BetBlocker has confirmed that more than a quarter of a million people are actively using its gambling-blocking software in 2025, marking the charity's strongest year since launch.
The organisation, which provides free and anonymous tools to help users restrict access to online gambling services, said engagement has risen sharply across global markets.
The charity noted that it measures "active users" as individuals with a live BetBlocker restriction in place during 2025, a definition it distinguishes from download statistics.
Founder and Managing Trustee Duncan Garvie said recent investment in data accuracy has strengthened reporting and improved transparency around the project's impact.
In comments accompanying the announcement, Garvie highlighted the scale of demand for accessible gambling harm prevention tools.
He said the sharp rise in usage had exceeded expectations at the start of the year, pointing to the consistency of uptake across regions as evidence of a broad global need for digital self-exclusion support.
The growth aligns with recent research showing increased gambling-related harm among younger audiences. A GambleAware study published in the UK in October found that problem gambling rates among 18-24-year-olds were significantly higher in deprived areas, with an estimated 11% affected in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods compared with 4% in the least deprived.
The report also identified notable disparities across ethnic groups and highlighted links between at-risk gambling, financial stress and reduced well-being.
The charity's announcement reinforces the accelerating demand for low-barrier support options, particularly those available without cost or disclosure, as concerns continue to grow about online gambling exposure across younger and high-risk demographics.
More than one third of betting shops in Britain are located within the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods, according to GambleAware's analysis
