What are casinos not on GamStop?

"Casinos not on GAMSTOP" are online gambling sites that are not connected to Great Britain's national online self-exclusion scheme. Every online operator licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has to take part in GAMSTOP, so a site outside it is, in practice, a site without a British licence. In Great Britain (Gambling Act 2005 and UKGC rules, as of October 2026), offering gambling to people here without a Commission licence is illegal, and advertising that gambling is a criminal offence. We do not list, name or link to these sites. This page explains the law, the risks, how to check a licence and what help exists, especially if you have self-excluded.

What is GAMSTOP and who has to use it?

GAMSTOP is a free self-exclusion service run by The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited. You register once, and it blocks your access to accounts at gambling websites and apps licensed in Great Britain. Its registration page offers blocks of 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, or 5 years with auto-renewal.

Taking part is not optional for British licensees. The UKGC's social responsibility code 3.5.5 says licensees "must participate in the national multi-operator self-exclusion scheme". The Commission announced in January 2020 that all online operators would have to participate by 31 March 2020. The code covers most remote licences; a few types are excluded, such as remote lottery licences whose holders do not offer instant-win lotteries. The Commission notes that draw-based lottery games are handled separately, through the lottery operator.

Is it legal for a site outside GAMSTOP to take British players?

No. Three pieces of law and guidance point the same way:

• Licensing. The Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 extended the Gambling Act 2005's licensing offence to remote gambling used in Great Britain, even when none of the operator's equipment is here, where the provider knows or should know that people in Great Britain are using, or are likely to use, its facilities.
• The regulator's position. The UKGC's consumer guide says: "Any gambling business operating without a Gambling Commission licence is acting illegally."
• Advertising. Under section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005, advertising unlawful gambling is an offence. On summary conviction it carries up to 51 weeks' imprisonment (six months in Scotland), a fine up to level 5, or both, and each day an advert stays visible counts as a separate offence.

That last point is why this page names no sites. A page that steered readers to them could itself be advertising unlawful gambling. Our guide to the UKGC licence explains what the British licence covers.

Why do people look for casinos not on GAMSTOP?

The UKGC's research on illegal online gambling (published September 2025, updated December 2025) found a range of reasons: better odds and offers, games not available in Great Britain, paying in other currencies, avoiding stake or spend limits, and minimal age or ID checks. For others, the research says, "a key driver is the desire to circumvent protection measures such as self-exclusion". It describes self-excluders who turn to illegal sites when they feel the urge to gamble.

If that describes you, this page is not a judgement. Feeling that urge during a self-exclusion is a reason to reach for more support, not a sign that you have failed. The last section of this page sets out where to find it.

What are the risks of a casino that is not on GAMSTOP?

The risks fall on the player, not the operator.

• Your self-exclusion is not honoured. GAMSTOP covers operators licensed in Great Britain. A site outside it has no connection to the scheme and no British duty to check it.
• No British dispute route. A UKGC licensee must let you take an unresolved complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider, a free, independent service, if it is not settled within eight weeks (LCCP 6.1.1). An unlicensed site sits outside that system.
• Unpaid winnings. The Dutch government, describing illegal casinos, warns that people sometimes do not receive their winnings. Without a regulator that can act for you, a withheld withdrawal may be very hard to recover.
• Payment problems. The UKGC notes that payment facilities may be withdrawn from unlicensed businesses by major payment systems, so these sites often rely on less familiar payment routes. Those routes can also slip past bank gambling blocks.
• Your data. You hand identity documents and payment details to a business that no British regulator supervises.
• No British player protections. UK rules such as identity checks before you gamble and the 10x cap on bonus wagering apply to licensees only.

Our guide to unlicensed casino red flags covers the warning signs in more detail.

How do you check whether a casino is licensed in Great Britain?

The UKGC says licensed businesses "must display that they are licensed and provide a link to our public register". Do not rely on the badge alone:

1. Open the UKGC public register yourself rather than through a link on the gambling site.
2. Search for the business name shown in the site's terms or footer.
3. Check that the licence status is current and that the domain name you are using appears on the record, along with the activity you want (casino, betting and so on).
4. Treat a licence from another regulator, such as Malta or Curaçao, as what it is: not a British licence. Our page on whether casinos without a UK licence are legal explains why.

Our step-by-step guide on how to verify a gambling licence walks through the register screen by screen.

What are the licensed alternatives?

If you have not self-excluded and want to gamble online in Great Britain, use a site that appears on the UKGC register. Licensed operators must check GAMSTOP, verify your age and identity before you gamble, and offer ADR if a complaint stalls. Our online casinos hub explains how licensed online casinos work and what to compare.

If you have self-excluded, the licensed alternative is not to gamble until the exclusion ends. Licensed sites turning you away is the scheme doing what you asked it to do.

What to do next if you have self-excluded

• Talk to someone. The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day, every day. GamCare also offers live chat and WhatsApp on the same number.
• Add blocking software. The UKGC's self-exclusion guidance suggests software that blocks access to gambling websites. GamCare lists gambling-specific blockers and parental-control tools; our guide on how to block gambling sites compares the options.
• Turn on your bank's gambling block. GamCare says most banks and building societies now let you block gambling transactions. Check what yours covers: NatWest, for example, says its block cannot be removed for 48 hours once it is on, but does not stop bank transfers, e-wallets, cryptocurrency platforms or unregulated sites.
• Extend your exclusion if you need to. GAMSTOP says you can extend your registration through your account.
• Self-exclude from lotteries separately if draw-based games are a problem for you.
• If you have already lost money to an unlicensed site, our complaints hub explains your realistic options, and you can report the site to the UKGC as suspected illegal gambling.

Our safer gambling hub lists more support, including help for family and friends.