you from one company’s brands | That operator only |
| Deposit limits and time-outs | Caps spending or pauses an account | One account at a time |
The Commission lists banks offering gambling blocks, including Barclays, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, RBS, Santander and Starling; its page on blocking gambling transactions (opens in a new tab) has details. Halifax and Lloyds also offer Gamban. For lighter-touch controls, see how to set deposit limits and our entries on the time-out and deposit limit.
How to register with GAMSTOP
- Go to the GAMSTOP website and choose to register.
- Enter your personal details, including every email address, phone number and home address you have used with gambling accounts.
- Pick an exclusion period between six months and five years, and decide whether it should renew.
- Confirm your registration; operators are then notified and must act on it.
- Add a bank gambling block and blocking software to cover what GAMSTOP doesn’t.
Our step-by-step guide on how to self-exclude covers single-operator and land-based options as well.
Free support if bonuses are part of the problem
Bonuses are designed to encourage play, and for some people they make stopping harder. If that sounds familiar, you don’t need to wait until things get worse to ask for help. All of these are free and confidential.
- National Gambling Helpline (run by GamCare): 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day, with live chat and WhatsApp through GamCare’s support page (opens in a new tab).
- NHS gambling clinics in England, including the National Problem Gambling Clinic, accept self-referrals; in Wales, the NHS Wales Helpline is 0808 2819 265.
- Gamblers Anonymous runs peer support meetings in England, Wales and Ulster.
- Our safer gambling page lists more services and tools.
For more on how offers can feed harmful patterns, read bonuses and gambling harm.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: set a budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Will I still get casino bonus emails after joining GAMSTOP?
You should not, from licensed operators. Licence code 3.5.3 requires them to remove you from marketing within two days of your exclusion. If offers keep arriving after that, check whether the sender is an unlicensed site or an affiliate list, and make sure GAMSTOP holds every email address and phone number you have used. Contact any licensed operator that still messages you. Our page how do I stop bonus offers covers the wider options.
Can I claim a bonus while I’m on GAMSTOP?
Not from a gambling business licensed in Great Britain. During the exclusion, licensed operators must refuse you service and close or lock your accounts, so there is no way to deposit, opt in or play through an offer. Opening a new account does not get round it, because operators check GAMSTOP when you register. Sites that ignore GAMSTOP are unlicensed and offer none of the UK protections. Read can you claim a bonus after self-exclusion for what happens later.
What happens to my bonus balance when I self-exclude?
Your cash balance must be returned to you, because licensed operators have to close accounts and return funds. Bonus money that had not yet converted to cash is not deposited money, so expect it to be removed when the account closes. Any pending free spins or promotions also end. If you believe a cash balance is missing, contact the operator and keep a record. Our self-exclusion rules page explains the operator’s duties in more detail.
Does GAMSTOP block bonuses at betting shops and casinos?
No. GAMSTOP covers online gambling only. Betting shops, land-based casinos, bingo halls and arcades run their own self-exclusion schemes, and you need to sign up to those separately if you also gamble in person. Draw-based lotteries such as Lotto are not covered either, although online instant win lottery games are. A bank gambling block adds protection across many of these. Our guide on how to self-exclude lists the separate schemes.
Can I cancel GAMSTOP early to claim an offer?
No. A GAMSTOP exclusion cannot be cancelled during the period you chose, and that is deliberate: it protects the decision you made at a calmer moment. When the period ends, the exclusion still stays in place until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it. If an offer feels urgent, that feeling is worth talking about with the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Our cool-off entry explains why delays like this help.
Do casinos have to check GAMSTOP before giving me a bonus?
Licensed online operators have had to participate in GAMSTOP since 31 March 2020, which means checking whether customers are excluded and refusing service if they are. That check happens at registration and in their ongoing systems, before any bonus could be claimed. Operators must also verify your age and identity before you deposit or gamble. Our age verification before play page explains how those checks fit together.
Why do I still see casino adverts if I’m on GAMSTOP?
GAMSTOP removes you from operators’ direct marketing, such as emails, texts and account messages, but it cannot stop general advertising on television, websites or social media that is shown to everyone. Blocking software and ad settings on your devices and social accounts can reduce what you see. The Commission’s rules on direct marketing are summarised on our direct marketing rules page, alongside what you can do about unwanted messages.
Is GAMSTOP the only way to stop getting bonuses?
No. You can opt out of marketing with each operator, ask an operator to stop offering you bonuses, use a time-out or self-exclude from a single company. Since 1 May 2025, operators must also ask for your consent product by product and channel by channel. GAMSTOP is the widest option because it covers every licensed online site at once. Our guide on how to opt out of bonuses explains each route.
Are casinos that are not on GAMSTOP safe for bonuses?
No. A site that does not take part in GAMSTOP is not licensed by the Gambling Commission for British customers, so none of the UK protections apply: no 10x wagering cap, no right to withdraw your deposit mid-bonus, no stake limits and no approved dispute service. They also target people who have chosen to stop gambling. If you feel drawn to them, talk to GamCare. Our guide to offshore casino bonus risks explains more.
Does GAMSTOP apply in Northern Ireland?
GAMSTOP covers websites and apps licensed by the Gambling Commission, whose rules apply in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate gambling law, so it is worth checking with GAMSTOP directly about how registration works for a Northern Ireland address and pairing it with a bank gambling block and blocking software. Support services such as GamCare’s helpline are available across the UK. See our page on Northern Ireland gambling law for the legal differences.
Related pages
Sources
- Control your gambling | Gamstop Online (opens in a new tab)
- 3.5.3 Self-exclusion – remote SR code (opens in a new tab)
- 3.5.5 Remote multi-operator SR code (opens in a new tab)
- 3.4.3 Remote customer interaction (opens in a new tab)
- Block gambling payments with your bank (opens in a new tab)
- Chat to us now - GamCare (opens in a new tab)