Non GamStop Casinos – Learn About Restriction-Free Online Gambling

In 2018, UK market research firm Juniper Research projected that online gambling wagers would reach $1 trillion worldwide in 2022. It noted the following reasons for this occurrence, a surge in international non GamStop casinos, positive gaming regulation changes, increased uptake in digital products, and ever-growing internet penetration. Per a report from Pune-based Fortune Business Insights, revenue-wise, the global gaming market should rake in $158 billion, per year, by 2028. 

These figures, coupled with the increasing numbers of Brits participating in gambling fun on the World Wide Web, have ignited a public concern over betting addiction rates sky-rocketing in the UK. Conversely, the UK Gambling Commission has acted upon these worries by passing new measures that restrict the online gambling experience. These are methods of curbing a potential rise in the number of problem gamblers in Britain. Hence, from 2020 on, the UKGC has implemented many of these features at online casinos and sportsbooks that have caused British gamblers to seek out casinos not on GamStop, or foreign gambling sites. Below is a breakdown of how precisely this happened and who licenses these platforms, including their benefits.  

How the UKGC Teamed With GamStop

What is GamStop? It is a self-exclusion database that lists every player that has activated a self-exclusion ban at a UKGC-licensed online casino or sportsbook. It is impossible for a gambler to register or keep playing at any UK gambling platform while such a ban is active. The UKGC defines self-exclusion as a facility for people who want to stop gambling for a specific period. The GamStop system offers three such timeframes six months, a year, and five years. Once a gambler chooses one of these three options, his ban becomes active within 24-hours, and it is irreversible.

News of GamStop launching broke five years ago, with a planned date penciled in for some time in 2017. Yet, this nationwide self-exclusion scheme got officially established in 2018, and it became mandatory for all UK-based gambling sites in early-2020. Every operator that has attained approval from the UKGC to offer gaming/betting services to UK residents must participate in this system, offering it to its user pool.

What Are Non GamStop Casinos Exactly?

A non GamStop casino is a gambling site whose operator and servers are not UK-based, meaning it gets run from a foreign country, obeying foreign laws, under the supervision of a foreign operator. In virtually all cases, a casino not using GamStop will get operated from one of the following regions: Malta, Panama, Costa Rica, Curacao, the Canadian Native American territory of Khawanke, or the States of Alderney. Most of these regions/countries legalized online gambling in the 1990s to draw investors to start businesses that would boost local employment. Hence, their regulatory bodies have been active in the gaming sphere for longer than the UKGC. For example, eGaming Curacao has been functioning as an internet gambling licensor since 1996, while the Malta Gaming Authority sprung up in 2001.

The appeal of casinos not using GameStop is that they accept niche payment methods, supply better bonuses, and have no gameplay restrictions. That means gamblers can enjoy high bet limits on slots and utilize the auto-spin function on reel-spinning games, which is no longer possible in the UK market.

However, these platforms must not get used by people with impulse control issues. They are not a trick to circumvent an activated self-exclusion ban, letting those who display signs of a betting addiction continue their gambling ways.

Are Casinos Not Using GamStop Illegal?

Technically, UK law suggests that Brits should only play at UKGC-regulated platforms. Nevertheless, there is no history of authorities prosecuting online gaming enthusiasts from the UK who choose to seek out and use casinos not using GamStop. Such sites freely advertise their services to Brits via various means, and they allow individuals with UK-based IP addresses to create accounts and use their sites. Therefore, all legal burden falls on them for offering internet gaming solutions to citizens of jurisdictions that forbid or restrict this activity. Those who pick to take advantage of what these companies have to provide should not fear any legal consequences for their curiosity, as many see exploring a casino not on GamStop as a personal choice. But, again, they are not a solution for bypassing a GamStop ban by those who suffer from a legitimate gambling issue.  

Should Casinos Not on GamStop Get Explored by Newbies?

There are pros and cons to everything in life, and this concept, naturally, applies to categories of gambling sites. There is no one-solution-that-fits-all platform. Each has its positives and negatives. In this subheading, a rundown gets presented of the primary benefits and drawbacks of using non GamStop casinos.

Advantages of Casinos Not on GamStop

  • More expansive game lobbies.
  • No gaming restrictions.
  • Multiple sports markets that are unavailable to UK bettors.
  • Access to more enticing promotions.
  • Niche payment options are allowed.

Disadvantages of Casinos Not on GamStop

  • GBP will not always be an option.
  • May be missing UK market-specific games.
  • No official third-party dispute resolution.
  • Foreign laws apply.
  • May get abused by people with gambling problems.

Who Favors Casinos Not Using GamStop Over UKGC Sites?

Players that crave premium customer care and want their interests looked after at all times should stick to playing at UKGC-authorized platforms. These may feature multiple annoying restrictions, but they give operators little leeway to take advantage of players. That is so because the UKGC gets regarded as the sternest online gambling regulator in Europe, and as the body that introduces player safety measures that other regulators are quick to adopt. However, players who wish to get the most out of their gaming experience, snag lucrative bonuses, enjoy perk-rich loyalty schemes, and get lost in game libraries that contain thousands of titles, will undoubtedly prefer non GamStop casinos. These sites offer unparallel robustness in all departments, thanks to the lax rules set forward and enforced by their overseeing/licensing organizations.

Final Thought

It should get noted that non GamStop casinos allow gamblers to set deposit/loss limits and activate site-specific self-exclusion bans. So, they do promote responsible gaming. They only do not go to the limits that the UKGC does in ensuring that someone oversteps their means and gets lost in the sessions, losing track of time and money. Most non GamStop casinos’ regulators have been around for over two decades and implement many of the same security protocols as the UKGC and other top-end European interactive gaming monitoring bodies. They only do not go over the top as these, taking a laxer approach to supervising online gambling fun, allowing operators to cater to every desire a player may have. Thus, try a non GamStop casino today to see how they stack up against UKGC sites and discover if they are a more suitable pick for your gaming needs.  

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