What Is GamProtect? A Safer Gambling Scheme Explained

GamProtect is a voluntary data-sharing scheme that UK online gambling operators (like Jackpotjoy) can join. If a participating operator identifies an at-risk customer during a safer gambling conversation, the operator adds them to the GamProtect register.  

Other participating sites can then close any accounts held by the same customer. Individual players cannot sign up to GamProtect directly.  

Jackpotjoy is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission and takes part in the GamProtect scheme, making GamProtect one of several safer gambling tools available at Jackpotjoy. 

Who Is GamProtect For 

GamProtect aims to protect players who meet one or more of the following safer gambling criteria: 

• Having a gambling addiction 

• Seeking external support or treatment for a gambling problem 

• Being at risk of harm to themselves or others 

• Having a health condition that means they should not gamble 

• Wanting to stop gambling because of gambling problems 

If any of these safer gambling reasons apply to you, GamProtect can remove access across every participating site at once, rather than only the site you have contacted directly. 

How GamProtect Works at Jackpotjoy  

Jackpotjoy is operated by Gamesys Operations Limited, which participates in the GamProtect scheme.  

Our Customer Support team is the point of contact for safer gambling conversations, which take place at the customer's request or when signs of possible harm are noticed on the account.  

Where a customer meets one of the above five safer gambling criteria during a conversation, Jackpotjoy closes the customer's account, informs the customer that they will be added to GamProtect, and shares a set of registration details with GamProtect. 

What Information Does Jackpotjoy Share with GamProtect 

The details Jackpotjoy shares with GamProtect are as shown below: 

• Name 

• Date of birth 

• Postcode 

• Email address 

• Telephone number 

• Safer gambling reason 

No financial or gameplay data is shared through GamProtect. Other participating operators can check the GamProtect register either through a real-time ping at sign-up, login, or account update, or through a daily batch scan of the operator's full customer database.

When a match is found on the GamProtect register, the identifying operator closes the affected account. 

How Long GamProtect Lasts 

The initial active period on the GamProtect register lasts five years. During the five years, all participating sites remain closed, and the player cannot remove themselves from the GamProtect register. 

After the initial five-year GamProtect period, players can contact the operator that added them to GamProtect to request removal. If no removal is requested, the player remains on the GamProtect register for a further 35 years. 

Who is GamProtect run by? 

GamProtect is run by Tutelar Limited on behalf of the UK online gambling industry.  

The scheme was developed in response to the Gambling Commission's Single Customer View challenge and launched as a pilot in 2023. More participating operators have since joined the GamProtect scheme, and the number continues to grow

Both the UK Gambling Commission and the Information Commissioner's Office support GamProtect, and GamProtect works alongside existing tools like GAMSTOP.  

How GamProtect Differs From GAMSTOP 

GAMSTOP and GamProtect both support players who want to step back from gambling, but the two schemes differ in three key ways.  

GAMSTOP is a national self-exclusion register that any player can sign up to directly, whereas participating operators add customers to GamProtect.

Once a player has registered, GAMSTOP blocks access to every UKGC-licensed online gambling site, while GamProtect covers only sites that have joined the scheme. GAMSTOP runs for a period the player chooses, whereas GamProtect runs for an initial five-year active period. 

GamProtect and GAMSTOP tools work alongside each other, and Jackpotjoy takes part in both. 

Support Beyond GamProtect 

GamProtect is one part of the wider support available at Jackpotjoy. Our account tools include spend limits, session reminders, cool-off periods, and self-exclusion.

Free and confidential support is also available from independent organisations such as GamCare, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, and BeGambleAware. 

If you have any questions about GamProtect or would like guidance on setting up other safer gambling tools, our UK-based Customer Support team is available around the clock. 

Choosing to step away from gambling is a big decision, and the right support in place makes it easier to stick to. GamProtect exists so that the decision holds across every participating site, not only the site the player first contacted.