Gamstop Betting Shops: Self-Exclusion for Betting Shops

Gamstop Betting Shops, previously known as MOSES, is the multi-operator self-exclusion service for land-based bookmakers in Great Britain.

This article explains how the service works, what it covers and how it fits alongside other self-exclusion schemes.

What Is Gamstop Betting Shops?

The Multi-Operator Self-Exclusion Scheme allows people to exclude themselves from multiple land-based betting shops selected around the places they use or might realistically try to use.

Once registered, participating bookmakers are required to:

• Refuse service to the individual
• Prevent betting in covered premises
• Share exclusion information within the agreed area
• Remove the individual from betting shop marketing

Gamstop Betting Shops is intended specifically for land-based betting shops, not online gambling or casinos.

What the Service Covers

Gamstop Betting Shops applies to:

• Licensed UK betting shops
• Participating bookmakers within the selected area
• Physical premises regulated by the UK Gambling Commission

It does not apply to:

• Online betting sites
• Online casinos or bingo
• Land-based casinos
• Offshore or crypto gambling platforms

The service is location-based and specific to betting shops.

How Gamstop Betting Shops Works

The current service is telephone-based. An adviser helps identify relevant betting shops and operators and records the exclusion. The service requires personal details, a photograph and proof of identity.

• The fixed exclusion period is 12 months
• More premises can be added to an existing exclusion
• The exclusion can be renewed after it has been in place for a year
• A request to return after the fixed term is subject to a 24-hour cooling-off period

Once enrolled:

• Details are shared with participating operators in the area
• Staff are required to refuse service
• Attempts to place bets are treated as breaches

Coverage depends on the size of the area selected and the operators participating.

Enforcement and Practical Limitations

The service relies on:

• Staff recognition
• In-shop procedures
• Shared exclusion records

Unlike online systems, enforcement is not automated. This means:

• Recognition may not be immediate in all cases
• Busy environments can reduce effectiveness
• Effectiveness improves in smaller, well-defined areas

It can be combined with controls that cover other forms of gambling.

What Happens If You Try to Gamble While Excluded

If an enrolled person enters a covered betting shop and attempts to gamble:

• Staff are expected to refuse service
• Bets should not be accepted

The service says operators should do all they reasonably can to prevent an excluded person from gambling. The current public service information does not state a universal rule about the treatment of stakes or winnings after a breach.

The exclusion is intended to prevent access during the agreed period.

Gamstop Betting Shops, Gamstop Online and SENSE

These schemes are often confused, but they apply to different gambling environments.

• Gamstop Betting Shops covers land-based betting shops in the selected area
• Gamstop Online covers online gambling with operators licensed in Great Britain
• SENSE covers licensed land-based casinos in Great Britain

None of these schemes cover:

• Offshore gambling
• Crypto gambling platforms

Individuals who gamble across multiple environments may need to use more than one scheme.

What the Scheme Does Not Do

Gamstop Betting Shops does not:

• Block online gambling
• Prevent access to casinos
• Apply outside the selected area
• Block payments or bank transactions
• Address gambling on unlicensed platforms

Its coverage is limited to betting shops included in the exclusion.

When to Consider Betting-Shop Self-Exclusion

The service may be relevant if:

• Gambling occurs primarily in betting shops
• Betting shop visits are frequent or compulsive
• Other controls have not been effective
• A clear physical barrier is needed

It should be viewed as a protective decision, not a disciplinary one.

Combining It With Other Controls

For broader coverage, consider combining it with:

• Gamstop Online for online gambling
• Gambling-blocking software
• Bank or payment-level blocks
• Professional support services

Choose controls that match the places and services you use.

Using the Betting-Shop Exclusion

Gamstop Betting Shops can restrict access to multiple bookmakers in a selected area. It does not cover every form of gambling, so check the official scheme information and consider whether other controls are also relevant.

If betting-shop gambling is causing harm or feels difficult to control, self-exclusion is one practical option. Gambling support can help with the underlying behaviour as well as access.

Official source

Gamstop Betting Shops: how the multi-operator scheme works