Why are casinos not on Gamstop becoming so popular across the UK?

As one of the leading markets worldwide in the increasingly popular online casino industry, the United Kingdom has not only set the standards on the virtual gaming floor with their takes of casino classics such as blackjack, poker, roulette, and slots in an interactive and engaging online format, but the UK continues to redraw the regulatory boundaries.

Within the last six years, UK-based online casino players have had to contend with changes in playing regulations that have affected the amounts that can be wagered, lost, and games available. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has led a campaign against online gambling addiction over the last decade which has led to the reshaping of spending boundaries and features available on certain games.

While this has been championed by many in the UK, there is a community searching for alternative online casino options to access game play without any limits or restrictions. What is driving this migration to non-UK online casinos?

Unrestricted Game Play

In an attempt to make online casino players more aware of the finances they are investing into online casino game play, the UKGC have struck up stronger ties with self-exclusion companies such as GAMSTOP to prevent UK-based players from accessing UK-licensed online casinos.

However, for the section of players that are not content with the UKGC’s approach to protect players with their raft of regulations, casinos not on GAMSTOP are providing these players with an avenue to access online casinos that are not subject to the limits and restrictions put in place on UK-licensed operators. This includes access to certain bonus rounds and bonus buy games, online slots titles with no wagering limits as well as full privacy over their financial records.
Regulations continue to divide, but do protect

With more regulations expected this year that centre around the setting of deposit limits, the UKGC’s work to tackle online gambling addiction is not stopping any time soon. From the banning of bonus buy games in 2019 to the wagering limits placed on online slots, opinion has always been divided. The benefits however are there to be seen. Since 2022, the number of problem gamblers and “at risk” gamblers have gone down 0.2 and 0.9 percentage points respectively.

However, due to the accessibility of online casino platforms worldwide, players in the UK can still find their ways to non-UK-licensed providers to take advantages of all the features intended by game developers and game designers. Other markets around the world, except for a few, have not made the same strides as the UK, but that could still come in the near future. For now, online casino players, even in the UK, have a wide selection of licensed operators to choose from for full access to game play.