GAMSTOP record registrations surge as Chris Pond named chair
GAMSTOP record registrations have reached new highs, with a 19 percent year-on-year rise in self-exclusion sign-ups and over 10,000 users registering in both April and May 2025. The surge in numbers arrives as the organisation announces a major leadership change, appointing Chris Pond as GAMSTOP chair to replace Jenny Watson CBE from September.
What do ten thousand monthly sign-ups and a new chair really reflect? A nation quietly shifting its stance on gambling harm. One click, one choice, one region at a time, reflected most clearly in newly released regional self-exclusion data.
New leadership with a financial focus
Pond, a well-known figure in the financial services and public policy sectors, brings extensive experience to the role. He currently chairs the Financial Services Consumer Panel at the FCA and the Money and Mental Health Advisory Board. He has previously led two national charities and served as a government minister.
Watson, who guided GAMSTOP through its early operational years, leaves behind a robust legacy, having helped steer the platform beyond the half-million user mark by late 2024.
GAMSTOP record registrations hit new highs
From January to June 2025, nearly 54,000 people registered with GAMSTOP, up from 45,400 during the same period in 2024. In back-to-back months, GAMSTOP logged its highest-ever sign-up totals: 10,281 in April, followed by 10,344 in May. Since its launch in 2018, the service has now registered nearly 600,000 people.
For many, . The free service allows consumers to block themselves from UK-licensed online gambling for a fixed period, ranging from six months to five years.
Youth self-exclusion surges in 2025
One of the most striking trends in the latest GAMSTOP record registration statistics is the behaviour of younger users. Sign-ups among those aged 16C24 rose by 44 percent in the first six months of 2025 compared to 2024. This group now represents a substantial share of total new registrations.
Notably, nearly four in ten opted for the six-month exclusion period, a sign that self-exclusion may be shifting in purpose. Theyre not hitting the panic button. Theyre hitting pause. For a new wave of young users, self-exclusion feels less like a goodbye, more like a reset ritual.
Regional sign-ups show deeper story
For the first time, GAMSTOP has released regional breakdowns. Hull recorded the highest self-exclusion rate, at 1.5 percent of its adult population, followed closely by Teesside and Sunderland at 1.4 percent. Doncaster and Blackpool also made the top five.
Its no surprise that these are places where moneys tight, options are few, and betting shops fill the high street. That risk isnt random. As past studies into gambling vulnerability have shown, areas facing economic stress often report fewer support options and more visible access to high-stakes play.
A SiGMA News article on the GAMSTOP annual report for 2025 found that GAMSTOP is fast becoming the handrail before a fall. The latest data shows more users are reaching for it early.
Challenges ahead for GAMSTOP and the sector
This rise in GAMSTOP record registrations reflects a double-edged trend: a growing reach, but also a rising responsibility to keep pace with demand. The Gamstop Group now spans three primary services: the core GAMSTOP platform, (for betting shop self-exclusion), and (for secure data sharing among operators).
But challenges remain. Can the scheme adapt to the threat posed by crypto sportsbooks and unlicensed sites? Can it better integrate with fintech banking blocks or in-app safer gambling controls?
At current levels, GAMSTOP is on track to surpass 700,000 users by mid-2026. That trajectory will demand further investment in infrastructure, research, and interoperability.
Is 2025 the year the system started to speak?
The twin headlines, Chris Pond named GAMSTOP chair and registrations breaking records, mark more than just an administrative change. They reveal shifting public attitudes, rising digital awareness, and the growing normalisation of proactive self-exclusion.
As SiGMA News previously reported in our coverage of youth self-exclusion trends, the challenge now lies in ensuring that tools like GAMSTOP remain relevant, responsive, and trusted across every generation of gambler.
GAMSTOP records fell. But so did something quieter, not in the headlines, but in the lives behind them. The year ahead isnt offering solace. Its sounding a warning.
