BetStop vs GamStop

We’ve been receiving a flurry of messages lately, asking us how BetStop and GamStop help in responsible gambling in the Commonwealth of Australia and the United Kingdom. We know about GamStop like the back of our hand, but we had to delve deeper into the BetStop system that was only rolled out recently.

If you aren’t familiar with BetStop and GamStop, they’re the national registries of gamblers who want to exclude themselves from legitimate digital betting platforms. These registers are two of the most popular self-exclusion schemes designed to help solve the gambling problem that’s become a cause of alarm in Australia and the UK. These schemes rely on our voluntary registration as players with the tendency to bet excessively, and they’re consistent with the safer-gaming standards set by the regulators, operators, and other industry stakeholders.

General Info

In the UK, more than 2 million adults are either gambling addicts or at risk of gambling addiction. In Australia, it’s been reported that at least 1 in 10 people have wagered online in the last 6 months. Apart from us players being prone to gambling-related harm, our families and communities could be adversely affected by our urge to bet excessively. If you feel that you’re amongst the growing population of excessive bettors, and if you’re looking to play within responsible-gambling standards, BetStop and GamStop may be able to help you.

GamStop

As mentioned above, GamStop is the UK’s national register of self-excluding players. It’s supported by the country’s Gambling Commission. What the scheme does is let you ban yourself from UK-licensed digital gambling platforms, although there are online casinos and bookies without GamStop self-exclusion options. GamStop is a no-cost scheme run by the England-based non-profit National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Limited. It has accepted more than 400,000 registrations since its 2018 launch.

BetStop

BetStop is Australia’s national self-exclusion register for the country’s adult residents who are at risk of excessive wagering online and by phone. This free-to-use scheme is fairly new, although it has already begun showing blockers’ effectiveness, with more than 10,000 registrations accepted within its first few weeks of launch. BetStop is operated by IXUP Limited on behalf of the Australian Communications and Media Authority that enforces the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. It covers government-authorised betting establishments.

Comparison of BetStop and GamStop

Having to compare BetStop and GamStop is tricky, given that they’re operating in two different countries, under different laws, and within different gambling cultures. But to give you an idea of how these schemes work in their respective gaming environments, we’re putting these two national registries side by side to help you see their individual strengths and weaknesses, plus features and functions. They could come in handy, especially if you’re travelling from the UK to Australia, or vice versa.

Country of Service

GamStop serves the UK gambling community, particularly the self-excluding players in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. If you’re residing in any one of the British Overseas Territories, you may not join yet as these areas aren’t covered by the scheme at the moment. BetStop, meanwhile, caters to the Australian wagering population in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia. You may also participate if you’re living in the Northern Territory or the Australian Capital Territory.

Duration of Self-Exclusion

GamStop will allow you to choose from three self-exclusion schedule options: 6 months, 12 months (1 year), and 60 months (5 years). These medium- to long-term exclusion durations are meant to help treat your gambling addiction. Meanwhile, BetStop has a range of duration options, from 3 months to a lifetime. You may also customise your selection if it’s between 12 months and 120 months. Note that whilst GamStop won’t allow you to end your exclusion earlier than scheduled, BetStop will do so after you’ve completed the 3-month minimum duration.

Cost

GamStop and BetStop are free to use, from registration to the expiry of your selected self-exclusion period. These schemes also won’t charge you for using the support features, such as extending your exclusion schedule and making one-on-one enquiries about your existing casino deposits. For BetStop, you also don’t get billed for nominating someone as part of your support network, or for seeking 24/7 counselling via chat or email. Neither will it cost you anything if you ask to have your personal information removed from the BetStop database when your self-exclusion has ended.

Gambling Platforms Covered

GamStop and BetStop both cover gambling platforms available on Websites and apps that you can access on desktops, laptops, tablets, or mobile phones. For BetStop, the coverage extends to live-streamed or phone-based wagering platforms, as specified in the Interactive Gambling Act 2001. Note that both GamStop and BetStop can only allow you to self-exclude from betting platforms that hold government licences. There’s no way for these schemes to prevent you from accessing rogue or illegal interactive gambling establishments, even if these operate within Australia.

Service Type

GamStop and BetStop are both Website-based, government-backed national registers for players volunteering to limit or restrict their betting or wagering activities. If you’re registering here, you’re given the opportunity to have yourself banned from licenced or authorised gambling platforms. For GamStop, the list of establishments includes online casinos, bookmakers, and lotteries. For BetStop, the list of establishments includes interactive wagering service providers (WSPs) that engage players online, through live-streaming programmes, or by phone. Some WSPs types are betting exchanges, corporate bookmakers, on-course bookies, and Totalisator Agency Board (or TAB) establishments.

User Feedback

The latest GamStop report has it that at least 89% of its participants, or almost 9 out of 10 registrants, are satisfied with the UK registry’s services. Users describe this solution as having a simple, easy sign-up process. Some long-time users say that joining GamStop has given them stability throughout their journey. Others say that it’s a lifesaver and the best decision they’ve ever made. For BetStop, early participants have found registering easy. They also give the thumbs-up to the round-the-clock counselling services that the scheme offers.

GamStop vs BetStop: 5 Similarities

Apart from its geographic scope, GamStop and BetStop differ in certain ways. For one, GamStop won’t be able to remove your personal information from its database for seven (7) years following your latest self-exclusion’s expiry. BetStop, in contrast, can delete your details when you’re past exclusion. For another, GamStop could only protect you from Websites and apps, whilst BetStop would extend your protection from live-streaming and by-phone wagering. As for the similarities, both schemes are ready to help you curb your gambling urges. Here are some of their similarities explained:

Voluntary Participation

The core of GamStop and BetStop’s efforts is self-exclusion, and these will only succeed with your voluntary participation as a player seeking to keep your excessive-betting behaviour in check. No other persons could register on your behalf, even if they’re well-meaning family members or close friends. The two schemes work by matching your personal information with what you’ve previously submitted to the licensed or authorised gambling platforms that are on their list.

Duration Options

Both GamStop and BetStop have a variety of duration options to meet every registered player’s needs. For GamStop, you may choose a semester (6 months), a year, or 5 years, depending on your goals. For BetStop, you may choose a quarter (3 months), a semester, a year, a lifetime, or a custom duration of up to a decade (10 years). When your selected schedule ends, you may re-register as many times as you like.

Free to Use

GamStop and BetStop are available without cost to us players who have decided to limit our gambling activities. Both schemes enjoy the support of the governments that have made them possible, as a solution to the growing problem of gambling addiction. GamStop is funded by the UK betting industry, specifically the legitimate establishments. BetStop is overseen by the Australian government, in cooperation with the country’s wagering-industry stakeholders.

Non-Cancellable

GamStop is non-cancellable to encourage you to be decisive when it comes to kicking your gambling habit. BetStop, though, allows cancellations after you’ve completed the minimum 3-month exclusion and complied with a set of requirements. If you want to return to wagering during exclusion, you could choose to create non-GamStop account if you’re in the UK, or a non-BetStop account if you’re in Australia. But doing so will defeat the purpose of self-exclusion.

Online Registration

The GamStop and BetStop schemes welcome registrations online, and you can sign up on their websites. When you do so, remember that you need to provide your personal details and confirm your identity. Information about yourself may include your date of birth, email address, current home address, mobile phone number, and bank account number. These details will be matched with those you have given the gambling establishments that are on the GamStop and BetStop lists.

Alternative Comparative Reviews Of Self-Exclusion Tools

BetStop and GamStop are two of the world’s best self-exclusion schemes, comparable to the central registers of Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, and the American state of Massachusetts. They work alongside the digital services that you can download quickly and start using almost instantly. What these easily downloadable digital tools do is block your access, through the devices that they’re installed in, to online gambling Websites and apps. Here are comparative reviews of some of the most popular blocking software; namely, BetBlocker, BetFilter, Gamban, and Net Nanny:

• BetBlocker vs Gamban
• BetBlocker vs BetFilter
• BetBlocker vs GamBlock
• BetBlocker vs GamStop
• BetBlocker vs. Net Nanny
• Gamban vs GamStop

How Effective Are BetStop And GamStop: Users Experience

BetStop and GamStop are two of today’s most dependable solutions to the gambling problem across Australia and the UK, respectively. They will help you ward off the temptation to visit online betting Websites and apps, including standalone bookmakers for UK players and online casinos for Australia bettors. Let’s see what players on BetStop or GamStop have to say about their experiences as part of the self-exclusion scheme:

BetStop Reviews

• I joined BetStop just after it launched. I gave it a try with a 3-month exclusion (the shortest option). It worked well for me, so I went for a longer term the next time. One thing I’m loving about BetStop is that it lets me nominate a trusted person who’s willing to see me through these difficult times. Another thing I’m loving about it is the help team that I can chat with whenever my willpower is about to slip. In all, I must say that I’m getting the hang of excluding through BetStop, fair dinkum! I’m recommending it to others in my circle.
• I am an expat from the UK, who once used GamStop to cut back on placing bets online. That worked for me, but only when I was at home. When I was posted in another country that had no self-exclusion registry, I returned to my gambling habits, and it was not anything to be proud of. Now, Down Under, I am taking advantage of GamStop’s AU version, something called ‘BetStop’. I have been signed up for 4 weeks (out of 24) now. So far, so good. What I am trying to wrap my head round is securing the statutory declaration, in case I am ready to have myself removed from exclusion halfway through.

GamStop Reviews

• I’ve been using GamStop for a while now, and I’m satisfied with the services. The first time I used it, I was sceptical, thinking that I could work around the system easily. But, lo! I’d find out later that GamStop was serious about getting me banned from the legally operating betting platforms online. I almost thought of patronising illegal online casinos, but that would make me untrue to my commitment. Besides, I didn’t trust these non-licenced sites. I’m in my third year of voluntary restriction through GamStop, and I’m happy to report to anyone reading my review that the registry is effective and recommended.
• I might have made a mistake signing up with GamStop. This could be purely coincidental, but I started getting strange calls from here and there. I suspect that when GamStop shared my details with the gambling operators on their list, some of these companies sold my contact information to third parties. What makes it more irritating is that GamStop will not end my exclusion earlier than my requested period. GamStop also will not remove my personal information from its network, even if my exclusion period has expired. I should have just installed an app that would block my access to online gambling sites!

Conclusion: Which One to Choose?

Where GamStop promotes responsible gambling in the UK, BetStop does the same in Australia. These two national registries are designed to help us players keep our betting behaviour in check whilst living in either country.

If you’re anywhere in England, Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland seeking to restrict yourself from wagering online, GamStop is the one you could join. But if you’re residing in any one of the Commonwealth of Australia’s states or territories, then BetStop is the one you could participate in. Note, however, that both registers are only able to help you as far as government-licensed gambling operators, or what Australians formally call ‘wagering service providers’ (WSPs), are concerned.