UK’s independent self-exclusion scheme for online gambling, GAMSTOP, released today the latest data around the number of registrations last year, revealing a 6% increase in new registrations.
Prioritizing Expenditure amid Rising Costs of Living
The latest data from the online gambling self-exclusion register showed that a record 84,000 new registrations have been made during 2022 as people have been more sensitive to their expenditure decisions and how they affect their lifestyles.
Since the launch of GAMSTOP in April 2018, a total of 341,365 people have chosen to self-exclude from online gambling and the number of registrations is showing a steady upward trend year-over-year with an increase of 5% over the past six months and an increase of 6% for the whole 2022.
Commenting on the latest self-exclusion data, Fiona Palmer, chief executive officer at GAMSTOP, outlined that the analysis could not “single out one factor that has contributed to the rise in registrations” as most likely a combination of factors, including “the current economic climate and affordability of living costs” are at play.
“In 2022 we saw more than 80,000 new registrations which is a positive step towards supporting even more people,” Palmer added, highlighting the increasing importance of the self-exclusion register as a protection tool for people experiencing issues with their gambling, a tool that allows them to take a break and seek support.
Palmer also added that the increase in the number of people experiencing gambling-related problems signaled the need for GAMSTOP “to continue to raise awareness amongst friends and family of those who most need it” all the while keeping collaborative “work with ban blocking and other support services to provide a comprehensive solution.”
Palmer is set to join a panel of speakers at 2023 ExCel London this February, leading the conversation “Collaboration to Raise Standards and Broaden the Impact” while GAMSTOP will be present as an exhibitor within the Consumer Protection Zone (CPZ) of the exhibition.
Almost Half the People Self-Excluded for Five Years
Data showed that 24% of those who have chosen to self-exclude from online gambling in the past six months have opted to self-exclude for a year, while twice as many have opted for the longest self-exclusion period of five years. Once registered, GAMSTOP users remain enrolled in the scheme until they request to be removed, even after their self-exclusion period has expired.
The age group distribution of the self-exclusion data showed that more than 40% of the new registrations were people aged between 25 and 34, around 25% in the next age category of between 35 and 44, while nearly 20% were in the 18-24 age group.
The percentage of female registrations peaked in August, at 34%, as around seven out of ten new registrations came last year came from men. Interestingly, a seasonal trend of having the highest numbers in the winter that has been observed since 2018 has been broken in 2022 as the peak of registrations on a single day on July 1 with 371 new entries.