Block betting apps and sites. Only someone you trust can unblock them.
For anyone fighting a gambling addiction. Lifting the block takes your accountability partner's agreement and a waiting period. If you try to remove Compos, they'll know.
Gambling protection in Compos is free, and always will be.
Need to talk to someone today? Find a helpline near you.
This app is blocked.
You can talk to someone now. Call Sam or find gambling support.
You know you're gambling more than you can afford. Knowing hasn't helped you stop.
For most people it happens on their phone. Payday comes, and within a day the money is gone. You delete the apps, then download them again. You install a blocker, and on a bad evening you remove it.
Self-exclusion helps, but there's always another site.
And the one person who can switch off every blocker is you, at the exact moment you want to bet.
How Compos works for gambling
Block betting apps and sites.
Compos blocks the biggest betting apps and their websites, plus any others you add. It can also stop new apps being installed.
Choose an accountability partner.
Someone you trust, like a friend, a family member or a sponsor. They can accept without downloading anything.
Lifting the block takes time and their agreement.
There's no "just this once" button. To lift the block, your accountability partner has to agree, and then there's a waiting period of at least 24 hours. That gives an urge time to pass.
If you try to remove Compos, your accountability partner gets a message.
When the urge hits
When you open a blocked app, you won't see a button asking for more time. You'll see two options: call your accountability partner, or talk to a free gambling support line.
Your phone is only part of it
Compos covers your phone. People who stop for good usually put blocks on the money as well. Ask your bank to switch on its gambling block, if it has one. Sign up to self-exclusion schemes, like GAMSTOP in the UK. And think about letting someone you trust see your accounts. When Compos launches, it will show you how to set each of these up.
Handing over some control can feel like a relief. You don't have to win the argument with yourself every night.
What your accountability partner sees
They see:
- Your requests to lift the block
- An alert if Compos is removed or switched off
They never see:
- How much you've gambled, or any bank details
- Your messages or where you are
- The word "gambling" on their lock screen
Notifications on your phone and theirs are worded neutrally, so nobody glancing at a screen can tell what they're about.
Not ready to tell anyone?
You can start on your own. The block works the same way, but lifting it takes a 72-hour wait instead of a partner's agreement. You can add an accountability partner whenever you're ready.
What Compos can't do
Compos can't stop you gambling on another device, in a shop, or on a site it doesn't block yet. At launch it blocks the biggest betting apps and their websites, and a much larger list of betting sites follows soon after.
What it can do is make your phone a much harder place to gamble, and make sure someone you trust knows if you try to switch it off. It works best alongside support, not in place of it.
Questions
Will anyone know I'm using Compos?
Only the people you choose. Notifications never mention gambling, on your phone or theirs.
Can I remove it?
You can delete the app, but your accountability partner gets a message. On iPhone, you can give them your Screen Time passcode too, and then you can't remove Compos without them.
Does it block every betting site?
Not at launch. It blocks the biggest betting apps and their websites, plus any you add. A much larger list of betting sites is coming soon after.
Is this a replacement for treatment?
No. If gambling is causing you serious harm, please talk to a support service as well. They're free and confidential.
How much does it cost?
Gambling protection is free, and always will be.
iPhone or Android?
Both. Your accountability partner can have either kind of phone, or answer from a link without the app.
When can I use it?
We're building it now. Join the waitlist and we'll email you when it's ready for your phone.
Get Compos when it's ready.
Join the waitlist. We'll email you when it's ready on your phone, and that's it.