Gambling addiction

[Jobsagoodon]

Why doesn't any service provider add the option of blocking gambling websites. I would happily pay a few quid for such a service as the apps are useless. I have a gambling problem and every app I've ever used I've found a work around.  If sky brought a service out for blocking all gambling websites I would gladly use it. 

[TimmyBGood]

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@Jobsagoodon wrote:

Why doesn't any service provider add the option of blocking gambling websites.

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Possibly because the three big ISPs (BT / Sky / Virgin) have parent companies which take huge sums in television advertising revenue from the gambling industry, and are also deeply involved with both direct and indirect gambling sponsorship of sports?

[Chrisee · Accepted solution]

@Jobsagoodon gambling issues are serious but as you say none of the large ISPs seem to offer what you are looking for andstraight forward website blocks are frankly not sufficent to block apps. A quick search shows there organisations like Gamstop see https://www.gamstop.co.uk who claim to be able to provide a complete block but I have no experience of how good they are.

[Jobsagoodon]

Thanks I'll give it try

[TimmyBGood]

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@Chrisee wrote:

@Jobsagoodon

A quick search shows there organisations like Gamstop see https://www.gamstop.co.uk who claim to be able to provide a complete block

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Perhaps worth noting that registering there prevents a given set of credentials from signing into UK-regulated online gambling facilities: it doesn't block visibility of apps or websites themselves and has no interaction with an internet connection.

[TimmyBGood]

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@Chrisee wrote:

I have no experience of how good they are.

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Pretty good as far as they go, because UK government (through the Gambling Commission) insists that regulated gambling providers check against the Gamstop database before permitting app/website sign-in.  The big criticism is that only registered users are blocked: while they attempt some pattern-matching, an account created with new credentials and a different payment source may not be restricted.

[Jobsagoodon]

Wow I'm impressed Gamstop blocks you at the source I just tried to sign in a gambling website and it tells my I'm self excluded thank you very much

[Chrisee]

If it helps @Jobsagoodon happy to have helped.