GamCare, Gamban and Gamstop partner for TalkBanStop RG initiative

The initiative gives consumers access to a trio of services via the organisations, including GamCare’s 24/7 support hotline available over the phone and online.

It also provides access to Gamban’s gambling blocking software for free, to anyone calling the National Gambling Helpline, or who uses GamCare’s support and treatment services.

Gamstop’s self-exclusion tool, meanwhile, offers consumers the option to block access to gambling accounts and ensure consumers do not continue to receive direct marketing from gambling companies.

GamCare said the combination of tools and support, which is backed by the National Gambling Treatment service, is vital to adding additional layers of protection for anyone struggling to control their gambling.

In addition to these core services, TalkBanStop offers consumers access to additional support and content, including a podcast featuring former Premier League footballer Michael Chopra and podcaster Chris Gilham, discussing their own personal experience of gambling-related harms and the importance of getting the right support.

The initiative’s website also explains how to block gambling transactions through a consumer’s bank or building society account.

The partnership follows on from GamCare’s existing partnership with Gamban, formed in December 2020, which saw the charity offer access to Gamban’s self-exclusion tool free of charge to all UK residents.

Banks including Lloyds Banking Group, the owner of British high street banks Halifax, Lloyds and Bank of Scotland, as well as HSBC, now offer their customers the option to block transactions to gambling operators.