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GAMSTOP, the United Kingdom’s national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, has reported a 31 percent year-on-year increase in the number of under-25s using the service in the second half of 2024.
Recent data shows that 24% of people self-excluding through the service are now between the ages of 16 and 24, which marks a shift from the previous period. The period examined included major global sporting events such as the Olympics and the European Football Championship.
Areas with the Highest Self-Exclusion Rates
GAMSTOP also revealed that, for the first time in the company’s history, it had analyzed detailed data to provide a regional breakdown of self-excluding individuals. This is in an effort to help support local authorities in targeting their services.
Hull is the postcode area with the highest proportion of GAMSTOP registrants, equating to 1.5% of the area’s total population. Teesside and Sunderland were in the top three, with 1.4% of the total population. Doncaster and Blackpool are the other two areas in the top five.
Between its launch in April 2018 and the end of 2024, 532,484 people registered with GAMSTOP, over one percent of the total adult UK population.
July through December 2024 saw a 14% increase compared to the same period in 2023, which goes against the notable trend of more people typically self-excluding in the first half of the calendar year.
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, commented, “The increase in the number of under-25s registering for GAMSTOP has become an accelerating trend, with a 31 percent year-on-year increase in the second half of 2024, following a 12 percent increase in the first half of the year.
When considering solutions, she continued, “There is a clear need for targeted education and support aimed at this group which is why we continue to put so much emphasis on collaborating with Ygam and Gamcare reaching out to students. We go to where they are to ensure they are aware of tools, such as self-exclusion, which can help to prevent gambling harm.”
GAMSTOP has recently introduced a ‘5 years with auto-renewal’ exclusion aimed at ‘vulnerable customers looking to extend their abstinence from gambling. The feature was introduced as a direct result of feedback from users. Alternatively, users can self-exclude for six months, a year, or up to five years.
Discussing the new, regionalized data, Palmer said, “GAMSTOP allows vulnerable consumers to take a break from gambling, and we want to raise awareness of the service amongst those who need it most.”
She concluded, “Our detailed regional data has highlighted the postcodes where self-exclusion has been most widely adopted, and we hope this will help local authorities and other bodies to target appropriate support in the areas where the need is greatest.”
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