How do I block slot sites?

How do I block slot sites? Register with GAMSTOP to exclude yourself from every gambling site and app licensed in Great Britain, then add your bank’s gambling block and blocking software such as Gamban to cover payments and unlicensed sites. Each layer closes a gap the others leave, and all of them can be set up today.

By the Slot Machines team. Last checked 21 October 2026.

Key takeaways

GAMSTOP blocks all GB-licensed gambling sites and apps for 6 months to 5 years and can’t be cancelled early.
A bank gambling block stops card payments to gambling businesses, including sites GAMSTOP doesn’t cover.
Blocking software stops gambling websites and apps loading on your devices.
Opting out of marketing removes the emails and texts that tempt you back.
Use several layers together; no single tool covers everything.

Main tool: GAMSTOP (free)
GAMSTOP periods: 6 months to 5 years
Operators taking part: All GB-licensed online operators (since 31 March 2020)
Bank blocks: Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, Santander, Starling and others
Help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133

How do I block slot sites? The four layers

Think of blocking as layers. Each one stops a different route back to slot play:

Four layers for blocking online slot sites
Layer	Stops	Doesn’t stop
GAMSTOP	Accounts at every GB-licensed gambling site and app	Unlicensed sites, land-based venues, draw lotteries
Bank gambling block	Card payments to gambling merchants	Cash, some other payment routes
Blocking software	Gambling websites and apps loading on your devices	Devices it isn’t installed on
Marketing opt-out	Emails and texts from operators	General adverts on TV, social media or sport

Most people start with GAMSTOP and a bank block, which take minutes, then add software. If you also play machines in arcades or bookmakers, you need venue self-exclusion as well, covered in self-exclusion from arcades.

Block slot sites with GAMSTOP

GAMSTOP (opens in a new tab) is the free national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling in Great Britain. Every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission has had to take part since 31 March 2020, and a licence condition requires it. Once you register, participating operators must refuse you service, close your accounts, return your funds, remove you from marketing and point you to support.

Go to the GAMSTOP website and choose to register.
Enter your personal details as you would on a gambling account: name, date of birth, address, email and mobile number. Include any past addresses or email addresses you used for gambling accounts, so they can be matched.
Choose your exclusion period, between 6 months and 5 years.
Confirm. Exclusion takes effect soon after; in the meantime, stay logged out of gambling accounts.
Withdraw or check any remaining balances; operators must return funds when they close excluded accounts.

You can’t cancel GAMSTOP during your chosen period. When the period ends, the exclusion stays until you contact GAMSTOP to remove it. Read how GAMSTOP works (opens in a new tab) on its own site for current details.

If a slot site still lets you play after you’ve registered with GAMSTOP, it is very likely not licensed in Great Britain. Unlicensed sites have no UK player protections, so block them with software and your bank instead.

Block gambling payments with your bank

Many UK banks let you block card payments to gambling businesses from your banking app. The Gambling Commission’s guide to blocking gambling transactions (opens in a new tab) lists Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, HSBC (with a cool-off period), Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, RBS, Santander and Starling. Monzo requires you to contact support to switch its block off.

Open your banking app and search for “gambling block” or look in card settings.
Switch the block on for every debit card you hold.
Repeat for any other bank accounts or cards in your name.
If your bank doesn’t offer a block, ask in branch or by phone what controls it has.

Credit cards can’t be used for gambling in Great Britain at all, a ban in force since 14 April 2020 that includes e-wallets loaded by credit card. See the credit card ban for details.

Blocking software for phones and computers

Software such as Gamban (opens in a new tab) stops gambling websites and apps from loading on the devices you install it on, including sites licensed elsewhere that GAMSTOP doesn’t reach. Halifax and Lloyds offer Gamban to their customers. Install it on every phone, tablet and computer you use.

Phones and broadband routers also have content controls that can filter gambling sites. These vary by device and provider, so check your phone settings or ask your broadband provider; they are a useful extra layer rather than a replacement.

Operator tools: self-exclusion, time-outs and limits

Each UK casino also offers its own self-exclusion and time-outs. A time-out is a short break, such as 24 hours or a week; self-exclusion is longer and covers that operator’s brands. These are useful if you play at one site, but GAMSTOP is wider and harder to undo. If your aim is to cut down rather than stop, deposit limits and reality checks help; UK operators have had to prompt for a financial limit before your first deposit since 31 October 2025. See setting a limit on slots and the slot machine safety tools guide.

Time-out, operator self-exclusion and GAMSTOP compared
Option	Covers	Typical length	Best for
Time-out	One operator	Short, such as 24 hours or a week	A planned pause
Operator self-exclusion	One operator’s brands	Longer periods set by the operator	Stopping at one site
GAMSTOP	Every GB-licensed site and app	6 months to 5 years	Stopping online slot play altogether

Stop slot site emails, texts and offers

Promotional emails and texts can pull you back even after blocking. Since 1 May 2025, UK casino operators must ask you to opt in to marketing for each product and channel, with opt-out as the default. To remove existing marketing:

Use the unsubscribe link in each email and reply STOP to texts.
Change marketing preferences in your account before closing it.
Follow the Gambling Commission’s guide on stopping gambling marketing texts and emails (opens in a new tab).
Remember GAMSTOP registration also requires operators to remove you from marketing.

Social media and websites let you hide or limit gambling ads in their ad settings, though they rarely remove them completely.

What blocking slot sites doesn’t cover

Land-based machines: GAMSTOP doesn’t cover pub fruit machines, arcades, bookmakers, bingo halls or casinos. Use the venue schemes in our arcade self-exclusion guide.
Draw lotteries: GAMSTOP blocks instant-win lottery games, but not draw-based games such as Lotto.
Cash: a bank block doesn’t stop cash spending in venues.
Other people’s devices: software only works where it is installed.

Knowing the gaps helps you plan for them. If pub machines are a problem, see pub slot machines for how they work and talk to the licensee.

A one-hour checklist to block slot sites

Register with GAMSTOP for the longest period you feel able to (up to 5 years).
Turn on gambling blocks for every bank card.
Install blocking software on each device, with a trusted person holding the password.
Withdraw balances, then close or self-exclude remaining casino accounts and delete apps.
Unsubscribe from all gambling marketing.
Save the National Gambling Helpline number, 0808 8020 133, in your phone.

If you want support while doing this, GamCare’s National Gambling Helpline (opens in a new tab) is free and open 24/7 by phone, live chat or WhatsApp. Our page on how to stop playing slots covers the next steps after blocking.

After you’ve blocked slot sites

Blocking removes easy access; it doesn’t remove the urge. Plan what you’ll do when an urge arrives, tell someone you trust, and consider talking therapies through NHS services or GamCare, or peer support at Gamblers Anonymous. Our guides to help for slot players and help for slot machine addiction explain what’s available. Understanding why slots feel compelling can help too: see why slot machines are absorbing and our slot machine myths guide.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.

Frequently asked questions

How do I block all gambling sites in the UK?

Register with GAMSTOP, which excludes you from every gambling website and app licensed in Great Britain for 6 months to 5 years. Add your bank’s gambling block to stop card payments, and install blocking software to stop sites loading, including unlicensed ones that GAMSTOP can’t reach. Together these cover most routes. GAMSTOP is free and can’t be cancelled early. For the full picture, see our blocking slot sites guide and how to stop playing slots.

Is GAMSTOP free?

Yes, GAMSTOP is completely free to use. It is the national online self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain, and every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission must take part, a requirement in force since 31 March 2020. You register once and it applies across all those sites and apps. Bank gambling blocks are also free. Some blocking software is paid, though Halifax and Lloyds offer Gamban to their customers. See slot machine safety tools for more free options.

How long does GAMSTOP take to work?

Registration is quick, and exclusion normally takes effect soon after; GAMSTOP’s own site gives the current timing. Until then, avoid logging in to gambling accounts or keeping balances with operators. Once active, operators must refuse you service and close your accounts. If a site still lets you play after that, it is probably not licensed in Great Britain, so add blocking software and a bank block. Our UK slot machine rules guide explains licensing.

Can I remove GAMSTOP early?

No. GAMSTOP can’t be cancelled during the exclusion period you choose. When the period ends, it doesn’t switch off automatically either: you have to contact GAMSTOP and ask for it to be removed. This is designed to protect you from changing your mind during an urge. If you’re finding the exclusion hard, talk to the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 rather than looking for ways round it. See help for slot players.

Why can I still play on some slot sites after joining GAMSTOP?

Because those sites are almost certainly not licensed by the Gambling Commission, so they aren’t part of GAMSTOP. Unlicensed sites don’t have to follow UK rules on stake limits, game design, fair terms or self-exclusion, and you have little protection if something goes wrong. Install blocking software and turn on your bank’s gambling block to cover them. You can check a site’s licence on the Commission’s public register. Read are slot machines legal in the UK.

Which UK banks offer a gambling block?

The Gambling Commission lists Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Halifax, HSBC (with a cool-off period), Lloyds, Monzo, NatWest, RBS, Santander and Starling as offering gambling blocks, with MBNA listed for spend tracking. Most work as a switch in your banking app that declines card payments to gambling merchants. Turning the block off usually involves a delay, and Monzo requires you to contact support. If your bank isn’t listed, ask what it offers. See do slot machines take cards for land-based payments.

Does blocking slot sites also block betting and bingo?

GAMSTOP covers all online gambling licensed in Great Britain, including betting, bingo, casino and instant-win lottery games, so registering blocks far more than slots. Bank blocks and most blocking software also work across all gambling merchants and sites. GAMSTOP doesn’t cover draw lotteries such as Lotto, or any land-based venues. For arcades and machines, see our arcade self-exclusion guide and adult gaming centres page.

Can a family member block slot sites for me?

Not without your involvement. GAMSTOP and casino self-exclusion must be set up by the person being excluded, and bank blocks apply to the account holder. A family member can help by sitting with you while you register, holding passwords for blocking software, and supporting you to manage money for a while. The National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 supports family members too. See slot machine FAQs for parents and signs slot play is a problem.

Should I take a time-out or self-exclude?

It depends on what you need. A time-out is a short break from one operator, such as 24 hours or a week, and suits someone who wants a pause. Self-exclusion lasts much longer, and GAMSTOP extends it to every licensed site. If you’re worried about your play, or limits haven’t worked, self-exclusion is the safer option. Time-outs and limits can help with planned play. Read what is a reality check on slots and setting limits.

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