Blocking the betting sites you know about works until you go looking for new ones. There are thousands of offshore and crypto casinos, new domains appear every week, and many sites run several mirror addresses so they can't be blocked easily. A block list can't keep up.
This guide sets your iPhone to only open websites you've approved, so every gambling site is blocked, including ones that don't exist yet. It's the strictest web setting on iPhone. If you haven't tried a lighter setup yet, start with blocking the apps and the sites you use. This guide is for people who have tried that and kept finding new sites, or who are betting on offshore or crypto casinos.
What changes when you only allow websites you choose
Safari, and every other browser on your phone, will only open sites on your list. Anything else shows a blocked page. Apps aren't affected, so WhatsApp, your banking app, Spotify and the rest keep working as normal. Most people use far fewer websites than they expect, because most things they do on their phone happen in apps.
Step 1: Set a temporary Screen Time passcode
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Lock Screen Time Settings and set a simple passcode like 1234. You'll replace it in Step 5.
Step 2: Block gambling apps
A website block does nothing about apps, so block those first. Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Apps and choose 16+. Real-money gambling apps carry the highest age rating, so they won't open.
Then, under Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Installations & Purchases, set Installing Apps to Don't Allow. This stops you downloading sweepstakes casinos and other gambling apps with a lower rating. More on blocking app installs here.
Step 3: Switch to Allowed Websites
Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Web Content and choose Allowed Websites. iOS fills the list with a few sites aimed at children. Swipe left to delete any you don't want.
Step 4: Add the sites you need
Tap Add Website for each site you use. Do this carefully now, because once you lock the passcode in Step 5, adding a site means waiting. Look through your Safari history for ideas. Most people need something like:
- A search engine, such as
google.com - Email, such as
mail.google.comoroutlook.com - Your bank, if you use its website as well as its app
- The news, shopping and work sites you visit most
A search engine on the list still lets you search for anything, but clicking a result that isn't on your list shows the blocked page.
Step 5: Replace the passcode with one you don't know
You know 1234, so right now you can switch back to unrestricted browsing in a few seconds. Replace it with a passcode you don't know. WaitToUnlock generates a random passcode, walks you through entering it under Change Screen Time Passcode without learning it, and only reveals it after a 6-hour wait. When you find a site you genuinely need, request the passcode and add it later that day. When you want to place a bet, the urge has usually passed long before the 6 hours are up. Having someone you trust set the passcode works too.
Then close the recovery loophole: iOS lets you reset a Screen Time passcode with your own Apple Account unless you set things up carefully. Here's how to disable that.
Block gambling outside your phone too
This setup only covers your iPhone. Self-exclusion covers your accounts: in the UK, GAMSTOP excludes you from every licensed online gambling site at once, and in the US most states with legal betting run their own self-exclusion list. Offshore and crypto casinos usually ignore self-exclusion, so a gambling block on your bank card matters more here. Many UK banks offer one in their app. If you have an iPad, turn on Share Across Devices in Screen Time so the same restrictions apply there.
If gambling is causing you harm
In the UK, the National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare. In the US, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER. Both are confidential and open 24 hours a day.
Common questions
Can you block all gambling sites on iPhone?
Yes, by switching Screen Time's Web Content setting to Allowed Websites. Safari and other browsers will then only open sites on your list, so every gambling site is blocked, including new ones and offshore casinos.
Will my apps still work?
Yes. Allowed Websites only affects web pages. Apps like WhatsApp, your banking app and Spotify keep working as normal. Gambling apps are handled separately with the App Store age rating.
What if I need a website that isn't on my list?
Tap Allow Website on the blocked page and enter the Screen Time passcode, or add it under Allowed Websites in Settings. If you use a passcode you don't know, add the sites you need before you lock it.
Is there a less strict option?
Yes. Blocking the gambling apps and the betting sites you already use is enough for many people. That setup leaves the rest of the web open.