This month, David Clifton’s “Licensing Expert” article for SBC News, “Time for remote operators to focus on Gamstop”,  provides an update on GamStop, the new national online multi-operator self-exclusion scheme in which all remote B2C gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission will soon have to participate.

David asked the Commission when exactly it will trigger the one month notification period for LCCP Social Responsibility code provision 3.5.5 to come into force, at the expiry of which all such operators must be registered and fully integrated with GamStop. The answer he received is as follows:

• “GamStop is the online industry’s solution to the Gambling Commission requirement that each sector developed a multi-operator self-exclusion scheme. The Commission’s code says that the relevant condition comes into force one month after the Commission confirm that a scheme is available”.
• “We will do so once we have assurance that a scheme is fully and successfully operational. GamStop have decided to offer the service in advance of the licence condition coming into force”. 
• “This has the advantage of making a multi-operator scheme for online available at the earliest opportunity. This first phase of the scheme will hopefully provide the Commission with evidence that a successful scheme is operational.”

You can read more about GamStop and further information imparted by the Commission at its ‘Raising Standards through Innovation and Collaboration’ Remote Sector meeting in Birmingham on 18 May (which David attended) by downloading his article below.

UPDATE: As reported by SBC News on 19 September 2018:

• former UK Electoral Commission leader Jenny Watson CBE has been appointed as the new Chair of GAMSTOP, stating that her “immediate priorities will be to recruit additional independent board members and to put in place an initial evaluation of the scheme following the first six months of operation, which will help GAMSTOP’s future development” and
• her appointment has been welcomed by Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, who has said: “We are thrilled that Jenny has agreed to Chair this important self-exclusion scheme as we approach our launch. Our priority is to provide a trusted environment for gamblers wishing to self-exclude and a fully independent chair with Jenny’s extensive experience will help us to achieve this”.

A formal announcement is awaited but it is currently expected that the official launch of GAMSTOP will take place in the New Year 2019, as mentioned in our 20 September posting entitled “Labour party plans radical overhaul of gambling regulation and advertising”.