Responsible Gaming: Self Exclusion, Limits and Support 2026 New
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Where to get help
UK help is free, confidential and available 24/7:
- GamCare — live chat and help line 0808 8020 133, or gamcare.org.uk
- GambleAware — self-help and signposting at begambleaware.org
- Gordon Moody — residential treatment, gordonmoody.org.uk
- GamStop — self-exclusion for all UKGC sites, gamstop.co.uk
If you are in immediate distress, the Samaritans can be reached on 116 123 at any hour. If you are looking for peer support, Gamblers Anonymous runs free meetings across the UK — a directory is available at gamblersanonymous.org.uk.
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Self exclusion
If you need a longer break, Ivybet supports GamStop — the UK-wide self-exclusion scheme. One registration at gamstop.co.uk blocks you from every UKGC-licensed site for six months, one year or five years. Once registered you cannot shorten the term: the design is deliberate.
The operator also offers an in-platform self-exclusion for short time-outs: 24 hours, 7 days, 30 days. During any time-out, your account cannot deposit, wager or receive marketing. We recommend the in-platform option for short breaks and GamStop for anything above six months.
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Signs of problem
If you spend more than you planned, chase losses, hide gambling from people close to you, or feel anxious when you are not playing, these are signs to pause. Problem gambling is a health issue, not a lack of discipline, and UK support is free.
Other signs to watch for: borrowing to gamble, selling personal items to fund play, missing work, skipping meals or sleep because of a session, and lying about the time or money spent. If you recognise any of these in yourself or in someone close to you, use the help links further down this page.
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Underage protection
You must be eighteen or over to open an Ivybet account. Operators verify age with document checks before any withdrawal. Allowing anyone under age to gamble on your account can result in account closure and withheld funds, with no right to appeal.
The UKGC treats underage gambling as the operator's problem to solve, not the player's defence. Even one underage deposit can trigger a formal investigation and a seven-figure fine. If you suspect a child in your household has accessed an Ivybet account, contact the operator immediately so the account can be frozen and the child protected from further loss.
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Parental control
If you share devices with children, use parental-control software to block gambling domains. We recommend BetBlocker, which is free, and Gamban, which covers desktop and mobile. Keep account passwords off shared browsers and log out after each session.
For routers that support content filtering (most ISP-supplied boxes do), add a rule to block the "Gambling" category. For iOS and Android, both platforms support a screen-time-style blocklist that you can lock behind a PIN only you know. Combined with GamStop, these tools make it very difficult for a child or a self-excluded adult to reach a UK gambling site by accident.
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Limits and tools
Ivybet lets you set a daily, weekly and monthly deposit limit from the account settings. You can also set a loss limit, a session reminder and a reality check. Setting a limit takes effect straight away; raising a limit takes up to 24 hours to apply, by UK Gambling Commission rule. Lowering a limit is instant.
Reality checks are a short pop-up that summarises your session — time played, wagered, and net result — at an interval you choose, from 15 minutes up to an hour. UK research suggests the pop-ups cut average session length when readers actually read them, so we recommend treating the pop-up as a prompt to take a break, not to click through.