You hear a lot of talk about gambling sites not on Gamstop. It seems that half the world is seeking out these sites. And if you’re wondering why then you’re not alone. Let’s take a look at what makes them so different from those that are based in the UK.
What is Gamstop?
The Gamstop program is in place to help gambling fans who enjoy a flutter too regularly. And now they are seeking a helping hand to cool it for a while. You can request a 6 month, 1 year or 5-year break. And none of the sites in the UK will accept your money anymore.
Gamstop is a charity-run scheme that is paid for mainly by the casino industry in the UK. Every gambling operator must sign up and those who don’t have now been removed from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission’s (UKGC) list of legal providers.
It came into effect in 2016 and sites were asked to join up at the time, although it wasn’t legally enforced. Some sites dragged their heels for a while. But in 2018, the UK made the scheme compulsory. And that tied up any loose ends.
How does a non Gamstop casino work?
As the Gamstop program is legally binding in the UK, it isn’t possible for UK sites to not be part of it. But the UK isn’t the only place where UK customers can play.
The rules are in place to control the operators. But the UKGC can do very little to stop local players from seeking their casino action offshore.
So casinos not on Gamstop are just gambling brands based in other countries that will accept UK players.
Now you know what Gamstop is and how it all works, you probably want to know which type is better. There are several differences that set the 2 apart.
Non-UK licences
Sites that are mainly active in countries other than the UK will seek out a licence that applies to that area. The process for obtaining a UKGC licence is long and expensive. As a result, many brands go for places like Curaçao or Panama.
There are loads of countries that permit their residents to use sites with this kind of legal protection. So the potential audience is huge for these brands.
Many of these casinos not on Gamstop will also accept UK players too.
Choice of games
The UK has the pleasure of working with some of the best game producers in the world. And UK players are spoilt for choice.
The latest titles and tech are all on display as well as some of the biggest jackpots imaginable. Many game creators that work in the UK market are also active in Europe too. So you’ll find that the game selection in the 2 areas is pretty similar.
Some of the lesser-known gambling areas won’t have so many ‘big-name’ choices for the players. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a great choice of titles with sites based in Curaçao, for example. They’re just slightly different from what’s available in the UK.
Casino not on Gamstop bonuses
One huge advantage that casinos not on Gamstop have over UK brands is the number of bonuses that you’ll find. More specifically, the value of them.
Huge bonus cash deals are on display. And they can afford to do this because of the way that the local government handles the taxes for these types of companies.
The UK taxes casinos heavily. And this affects how much the brands are able to offer new customers as a result. Operators have to pay out 21% tax to the Inland Revenue in the UK. But Curaçao only charges 2%. And that makes a huge difference to the profit margins.
Some popular deals that player’s find at offshore sites are deposit match bonuses, free spins and cashback. And if you’d like to know more about these, then you can use a casino guide to get an overview of casino bonuses available at non Gamstop sites.
Legal protection
As we mentioned before, there is a difference between the types of licence that the UK and non-UK sites can apply for.
And with these licences come varying degrees of legal control as well as protection for the customers. It’s no secret that the UK offers punters a high level of security. If something goes wrong at a UKGC casino, then the Commission will pounce on them. So players in this area always feel confident when they gamble.
Other gambling zones aren’t known for being quite as thorough when it comes to cracking down on rogue brands. And there won’t be much comeback for the player if there is an issue in some cases.
But there are still thousands of perfectly respectable sites operating in the non-Gamstop niche. You just need to be careful about which ones you choose.
