Gambling Blocks: Bank Blocks, Apps and Blocking Software
Blocking tools put a barrier between you and gambling at the moments when willpower is not enough. Used together with self-exclusion, they make it much harder to gamble on impulse.
Bank and card gambling blocks
Many UK banks and card providers let you block gambling transactions on your debit card, often with a single switch in their app. Once a block is on, payments to gambling companies are declined.
- Turning a block on usually takes effect straight away.
- Turning it off often involves a delay, sometimes of a couple of days or more, so you can't switch it off on impulse.
If your bank's app doesn't show the option, search its help pages for "gambling block" or ask its customer support team. Since April 2020, UK-licensed operators haven't been allowed to accept credit card payments for gambling, so a debit card block covers the main way most people pay.
Blocking software
Blocking software stops gambling websites and apps from opening on your devices:
- Gamban blocks gambling sites and apps across phones, tablets and computers.
- BetBlocker is a free tool run by a charity that does the same.
Blocking software is especially useful because it also covers gambling sites that aren't licensed in Great Britain and so aren't part of GAMSTOP.
Device and app store controls
Your phone has controls of its own:
- On iPhone and iPad, Screen Time can restrict apps and website content.
- On Android, parental control and digital wellbeing settings can limit app installs and screen time.
You can ask someone you trust to set a passcode for these controls, so they can't be changed in a weak moment.
Combining tools with self-exclusion
Each tool covers a different gap, and together they're much stronger than any one alone:
| Tool | What it stops |
|---|---|
| GAMSTOP | Accounts and gambling with every online operator licensed in Great Britain |
| Bank gambling block | Payments to gambling companies |
| Blocking software | Access to gambling websites and apps on your devices |
| Operator limits | Spending above the amount you choose, if you keep gambling |
If you're taking a break, GAMSTOP plus a bank block plus blocking software is a strong combination.
Talk to someone
Blocks help, but you don't have to manage on your own. The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133. You'll find more services on our responsible gambling page.
