What Is BetBlocker And Why Should You Use It?
In June 2024, Stake announced a deal with BetBlocker, taking a step closer to being as responsible as possible. BetBlocker is a non-profit organisation focused on providing an easy-to-use tool that allows bettors to cut themselves off from gambling sites if they find themselves struggling. It’s what’s known as a ‘self-exclusion’ tool, and it’s often one of the first steps a person will take when they find themselves becoming addicted to gambling – or if they enter a nasty losing streak.
With Stake being one of the most prolific betting platforms in the world, this new deal with BetBlocker has thrust the self-help platform into the public eye more than ever. Stake has wrestled with issues in the past, but this latest move to be more responsible and considerate to troubled bettors is a positive one. So, let’s take a closer look at BetBlocker and draw out the benefits of using such a platform or tool to restrict your gambling when you need to.
Why Should You Use BetBlocker?
BetBlocker is a free-to-use application that has no registration process, and it’s funded entirely via charitable donations. It’s as clean an application as you could hope for, and at the topmost level, it effectively blocks and restricts access to more than 1,500 betting apps and clients. This anonymous, background-running application can work on almost any device, and outside of installable applications, it will help you by blocking your access to almost 85,000 gambling sites.
There are many reasons why you would use BetBlocker. It can be used to manage your betting activities just as much as it can to block you from gambling entirely. That’s a theme that was touched on by Stake in a recent press release celebrating the new partnership:
‘At Stake, we pride ourselves on delivering an entertaining and customer-centric experience while acknowledging the importance of responsible gambling. Strengthening our relationship with BetBlocker plays an integral role in ensuring their product serves to benefit our customers.’
BetBlocker allows users to set themselves blackout periods using an intuitive calendar system, and it has a parental control system that covers both gambling sites (esports betting sites and traditional sports platforms included) and other adult-based platforms.
But How Does BetBlocker Work?
Once you’ve used BetBlocker to set a ‘Gambling Self-Restriction’, you cannot switch it off:
‘Once a Gambling Self-Restriction has been activated it cannot be lifted. We take go to great lengths to ensure that BetBlocker is as difficult to remove as possible during a Gambling Self-Restriction and our User Support Team will not assist you in removing the tool while there is an ongoing restriction.’
For the more severe cases of addiction, this is a supplementary measure – an added controllable to help wean you off the addiction. For those looking to simply manage their gambling a little better, BetBlocker works just as well. It’s available on everything from Windows to Mac and from iOS to Android, and as mentioned, it’s free to use. If you need help managing your gambling, it’s the perfect application.