Self-exclusion, device blocking, and where each fits.

There are several honest ways to put distance between yourself and gambling, and they act in different places — at the operator, at your bank, through accountability services, on the network, and on your device. Here is how they differ, and how GuardianBlock fits alongside them.

Last reviewed 2026.06.28 · Early access

Each approach works somewhere different.

None of these is the whole answer on its own. Knowing where each one acts makes it easier to choose a combination that matches how you actually slip.

  1. Operator side

    Operator and registry self-exclusion

    You ask gambling operators, or a national or regional register, to refuse your business. It works at the operator's end and doesn't run on your device, so it leans on each operator honouring the list.

  2. Your bank

    Bank and card gambling blocks

    Many banks and card apps let you switch off gambling transactions on your account. This acts on the payment rather than the browser — a funding-side brake whose availability depends on your bank and card.

  3. Accountability layer

    Accountability blockers

    Some blockers add a trusted person, PIN holder, or accountability contact around access changes. That can make an impulsive change harder to do quietly, but each product's evidence, supported platforms, and deactivation model need to be checked on their own terms.

  4. Network level

    Network, DNS, and VPN blockers

    Some tools block at the network layer by changing DNS, VPN, proxy, firewall, or other network paths. GuardianBlock deliberately does not use that route: its design target is the claims-safe posture that it is designed not to alter DNS, hosts, VPN, firewall, proxy, routes, adapters, SMB mappings, mapped drives, WSL mounts, or work-network configuration.

  5. Your device

    Device blocking with an accountability partner

    GuardianBlock runs on your own Windows device and adds a person to the picture. A keyholder you choose authorizes sensitive changes, and they see whether protection is healthy and the exceptions you explicitly request — never your browsing history. It is durable friction and accountability you set up while you are thinking clearly.

Most people layer more than one.

Because these approaches act in different places — the operator, the bank, the accountability layer, the network, and the device — they tend to work best together rather than as either/or choices. Pick the combination that fits how you actually slip, and revisit it as your situation changes.

GuardianBlock is honest about its own limit: it is durable friction plus an accountability partner you trust, not a guarantee. A local administrator can ultimately remove or bypass installed software, which is why the accountability relationship matters as much as the blocking does. Brand-by-brand comparisons require dated source captures, GuardianBlock evidence, and legal/product review; this page compares approaches, not competitors.

What your accountability partner can and can't seeCommon questions about GuardianBlockLimitationsNo DNS, VPN, or firewall blocking

If gambling is affecting your life, support is available.

GuardianBlock is a voluntary self-restriction and accountability tool, not a substitute for professional support. These free and confidential resources can help, wherever you are.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services.

Add a device-level layer with a partner you trust.

GuardianBlock sits alongside self-exclusion and bank blocks — voluntary friction on your own Windows device, with an accountability partner who holds the key.

Common questionsStart GuardianBlock