Betting apps are built to be opened on impulse: a notification during a match, a boost that expires in ten minutes, a deposit that takes two taps. Deleting the app doesn't last, because it's back from the App Store in under a minute the next time you want to place a bet.
Screen Time can block gambling apps and the betting sites you use without installing anything. The rest of your phone works as normal. This guide sets it up and then locks the settings with a passcode you don't know, so the block holds when the urge to bet comes back.
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 4. The settings below only stay locked once a passcode exists.
Step 2: Block gambling apps with the age rating
Real-money gambling apps carry the App Store's highest age rating. Setting the limit to 16+ stops any that are installed from opening and stops new ones being downloaded, while leaving almost every other app alone.
- Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn it on.
- Open App Store, Media, Web & Games > Apps.
- Choose 16+.
This covers sportsbooks, online casinos and poker apps in one setting, including ones you haven't heard of yet.
Step 3: Block the betting sites you use
Once the apps are gone, the websites are the next place you'll go. Apple's Limit Adult Websites filter is aimed at sexual content and lets many betting sites through, so add them by hand. The block applies in every browser on the phone, including Chrome.
Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Store, Media, Web & Games > Web Content, choose Limit Adult Websites, and under Never Allow add every site you've used. For example:
- US:
draftkings.com,fanduel.com,betmgm.com,caesars.com,fanatics.com,prizepicks.com - UK:
bet365.com,skybet.com,paddypower.com,betfair.com,williamhill.com,ladbrokes.com,coral.co.uk
Step 4: Replace the passcode with one you don't know
You know 1234, so right now you can undo all of this in a few seconds, and a losing streak is exactly when you'll want to. 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. Most bets are placed on impulse, and the match or the boost is usually over 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.
If you still find a way around it
This setup has two gaps. If you find yourself using either, close it:
- Lower-rated gambling apps. Sweepstakes casinos and some fantasy sports apps have a lower age rating, so 16+ doesn't block them. Under Content & Privacy Restrictions > App Installations & Purchases, set Installing Apps to Don't Allow so no new app can be downloaded. Install anything you're likely to need first. There's a full guide to blocking app installs here.
- New betting sites. The Never Allow list only covers sites you've added, and there are thousands of offshore and crypto casinos. If you've been searching for new ones, switch Safari to only open websites you choose. Here's how to block every gambling site.
Block gambling outside your phone too
A phone block only covers one device. You can still bet on a laptop, a tablet, or in person. These cover your accounts and money directly, and they're free:
- Self-exclusion. In the UK, GAMSTOP excludes you from every licensed online gambling site at once. In the US, most states with legal sports betting run their own self-exclusion list.
- A gambling block on your bank card. Many UK banks, including Monzo, Starling, Barclays, Lloyds and HSBC, let you block gambling payments in their app. Some lock the block in place for 48 hours or more after you try to turn it off. Check whether your bank or card issuer offers one.
- Your other devices. 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
Blocking tools add friction, and friction helps, but they work best alongside support. 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 gambling apps on iPhone without installing anything?
Yes. Real-money gambling apps carry the App Store's highest age rating, so setting the Apps age limit in Screen Time to 16+ blocks them from opening and stops them being downloaded. Add betting sites to the Never Allow list to block the websites as well.
Does Limit Adult Websites block gambling sites?
Not reliably. Apple's adult content filter is aimed at sexual content and lets many betting sites through. Add the sites you use to the Never Allow list.
How do I stop myself turning the gambling block off?
Protect Screen Time with a passcode you don't know. Use WaitToUnlock or have someone you trust set it, and remove your own Apple Account from passcode recovery.
Should I also self-exclude?
Yes. A phone block only covers one device. Self-exclusion schemes like GAMSTOP in the UK, or your state's program in the US, and a gambling block on your bank card cover your accounts and payments too.