GAMSTOP records 12% increase in H1 2023 registrations

GAMSTOP recorded a 12% year-on-year (YoY) increase in registrations in H1 2023, with March and May representing record months for sign-ups with the self-exclusion platform.

Overall registrations for the first half of 2023 topped 48,000, and there was a significant increase in the number of 16- to 24-year-olds registering for the service, with sign-ups rising 30% YoY for the demographic.

Additionally, the age group represented 21% of all new registrants with the platform.

Research by GAMSTOP and YGAM in January found that one in four students who gamble might be experiencing harm, and one in two say gambling has affected their university experience.

GAMSTOP noted that March set the initial record of 8,504 monthly registrants, which was beaten by May’s figure of 8,594.

Elsewhere, data showed that in the first half of the year, 50% of new registrants chose to exclude themselves for five years, which is the maximum amount of time someone can self-exclude themselves using GAMSTOP.

GAMSTOP also said there was a 71%-29% male and female split in new registrants, which it says is consistent with all-time trends.

The scheme celebrated its fifth anniversary in April 2023 and stated that since its inception five years ago, more than 390,000 people had self-excluded themselves with GAMSTOP for either six months, a year or five years.

Fiona Palmer, GAMSTOP CEO, said: “Today’s data shows the continuing importance of GAMSTOP in helping consumers to protect themselves from gambling harm.

“At our parliamentary reception in June to mark GAMSTOP’s fifth anniversary, we heard the moving stories of some of those who have benefitted from the scheme. This data puts those stories and lived experiences into a wider context and shows that self-exclusion is an increasingly important tool for anyone trying to take a break from gambling.”