Britain’s gambling market is, without any doubt, one of the heavily regulated markets in the world. The governing body, the UK Gambling Commission, is in charge of all the betting that takes place under its jurisdiction.
One of the latest initiatives, the Gamstop self-exclusion scheme, has rattled the cages of people who enjoy playing casino games and online slots games on various websites.
My list of the best non Gamstop Casino sites that I have reviewed and tested:
| Rank | Rooms | Bonus | Licensed by | Features | Review... |
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100% up to £1000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
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| 2 |
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800% up to €3000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
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| 3 |
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100% up to £2000 (T&C apply. 18+) |
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| 4 |
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100% up to £100 (T&C apply. 18+) |
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Gamstop also hits players who enjoy placing bets on their favorite sports teams and sports superstars. But what is Gamstop? Is it here to help you or make things harder for you?
I did a little digging on Gamstop and all its implications. I also took the liberty of scouting for trustworthy betting sites not on Gamstop. Here is what I’ve found.
Bet Swagger
Bet Swagger sports call itself the world’s top venue for sports betting. With a comprehensive selection of markets, payment options and a verifiable license from Curacao eGaming, this may as well be the case. The sportsbook has a welcoming interface, and a good general layout. You will be able to flick through some 21 betting categories and many sub-markets.
All events are displayed in real-time, giving you a distinct edge and an ability to keep track on everything that is going on at the bookie. Bet Swagger has quite a bit to offer as well, starting with great promos, well-developed betting selections, competitive odds and fixtures, and in-play markets, with a quick way over to the casino section.
The website meets player safety standards in full while still allowing consumers registered with GamStop to drop by and have a blast betting on popular sports with some of the most generous odds.
Bet Swagger – Competitive and Fair Markets
Fairness in sportsbooks is quite important and to be able to get your swagger on, you will need to find the best odds on the market first. Bet Swagger makes locating competitive odds and fixtures a piece of cake.
The sportsbook relies on transparency, allowing you a quick access to a variety of mainstream sports, including American football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. Bet Swagger covers domestic and International sports, featuring a number of competitive regions, including the United States, Poland, Russia, Portugal, South Korea and many more markets around the world.
You can see how many bets are available for each category in real-time and also enjoy a variety of proposition bets. Some contests could have as many as 50 additional bets you can make on them beyond the simple match winner.
Bet Swagger Welcome Bonuses & More
The bonus section at Bet Swagger is a little difficult to keep track of at first. Every week, the sportsbook publishes a new set of promotions, but you usually can claim a $100 for sports. The bookie systematically adds new promos you can benefit, but if pressed, we must admit that Bet Swagger could have developed a better overall bonus section.
Is Bet Swagger Legitimate and to Be Trusted?
Bet Swagger Sports’ strengths lie in its versatile markets powered by trusted odds suppliers. Similarly, the sportsbook runs a generous selection of payment options, allowing you to deposit and withdraw quickly enough in the first place. The website is also not registered with GamStop offering players a chance to join even if they are excluded at home.
Sports bettors have attested to the legitimacy of the Bet Swagger brand time and again. Most players agree that they have experienced a quality service at Bet Swagger, making the brand one of the most dependable on the betting market. Not least, there are the thousands of viable betting options to pick from with competitive rates for even the fussiest punter.
You can read our full Bet Swagger review here.
PlayHub
PlayHub Casino is a popular brand that features a fully-fledged sports betting product. The website has branched out into every major gambling vertical, including live dealers, casino, and most importantly – virtual and regular sports.
Today, we will take a look at the PlayHub sportsbook, which packs an extensive variety of professional athletic competitions. You will be able to bet on 20 different categories and choose from a variety of markets that often exceeds 30,000 active events. Any of these events will be accessible to you even as a GamStop registered user, which makes PlayHub more attractive to punters who may be looking for a dependable betting alternative.
Not least, the website offers both traditional match winner bets as well as dozens of available prop bets on popular competitions. There is an extensive cashier section with all the payment methods you will ever need to conclude a deposit or withdrawal in a matter of minutes.
PlayHub’s Sports Markets Are Competitive
PlayHub has a great selection of markets to offer. The bookie has focused on providing players with domestic and international markets that span a wide variety of popular betting contests, including NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college sports, rugby union, golf and others.
The sportsbook covers every major competition across the globe and allows interested bettors to make a wager, picking from fair and competitive odds. You will be able to place a bet on any major soccer league as well as bet on the NFL pre-season, rumors, and outright winners.
March Madness and Super Bowl generate thousands of viable markets to bet on every year and PlayHub plays its part well to cover every betting nook and cranny. You will be able to bet on match winners, but also take preliminary bets on future events.
Politics, motorsports, entertainment, and golf are other markets that you can bet on as well. Not least, you have a variety of in-play and live markets that allow you to place your wagers in real-time. The bet slip is intuitive and it updates itself as soon as you make your selection.
With a never-ending variety of sports to bet on, there is always something new to try at Bet Swagger.
PlayHub Bonuses and Promos
PlayHub has a slightly different approach to bonuses. The sports bonuses change fairly quickly, with each week bringing you a new set of promotions. To access these, all you need to do is hop to the “Bonus” section and see what’s up for grabs. Without a fail, you will always find a $100 sports promo to get you started.
Is PlayHub a Legitimate Sportsbook?
PlayHub has started big in the sports betting industry, offering a fair and honest variety of markets. Today, the sportsbook holds a Curacao eGaming and has an established track record beckoning to potential sports bettors that PlayHub is above all else a trusted online bookmaker. Even though it’s not part of the GamStop network, PlayHub upholds industry standards for safe and responsible betting, and definitely justifies spending time and money at the bookie.
You can read our full PlayHub review here.
PHCasino
A fairly new entrant into the sports betting industry, PH Casino has arrived with a bang. Apart from offering a comprehensive casino product, PH has a sportsbook that has stood out as one of the best markets to bet. Bettors have had the pleasure to test the full offer at PH Sports, picking from over 40,000 viable markets at the height of the NFL and soccer season, and dive into every unique low-key market that may turn out to be of interest to the betting community.
The sportsbook is licensed by Curacao eGaming, providing bettors with the necessary peace of mind they need to trust PH in the first place. Yet, you can still bet at PH Casino even if you are a GamStop registered user, while you can rest assured that the brand has taken all necessary precautions to guarantee a responsible and safe betting experience.
PH Casino Competitive Odds, Markets and Features
PH Casino’s sportsbook has become a renown go-to sportsbook, thanks to the things it gets right. For starters, PH Casino’s odds and lines are competitive. They often give you an edge in specific events and make for a value-added bet.
You can pick from traditional moneyline or matchwinners markets, but also find classic selections, such as point spread, over/under and naturally event-specific bets, such as innings and puck line. With thousands of viable markets, you will find enough value betting opportunities to pick from.
The fixtures and odds provide bettors with enough opportunities to find the specific wagers they want to place and enjoy the best margins possible. Not least, the brand features an active in-play market, which allows you to enjoy a range of events as they happen, and bet on for both an additional profit and challenge.
Are PH Casino Sports Bonuses Worth It?
Presently, PH Casino focuses on a welcome bonus for sports – $100. You will find regular updates in the bonus section, which will also feature special promotions for individual big events, such as UFC, The Masters, Super Bowl, and other noteworthy events. Don’t hesitate to give these one-off deals a shot.
Is PH Casino a Legitimate Operator?
By all industry standards, PH Casino sportsbook is a trusted and reliable purveyor of betting odds, markets and the occasional fantastic bonus. The company has a license from Curacao eGaming and it has the backing of a community that endorses the sports betting product.
Besides, PH Casino sportsbook makes it very simple for GamStop punters to find a new and reliable bookie they can trust with their wagers.
You can read our full PHCasino review here.
Sports Bettors Can No Longer Deposit Via a Credit Card
I know many of you that have one time or another got into difficulty gambling, especially when sports betting online or via a mobile device, have used a credit card as the way that you have been funding your betting site and betting app accounts.
However, one very recent change to gambling rules, laws and regulations in the UK has seen the powers that be decide that all betting sites that are licensed and regulated in the United Kingdom by the UK Gambling Commission must no longer allow their customers to fund their betting site and other general gambling site and app accounts using a credit card.
I thought you should know about that change just in case you have been trying to top up a betting site account or a casino, bingo or even poker site or app account and have seen such deposits declined repeatedly, even though you have funds available on your credit card.
Consider a Debit Card Gambling Site Transaction Block
There are, as you will no doubt now be fully aware, lots of different ways that you can adopt in an attempt to either give up gambling once and for all, or alternatively there are many ways and schemes available to you if you simply want to reduce the amount of cash you do gamble and don’t want to give up gambling for good.
One great way that you can stop yourself running the very real risk of spending too much more form your bank account via your debit card regarding topping up betting site accounts, is to log into your banking app or your online banking and then taking a look at the option settings surrounding the sue of your debit card.
One of those settings that is available to customers of most in not now all UK banks, is an option setting that will allow you to turn off and therefore block any transactions that you try and make into any type of betting or gambling site account.
That is something that I do urge anyone who does have a debit card linked up to their bank account, for with that option setting activated and turned on there is no way that you are going to be able to make deposits into a betting or gambling site or app account.
You could however choose to get a prepaid debit card which will allow you to budget better for your online and mobile gambling activities, so do consider doing just that as a great alternative to using your debit card linked up to your bank account.
Bookies Continue to Close Betting Shops
Whilst it does of course make good business sense to close any outlets a business may operate that are not making a bottom-line profit, it is truly sad to see many business having to close up shop so to speak due to the current pandemic and the resulting financial climate.
Bookies shops have of course all been part and parcel of many a high street, town and city for many years and there has been over the last few years a sharp increase in the number of betting shops, which does somewhat prove there is a need for them.
However, with the knock on effects of the Covid-19 outbreak and with sporting events the world over being cancelled and betting ships being ordered to close for months on end by the Government, those that have now been given permission to open have seen a massive and very sharp downturn in business.
It has been announced that many major high street betting shop operators have taken the decision to massively scale back their operations in the coming weeks and months and will be closing many of their betting shops.
Whilst that may be a good thing and some of you welcome if you have had problems with a gambling addiction problem, it is worth noting that many jobs will be lost due to those betting shop closures, and many bookies have been massively increasing their procedures regarding problem gambling to help those who may visit their betting shops who are displaying gambling related problems.
Those people may now simply move their gambling action online where their problems may not be spotted as quickly, and advice given as quickly as they would be in a betting shop environment.
Bigger and Better Non-GamStop Betting Site Bonuses
With some excellent new customer sign up offers and deals there are always going to be deals that will catch your eye when you do sign up to any betting site or betting app that you have never bet at before, but keep in mind all that glitters is not necessarily gold.
Therefore if you are in the market for a new betting site at which to sign up to and bet at then always pay very careful attention to the terms and conditions that are attached to any new customer offers, deal or package and compare then to the terms and conditions other betting sites and betting apps have in place,
By doing so you can then go on to judge for yourself just which ones are going to be offering you the vert best betting value, and are not simply designed to appear good offers when the opposite is in fact true.
A good sign of a betting site that does value their customers however is when they offer plenty of ongoing betting related promotional offers to their customers, so that is something else that you should also be checking out.
But at the end of the day my advice is to always select a licensed and regulated betting site as that way you will know they are operated and run to the very highest of industry standards and will care about their customers and will have plenty of responsible gambling tools on offer to their customers too.
Things You Should Know About Gamstop
In its efforts to help players in the UK, the UK Gambling Commission has come up with a way to give players a killswitch of sorts. The newly released self-exclusion scheme was quickly and conveniently named Gamstop.
The players who think they have no control over their gambling habits can register their accounts at Gamstop and exclude themselves from accessing any of the bettings sites with an active Gamstop membership.
As you probably know, bookies in the industry all feature helpful programs such as GamblingThreapy, GambleAware, and Responsible Gambling. Gamstop is the newest addition to the toolbox players with a gambling issue can use to gain more control.
More and more betting sites entering the Gamstop network help the industry build a better reputation. This also sends a strong message. Responsible gambling is something all companies in the gambling industry should strive to promote.
Here at Non Gamstop Sites we believe that British players who create their accounts on Gamstop are worried about their spending habits at betting websites. This allows them to restrict access to betting websites during a specific period — more about how Gamstop works later.
There Are Many Betting Sites Not On Gamstop
I’ve found out that finding bookies not on Gamstop is a lot easier than finding their trustworthy counterparts, not on Gamstop. There are two ways to make sure that a particular betting site is a member of the Gamstop network.
The first method to do it is to look for the Gamstop logo. All betting sites on the Gamstop network feature a Gamstop logo on the homepage. It is usually located at the bottom of the page.
Another method is to visit the official Gamstop website. There, you will be able to go through the list of all the participating betting sites. If you want to bet on sites inside the network exclusively, this is a neat way to ensure a certain betting site is a part of it.
Gamstop in The Mainstream Press
Gamstop is not only dedicated to gamblers but the general public as well. It has a lot of news coverage – you can see Gamstop news headlines in the UK mainstream media, including The Guardian and BBC.
According to The Guardian, all betting sites will definitely be told to become members of Gamstop. This will be a requirement they have to meet before they can get their license to operate in the UK. Some of the flaws in the system have been regulated meanwhile.
Gamstop has been launched at the start of 2019. During the test period, one of the main problems that occurred was the synchronization of registered users list with companies on Gamstop. The synchronization didn’t work as intended, and Gamstop users still received direct marketing emails from casinos and betting sites.
Also, both the BBC and The Guardian covered the story about players with an account on Gamstop and active self-exclusion completely bypassing Gamstop and placing bets on various sites. Whether the players couldn’t resist the urge to gamble, or they changed their minds about staying away from gambling, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the system can be circumvented.
It appears that you don’t have to be a PC guru to do it as well. All you need to do is to make a new account by using new “invented” details. The system is easily fooled with a different email address and a subtle change in name/surname spelling.
This didn’t surprise me. People will always find ways to get around all sorts of restrictions, let alone the one that stands between them and gambling. In any case, Gamstop is a good self-exclusion program. It makes gambling online a bit more challenging, and this can benefit people that have issues with it.
Some Interesting Recent GamStop and Betting News
Regular gamblers up the stakes during UK lockdown
Gamstop urges problem gamblers to self-exclude during lockdown
UK credit card gambling ban takes effect; sketchy online casino affiliates still gaming GAMSTOP
Large rise in number of problem gamblers seeking help for addiction in lockdown
GamStop to become mandatory for GB licensees
UK minister urges betting firms to do more for problem gamblers
Frequent gamblers betting more despite coronavirus sports lockdown, study says
How Does Gamstop Work Exactly?
Before I dive into the specifics of “how it works,” you should know that Gamstop is completely free. Using it is very easy as it doesn’t require any technical knowledge whatsoever. To start the registration process, you have to visit the official Gamstop website. Then, you have to enter your details in the form.
This will get you registered on Gamstop. Once you do this, you will be able to place bets on registered betting sites or use their dedicated mobile apps to have fun on any device at your disposal.
You can activate the self-exclusion option at any given time. All you need to do is to choose how long you want to be out of the game. The exclusion time can range from a month to a couple of years. Once you exclude yourself, it will take 24 hours before it takes effect.
Let me stress out that this is a tough thing to reverse. Before you exclude yourself from betting sites, you should carefully think about how long you want to stay out. In any case, the service won’t cost you a dime.
Many people don’t know that self-exclusion still persists even after the chosen time period is over. Once the self-exclusion time is up to remove the restriction, you will have to contact Gamstop to have it removed. If you don’t do this, the exclusion will stay active on your account indefinitely.
They made it intentionally this way to make it even harder for people with a gambling issue to come back to their activities. On top of that, if you activate the exclusion from betting sites, you can’t just call Gamstop and ask them to lift it off your account. You have to wait out the exclusion period.
This is exactly why people who sign up to Gamstop want to find other ways to have fun at betting sites. You can’t simply change your mind. While creating a new account with different details is one way to bypass Gamstop, there is another.
Betting sites not on Gamstop provide high-quality betting opportunities as well. They are not in the Gamstop scheme and even players with an active Gamstop exclusion can place bets on them.
Are There Any UK Betting Sites Not On Gamstop?
The entire gambling industry in the UK is regulated and licensed by the Gambling Commission. The Gambling Commission is expected to announce the Gamstop requirement in September 2019. Approximately 99% of all gambling operators in the UK, including betting sites, have become members of the Gamstop program.
As soon as the Gambling Commission announces Gamstop’s requirements, the UK betting sites not on Gamstop will be at risk of losing their license to operate in the UK. There are already tens of thousands of players registered on Gamstop which is quite a good number.
This leads me to the conclusion that there is a very small number of UK betting sites not on Gamstop. As soon as the requirement is made official by the UKGC, I expect to see those betting sites joining the program. The goal is to have every last one of the UK betting sites on Gamstop.
Players Have Other Self-Exclusion Options As Well
People with potential gambling problems have other options besides Gamstop. The program that’s next in line is Gamcare. This program comes from a registered charity. Gamcare has a long history of helping people who may have an issue with gambling.
Gamcare helps people by offering advice, but it also has its own self-exclusion program of sorts. Interested players can get support via chatrooms, forums, and online versions. Gamcare charity works hand in hand with National Gambling Helpline.
People with potential gambling problems can contact Gamcare and get support from the community really aware of how hard it can be dealing with gambling issues.
Features Of Betting Sites Not On Gamstop
When choosing betting sites outside of the Gamstop network, players tend to be wary about what features await them. This is quite normal because threading outside the familiar water always makes people edgy. In any case, there is no reason to worry here.
I can assure you, all the features you are used to on the UK betting sites also await you on the non-Gamstop websites.
To help you out, I’ve reviewed a couple of betting sites not on Gamstop. Here are some of the attractive features you will be able to find should you decide to place a bet on one of them.
Plenty of Sports Events. Regular betting websites have a very rich betting offer. They offer betting opportunities on various sports events spread out across the world of sports. You can place a bet on virtually anything ranging from UEFA CHampionship and NBA Finals to Tennis Grand Slams and World Volleyball Championship. Betting sites outside of Gamstop also offer plenty of sports events to bettors.
Access to regular and live bets. The convenience of having options to place regular and live bets should not be taken lightly. Regular betting websites have both of these. To stay in the competition betting sites not on Gamstop also introduced these betting options. Cashout and live streaming are also present. Basically, there is nothing that differentiates non-Gamstop sites from their counterparts on the program.
Attractive bonuses and promotions. Betting sites on Gamstop offer great bonuses and promotions to bettors. If you are expecting not to see them on sites not on Gamstop’s program, you couldn’t be more wrong. If you decide to place a bet on any of these sites, you are in for attractive promotions and bonuses.
The only thing that’s different about bonuses and promotions is their currency. Betting sites in the UK shape them in GBP, but international betting sites shape them in foreign currencies. Most commonly, you will be able to see the prizes displayed in EUR, AID, CAD, and NZD.
Betting is open for everyone. Betting sites not on Gamstop do not have any geo-restrictions. They target the global market. This is why their player base consists of international players coming from North & South America, Asia, India, Europe, and Australia. If you want to access these sites from the UK, you will be able to do it seamlessly and with no need to use any workarounds.
Tools for betting restriction. Betting sites not on Gamstop are not against responsible gaming at all. They have their own way of helping people with possible betting issues. The mechanism is not as restrictive as the one of Gamstop, but it still is a restriction of sorts. They offer plenty of opportunities for players to restrict betting. Bettors can leverage these built-in tools to control their betting behavior via the account settings.
Common Pitfalls of Betting On Sites Not On Gamstop
I’ll leave you to decide whether Gamstop rules of engagement are too harsh or not. One thing is sure, though. UKGC doesn’t regulate the gambling industry just for the sake of it. For instance, Gamstop initiative is here because people need it. Playing outside of Gamstop network brings certain downsides into perspective.
Not so good for people with possible gambling problems. Non-Gamstop betting sites have different means of controlling betting. But they are not as effective as the ones Gamstop self-exclusion scheme offers. This puts people with possible gambling problems exposed to the risk of overspending, especially when trying to catch up losses.
There is no one to help players with possible disputes. UKGC does not regulate betting sites outside the Gamstop network. On the other hand, those that are, are under the UKGC wing. If you experience any troubles with gameplay, payments, and withdrawals on non-Gamstop betting sites, only the customer support can help you. With sites on Gamstop, you have the right to contact the UKGC when there is a more serious problem.
No local payment methods for UK citizens. Betting sites not on Gamstop are more focused on the international players. To make the payment more convenient, they go with payment methods that are global and proven in terms of security. International billing methods are accessible while the direct bank transfers are more likely to be out of the question.
Sports Betting on Non-Gamstop Sites
Non-Gamstop betting websites offer plenty of high-quality betting opportunities. There are no restrictions whatsoever in terms of sports diversity. Everything you can find on a Gamstop betting site you will be able to find it on one, not on the program.
Football. Football is, without a doubt, the most popular sport on a global scale. Betting sites outside of Gamstop offer great football betting opportunities with coverage of all major leagues, championships, and special events.
Basketball. Basketball is quite popular spots among bettors around the globe. You will be able to find attractive basketball betting opportunities at betting sites not on Gamstop.
Tennis. Tennis is an exhilarating sport to watch. With so many Master 1000 and Grand Slam tournaments, bettors will never run out of opportunities to make money.
Cricket. In some parts of the world, cricket is more popular than football and basketball combined. You can find amazing cricket betting opportunities on betting sites not on Gamstop.
Baseball. Baseball has fans all around the world. Betting sites are aware of this. Finding baseball betting options on sites outside UKGC jurisdiction is not hard at all.
Rugby. Whether you are interested in Rugby Union or Rugby League betting, you will be able to do on both non-Gamstop and Gamstop betting sites.
eSports. As the one and only sports alternative, eSports are gaining popularity on betting sites. Non-Gamstop sites feature the most popular games such as Counter-Strike: GO, Fortnite, DOTA 2, and League of Legends.
