If you have decided you want gambling sites out of your life, the good news is that the technology is firmly on your side. You do not need to rely on willpower alone. A handful of settings — most of them free — can stop online casinos and betting apps from loading at all, which means the decision is made once, calmly, instead of every time temptation appears.
This page covers how to block gambling sites and apps across every layer that matters: your browser, your phone, your home network, and your money. None of these is perfect on its own. Combined, they make gambling genuinely hard to reach — and that is the point. Pick the levels that fit your situation and stack them.
The fastest way: a free browser blocker
For most people, the quickest and most effective first step is a browser extension that recognises gambling sites and stops them before the page loads. Our free extension does exactly that. You add it in one click, with no account and no sign-up, and from that moment online casinos, sportsbooks and betting sites simply do not open.
Instead of a flashing invitation to play, you see a calm block page and a link to support. The blocklist runs on your own device, so nothing about your browsing leaves your computer. It works across Chrome, Edge, Brave and Firefox.
Because it blocks before the page loads, you never see the casino's landing page in the first place — which removes the visual triggers that make a "quick look" turn into a session.
A browser blocker is the easiest layer to add and the one you will notice working every day. But it only protects the browser it is installed in, so it is best treated as the foundation you build the other layers on top of. If you are comparing options, our guide to the best gambling blockers looks honestly at the main tools and where each one fits.
Block at the browser level
Beyond a dedicated extension, your browser itself gives you a few ways to keep gambling sites out.
- Use a gambling blocker extension as your default protection — it is purpose-built to recognise gambling sites by their tell-tale patterns, even new ones that appear and disappear constantly.
- Block specific sites manually. Most browsers, or free site-blocking extensions, let you add individual addresses to a block list. This is useful for the one or two sites you visit most, though keeping up with new ones by hand is impractical.
- Sign in and sync settings so your protections carry across devices where the same browser is signed in.
If you mainly use Chrome, we have a step-by-step guide to blocking gambling sites in Chrome. A common question is whether Chrome blocks gambling sites by default — it does not, which is exactly why an extension or one of the other layers below is needed.
Block gambling on your phone
For a lot of people, the phone is where gambling actually happens — it is always in reach, and betting apps are designed to be opened in seconds. Blocking on your phone is therefore one of the most important layers, and it works a little differently on each platform.
Both iPhone and Android have built-in controls that can hide or block gambling apps and restrict gambling websites in the browser, often without any extra software. Because the exact steps differ, we have written separate, detailed walkthroughs:
- How to block gambling sites and apps on iPhone — using Screen Time and content restrictions.
- How to block gambling sites and apps on Android — using built-in controls and Digital Wellbeing.
On a phone, ask someone you trust to set the restriction passcode and keep it to themselves. That single step turns a setting you could quietly reverse into one you cannot — see making it hard to undo below.
Block at the network or DNS level
Everything connected to your home internet — phones, laptops, tablets, even a games console — passes through your router. Blocking gambling at the network level can therefore cover every device at once, without installing anything on each one.
There are two common approaches:
- Router controls. Many home routers include parental or content filters in their settings, and some let you block whole categories such as gambling. The exact options depend on your router's make and model.
- Family-friendly DNS services. Some DNS providers offer filtered settings that block gambling and adult categories. You change one setting on your router or device, and requests to gambling sites are turned away before they connect.
Network-level blocking is powerful because it is broad and hard to bypass casually. Its limit is that it only protects you while you are on that network — a phone on mobile data is unaffected — which is why it pairs well with the phone and browser layers above.
Block gambling at the bank
One layer many people overlook is the money itself. A growing number of banks and card providers now offer a built-in "gambling block" — a toggle in your banking app that declines transactions to gambling merchants. Some also add a short cooling-off delay before the block can be switched off again.
This is worth checking even if you have blocked sites everywhere else, because it stops the transaction at the final step regardless of which device or site is used. Look in your banking app's card controls or spending settings, or ask your bank directly whether a gambling block is available on your account. Availability and the exact features vary between banks and countries.
A bank gambling block is one of the strongest layers because it works no matter which site or app is used. If your bank offers one, turning it on is one of the highest-impact steps you can take.
Make it hard to undo
Any block is only as strong as how easy it is to switch off in a difficult moment. The goal is not to trap yourself, but to add enough friction that an impulse passes before you can act on it.
- Use a cool-down or waiting period. Tools that delay any change for a set time give the urge time to fade. Our extension makes switching protection off a deliberate, delayed step rather than a single click.
- Hand control to someone you trust. Ask a partner, friend or family member to set a passcode you do not know. They become the small extra step between you and a relapse.
- Layer your blocks. When gambling is blocked in the browser, on the phone, on the network and at the bank, no single change opens the door again.
For a more formal and lasting option, look into self-exclusion schemes, which let you bar yourself from licensed operators for a fixed period that you cannot simply cancel on a whim.
What to do if you slip
If you do gamble after setting all this up, it does not mean the blocks failed or that you have. Slips are a normal part of changing a deeply ingrained habit, and treating them as useful information rather than proof of defeat is one of the most important things you can do.
Notice where the gap was — a device that was not covered, a network without filtering, a block that was easy to switch off — and close it. Then be kind to yourself and keep going. If gambling feels like more than a habit you can manage alone, our guide on how to stop gambling covers practical steps and where to find real support. Reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness, and many people find it is the turning point.
Frequently asked questions
How do I block all gambling sites online?
No single setting blocks every gambling site, because new ones appear constantly. The most reliable approach is to block at several levels at once: a browser extension that recognises gambling domains, controls on your phone, filtering on your home network, and a gambling block at your bank. Stacked together, these come very close to blocking all gambling sites online while covering the gaps any one method would leave.
Can I block gambling sites for free?
Yes. Our browser extension is completely free, with no account and no paywall. Phone restrictions on iPhone and Android are built in at no cost, many routers include free content filters, and bank gambling blocks are free to turn on where they are offered. You can build strong, layered protection without paying anything.
How do I block gambling sites permanently?
No software block is truly permanent, since settings can always be changed by someone with access — but you can make blocks very hard to undo. Use a cool-down timer, have someone you trust hold a passcode, and combine several layers so reversing one does not open everything. For a longer, fixed commitment, a self-exclusion scheme bars you from licensed operators for a set period you cannot simply cancel.
Can I block myself from gambling sites?
Yes, and choosing to do so is a healthy, common step. Install a gambling blocker in your browser, turn on restrictions on your phone, and consider a bank gambling block. To stop yourself reversing it in a weak moment, add a cool-down period or ask someone you trust to hold the off switch. Formal self-exclusion is another way to block yourself from licensed gambling sites.
Does Chrome block gambling sites?
Chrome does not block gambling sites on its own. It will not stop a casino or betting site from loading unless you add a blocker or set up filtering yourself. A free gambling-blocker extension is the simplest way to add this protection in Chrome — see our Chrome guide for the steps.