How To Lock Yourself Out Of Every Sportsbook

Willpower is not a plan. The most reliable way to stop is to make betting harder than not betting. These steps take an evening and protect you for months.

1. Self-Exclude From Each Sportsbook

Most licensed sportsbooks let you close your account or exclude yourself for a set period, often from the account or responsible gambling settings. Do it for every account you have, including ones you rarely use.

2. Use A National Or Regional Scheme

• United Kingdom: GAMSTOP blocks you from every UK licensed online gambling site at once.
• Australia: BetStop is the national self-exclusion register for licensed online and phone betting.
• United States: programs are run state by state. Search for your state's gambling self-exclusion program, and exclude yourself from each sportsbook too.
• Kenya and elsewhere: ask each operator to self-exclude you, and check what your regulator offers.

3. Block It At The Bank

Many banks and card providers can block payments to gambling merchants. Look for a gambling block in your banking app, or call your bank and ask. Remove saved cards and mobile money details from every betting account.

4. Block It On Your Phone

Blocking apps and sites on the device you bet from closes the last door. Unbettable does this on iPhone with Screen Time and on Android with an on-device filter, and adds a 15-minute wait before blocking can be turned off.

5. Stop The Promos

Unsubscribe from every sportsbook email and text. Offers tend to arrive when you are most likely to slip.