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I have spent a significant portion of my career reviewing safer gambling tools, and one statistic keeps grounding the work: only 61 percent of people referred for gambling harm treatment between 2021 and 2025 completed their treatment programme, down from 68 percent in the previous five-year period. Self-exclusion is not a cure, but it is one of the most immediate tools available to anyone who recognises they need a break. Tombola offers several tiers of self-exclusion, from short cooling-off periods to permanent account closure, and integrates with the national GamStop scheme.
This article walks through each option, the process for activating them, and what happens to your account and balance during exclusion.
Cooling-Off Periods, Time-Outs and Full Self-Exclusion
The first time I reviewed Tombola’s self-exclusion options, I was surprised by the granularity. Many operators offer a binary choice: you are either playing or you are locked out. Tombola provides a spectrum.
At the lightest end, cooling-off periods allow you to pause your account for a short duration — typically 24 hours, 48 hours, or seven days. During a cooling-off period, you cannot log in, deposit, or play. The account remains active in the background, and it automatically reopens when the period expires. This is designed for players who recognise in the moment that they need a break but do not want a long-term restriction.
Time-outs extend the principle over longer periods. Tombola allows time-outs of 30 days, 60 days, or six months. These function identically to cooling-off periods but with a longer lockout window. A time-out cannot be reversed early — once you set a 30-day time-out, the account remains inaccessible for the full duration. This irreversibility is deliberate: it prevents the impulse decision to reopen an account during a moment of weakness.
Full self-exclusion is the most comprehensive option available directly through Tombola. A self-exclusion period of at least six months locks the account entirely. During this time, Tombola must take reasonable steps to prevent the player from opening a new account. The operator is also required to remove the player from all marketing communications. At the end of the exclusion period, the account does not reopen automatically — the player must take active steps to request reactivation, which includes a 24-hour cooling-off period before access is restored.
Permanent account closure is exactly what it sounds like. The account is closed, any remaining balance is returned, and the closure is irreversible. This option is for players who have decided they do not want to return to the platform at all.
GamStop Integration: National Self-Exclusion Across All UK Operators
Tombola’s own exclusion options cover only the Tombola platform. For players who want to block themselves from all UK-licensed gambling sites simultaneously, GamStop provides a national self-exclusion scheme that Tombola fully integrates with.
GamStop is a free service that allows individuals to self-exclude from all UKGC-licensed online gambling operators for a minimum of six months, with options extending to one year or five years. The statutory gambling levy introduced in 2025 — designed to raise £100 million annually for research, prevention, and treatment of gambling harm — funds part of the support infrastructure that sits behind schemes like GamStop.
When you register with GamStop, every licensed operator in the UK is required to check registrations against the GamStop database and block any matching accounts. Tombola runs these checks automatically. If you have registered with GamStop, you will be unable to log in, create a new account, or receive promotional materials from Tombola for the duration of your exclusion.
One critical point: GamStop covers UKGC-licensed operators only. It does not extend to overseas-licensed or unlicensed gambling sites. Players who self-exclude through GamStop and then seek out unregulated platforms lose the consumer protections that come with UK licensing. This is a real risk, and it is one reason why the regulatory debate around self-exclusion continues to evolve. Forty-five percent of callers to GamCare’s helpline in 2023-24 mentioned problems specifically with online slots, a figure that had risen from 34 percent just three years earlier — an indication that the need for effective exclusion mechanisms is growing, not shrinking.
Step-by-Step: How to Self-Exclude from Tombola
The process is designed to be accessible but deliberate. You should not be able to self-exclude by accident, but you also should not have to navigate a labyrinth to find the option.
Log into your Tombola account and navigate to the responsible gambling section, accessible through the account settings menu. Select the type of break you want: cooling-off, time-out, self-exclusion, or permanent closure. Confirm your choice. For cooling-off periods and time-outs, the change takes effect immediately. For self-exclusion, Tombola may ask you to confirm via email before the exclusion activates.
If you prefer not to manage this through the website or app, you can contact Tombola’s customer support team by live chat, email, or telephone to request self-exclusion. Support staff are trained to process these requests without attempting to dissuade the player — a requirement of both UKGC licence conditions and GamCare Level 3 accreditation.
For GamStop registration, visit the GamStop website directly. Tombola’s support team cannot register you with GamStop on your behalf — the registration must come from the individual. Once registered, the exclusion applies across all participating operators within 24 hours.
Any remaining balance at the time of self-exclusion is returned to the player’s nominated payment method. Tombola is not permitted to hold funds as an incentive to return.
A Break That Actually Holds
Self-exclusion tools only work if they are genuinely enforced. Tombola’s integration with GamStop, its irreversible time-out structure, and the mandatory cooling-off period before any reactivation create layers of protection designed to prevent impulsive re-engagement. These are not marketing features — they are regulatory requirements backed by the UKGC’s compliance framework. If you or someone you know needs support with gambling, GamCare’s helpline and the National Gambling Support Network provide free, confidential assistance.
Can I reverse a self-exclusion at Tombola before the period ends?
No. Self-exclusion periods at Tombola cannot be shortened or reversed once activated. The minimum self-exclusion duration is six months, and the account remains locked for the full period. This is a deliberate design to prevent impulsive reversal.
What happens to funds in my Tombola account when I self-exclude?
Any remaining balance in your Tombola account is returned to your nominated payment method when self-exclusion is activated. Tombola is not permitted to retain player funds as a condition of exclusion or as an incentive to return.