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Request date: 11 April 2026
This version was printed or saved on: 25 April 2026
Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/about-us/freedomofinformation/self-exclusion
On 29 September 2025, I submitted a Freedom of Information request regarding the total number of individuals self-excluded from land-based gambling in the UK.
As it is now April 2026, I would like to request an updated set of these figures.
My understanding is that April is typically the most appropriate time of year to request this data. We made a similar request in April 2024 and received a response in May 2024. Our 2025 request was submitted later than intended, but going forward we plan to make this request annually in April.
One issue identified in the previous data was the potential for duplicate counting for example, where individuals self-excluded across multiple schemes (such as BACTA, GAMSTOP, and SENSE), potentially being counted more than once.
If possible, I would be grateful if the updated figures could account for this, or include any clarification on the extent of duplication within the data. Any efforts to improve transparency or accuracy in this regard would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
In your email you have referred to a previous FOIA request regarding the total number of individuals self-excluded from land-based gambling in the UK, and have requested updated figures.
In accordance with the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, operators must participate in a self-exclusion scheme that provides performance data to the Commission. This data is provided by self-exclusion scheme providers on a voluntary basis.
There are two ways people can self-exclude:
Firstly, the Gambling Commission can confirm that no information is currently held by the Commission concerning individual operator self-exclusion scheme data from operators for FY25. This is due to gambling operators having 28 days to report their regulatory data to us after the end of the financial quarter. Your request has fallen within the operator submission window which is why we do not currently have the data you have requested.
In relation to data collected from the multi-operator self-exclusion schemes, this is a voluntary agreement between the Commission and the schemes.
Please see the following information held by the Commission falling within the scope of your request as of the date of your request (11/04/2026):
Q1 - Total number of new self-exclusions added to the scheme during the reporting period - Casinos - 6,895
Q2 - Total number of individuals who have added a self-exclusion during the reporting period - Casinos - 6,895
Q6 - Total number of active self-excluded customers - Casinos - 12,445.
If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email.
Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.
If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission.
It should be noted that if you wish to raise a complaint with the ICO about the Commission’s handling of your request for information, then you are required to do so within six weeks of receiving your final response or last substantive contact with us.
The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.
Information Management Team
Gambling Commission