Guide

Casinos not on GAMSTOP: what they are and what you give up

Why a casino outside GAMSTOP that accepts players in Great Britain is not licensed here, what that means for you, and where to find support if you have self-excluded.

By Eleanor Hartley, editor · Checked on 2 November 2026

If you have self-excluded and the urge to gamble is strong right now, you do not have to deal with it alone. The National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133, with live chat and WhatsApp too. This page names no site, lists no site and links to none.

Casinos not on GAMSTOP are online casinos that take players from Great Britain without joining the national self-exclusion scheme. Every online operator licensed by the Gambling Commission has had to take part in GAMSTOP since 31 March 2020, so a site outside the scheme that accepts GB players is not licensed for Great Britain. The label describes unlicensed sites, usually run from abroad, and none of the British player protections apply to them. Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over.

Support comes first if you are self-excluded

Searching for a way back in is a common experience, not a personal failing, and a good moment to reach out:

• National Gambling Helpline (the number above): confidential, free, any time of day, by phone, chat or WhatsApp.
• GamCare: counselling and support, including for family and friends.
• Blocking software: GamCare names Gamban as gambling-specific blocking software for Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. Helpline callers can get free access through the TalkBanStop partnership.
• Our own pages: how GAMSTOP self-exclusion works and the wider responsible gambling guide, with tools and contacts in one place.

An exclusion cannot be switched off during its minimum period: it protects the decision you made when you felt clearer.

Why "not on GAMSTOP" means "not licensed in Great Britain"

Under the Gambling Act 2005, section 33, it is an offence to provide facilities for gambling without an operating licence that covers the activity. Section 36 applies this to remote gambling when the facilities are used in Great Britain, even if the servers and the company sit elsewhere. This is often called the point of consumption rule: a casino serving GB players needs a Gambling Commission licence wherever it is based.

A licensed casino has to take part in GAMSTOP as a licence condition. Operators that failed to integrate have been suspended, so no GB-licensed online casino sits outside the scheme.

Non UK casinos accepting UK players: what the phrase covers

Searches for non UK casinos, offshore casinos or Curacao casinos accepting UK players all lead to the same kind of site. A licence from another jurisdiction, such as Curacao, does not authorise anyone to offer gambling to people in Great Britain. The Commission's own material describes these businesses as illegal and unlicensed operators targeting GB consumers.

The Commission also points out that "not on GAMSTOP" is a term used on affiliate pages that list unlicensed sites in order to reach people who have self-excluded, and that such sites often target vulnerable and self-excluded customers. In its survey, 40% of people who had used GAMSTOP said they had found a way to gamble on their own account, which it reads as a strong sign of illegal-site use. Advertising unlawful gambling is itself an offence under section 330 of the Act, committed again on each day the advert stays up. That is why no page here ranks, rates or links an unlicensed casino.

The British protections that do not follow you offshore

The Commission is clear that consumer and gambling protections apply only if the business holds a Gambling Commission licence. The table sets out the rules a licensed site has to follow and what an unlicensed site is held to by GB law.

The Commission adds practical risks it has seen on illegal sites: payouts blocked, withdrawal limits set too high to reach, insecure payments, and personal data exposed to identity theft and fraud.

No deposit bonuses on unlicensed sites

Offers such as a non UK casino no deposit bonus fall outside every British bonus rule. Since 19 January 2026 a licensed operator may not set wagering above 10 times the bonus, may not mix betting and casino play in one offer, and must keep its terms clear and fair. None of that binds a site without a GB licence, and there is no regulator here to enforce what its terms say. The guide to the 2026 bonus rules explains what a licensed offer has to look like.

What the Gambling Commission does about illegal sites

The Commission sends cease-and-desist notices to illegal operators, advertisers and affiliates, and refers sites to domain registrars, hosts and payment providers. It has referred 447,778 URLs to Google and Bing, of which 287,961 were removed. Across about 160 sites, GB engagement fell by an average of 32% in the three months after disruption.

Can any "trusted" or "best" non UK casino exist for GB players?

Not in any sense that protects you. Trust in Great Britain rests on the licence: a regulator that sets the rules, checks them and can suspend the business. If you are unsure about any brand, the licence check guide shows how to search the public register by name, domain or account number and confirm an Active status. Licensed sites are covered in the online casinos hub, all of them part of GAMSTOP.

When a self-exclusion period ends

A GAMSTOP exclusion does not lapse on its own. After the minimum period you have to contact GAMSTOP and ask for removal, and a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours follows. If you do nothing, the exclusion carries on. If you return to gambling later, deposit limits, reality checks and time-outs are tools every licensed site has to offer.