Gamstop reports 19% increase in 2025 registrations amid leadership change
Changing user behaviour and leadership transition mark shifts for UK self-exclusion scheme.
Key points:
– Gamstop saw a 19% increase in self-exclusion registrations in the first half of 2025, with under-25s rising by 44%
– Chris Pond will succeed Jenny Watson CBE as Chair in September 2025
Gamstop has reported a 19% rise in new registrations in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
The growth has been most pronounced among 16 to 24-year-olds, with self-exclusions in this group rising by 44%. Of those, 39% chose the minimum six-month exclusion, an increase from 36% in the previous year, indicating a possible shift toward shorter-term exclusion strategies.
Gamstop also announced a change in leadership. Chris Pond has been appointed incoming Chair, starting in September. He will replace Jenny Watson CBE, who has served in the role since 2018. Pond has experience in financial services policy, having chaired the Financial Services Consumer Panel and worked with the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute.
Since its launch in April 2018, Gamstop has recorded nearly 600,000 total registrations. In April 2025, the number of monthly registrations exceeded 10,000 for the first time, peaking at 10,281. That record was surpassed in May, with 10,344 new registrations. The Monday following the Grand National saw the scheme’s busiest day to date with 437 registrations.
Good to know: Gamstop provides a free, independent self-exclusion service for individuals looking to block access to UK-licensed gambling websites
The five-year exclusion remains the most selected option overall, accounting for 47% of all registrations in 2025. However, shorter exclusions are increasingly common across age groups, with six-month exclusions up 29% year-on-year.
Fiona Palmer, Gamstop CEO, stated: “Our data shows a significant spike in the number of younger consumers who are Gamstopping to manage their gambling, and this has driven the record registrations in 2025.
“We have worked very hard to increase awareness of Gamstop amongst younger consumers and to destigmatise the use of self-exclusion.”
This year’s data, showing rising registration rates among younger users, aligns with Gamstop’s annual report in April 2025, showing that 1% of UK adults have now self-excluded.
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