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The head of the UK’s scheme to help gambling addicts has expressed deep concerns after an investigation found people could easily cheat the system. GamStop has more than 50,000 people signed up since its launch in April of 2018, aiming to let them block themselves from all online betting providers.
But it has been discovered that gamblers could still place bets online simply by changing their user details. In response, the Gambling Commission said it would look to bring in more stringent ID checks.
What Is GamStop?
GamStop is a free-to-use, independent self-exclusion scheme to help people with online gambling problems. Gamblers register their personal details and specify how long they wish to be banned for. They should then be blocked from logging on to all gambling websites. However, if they simply change a few small details, such as misspelling a surname, they can easily open a new account and get back to gambling.
The son of a gambling addict who was jailed for stealing £50,000 from a former employer now campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of being safe when gambling online. It was he who discovered the flaws in GamStop when he registered himself then found he could open a new account by using a new email address and changing a letter in his name. He even received a welcome offer bonus of £50 free bets.
Angry Reactions
The response to the discovery that the 50,000+ people registered with the service are not being adequately protected has been one of anger. There have even been suggestions that the scheme is a mere facade to create the illusion that the government is trying to protect problem gamblers in the country, when really it doesn’t work.
The CEO of GamStop has stated that they are taking the feedback on board and looking for ways to improve the scheme. The Gambling Commission is testing new methods of ID verification to prevent customers from gambling under incorrect identity details at online casinos. Online gambling is rapidly growing in popularity around the UK, and while it is great for people to be able to enjoy it, everyone needs to be safe when they play.