The UK Gambling Commission Online Law: Steps to Security

January 10, 2023 By Nancy William No Comments 16 minutes

To put it simply, online gambling is a highly regulated industry. It is controlled with other potentially harmful items such as tobacco, firearms, alcohol, pornography, drugs, etc. The black market has become the dominant distribution channel for online casino games just as it has for other legal products. This country’s gambling industry has been taken over by offshore and foreign-owned casinos that refuse to register with the UK Gambling Commission.

Let’s check whether it’s safe to gamble at those offshore, non-regulated Non-Gamstop casinos. Before we get into it, however, it would be helpful to go through the basics of UKGC and Gamstop.

Why Are Non-Gamstop Casinos Existing?

The UK Gambling Commission oversees the country’s gambling industry (United Kingdom Gambling Commission). There is a long number of rules that internet casinos must follow. Incorporated within it are a wide variety of elements: The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) sets the rules for things like minimum age, maximum wagers, return to player percentage, self-exclusion periods, and even which game developers may be used. Since online casino firms can’t differentiate themselves by providing a wider selection of games or a higher RTP (Return To Player) ratio, online gambling has become a less competitive product.

Gambling lovers and experts alike have complained that the restrictions have severely hampered the industry’s best efforts to protect consumers’ safety when it comes to online casinos. They have also noted that many players would opt for a Non-Gamstop UK online sports bookmaker or a casino so that they may experience the full thrill of online gambling. See the streamlined chart to see what falls within UKGC’s purview.

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) enacted a legislation in March of 2020 that significantly altered the landscape of the online gambling market. All licensed UK online casinos must join the GAMSTOP system before March 2020.

How does GAMSTOP function?

The National Online Self Exclusion Scheme Limited (GAMSTOP) is the business that enforces the self-exclusion rule for gambling sites licensed in the United Kingdom. All UK-based online casinos must join GAMSTOP by March 2020 in order to comply with new legislation. After a player has self-excluded on GAMSTOP, no UK-licensed gambling site may legally accept their wagers or enable them to use their account in any way. Whether or not you have ever signed up for an account, the self-exclusion will apply to ALL online casinos that are licensed in the United Kingdom.

Regulations for Gamstop and UKGC casinos

Numerous casinos that are licensed and regulated in the UK are required to join Gamstop, thus they are not permitted to establish their own self-exclusion program. There are proponents and opponents of this rule. The main issue, according to those who favor the existence of GAMSTOP, is gambling addiction, and it is everyone’s duty to fight it.

GAMSTOP may be a useful tool for taking a break from gambling in order to maintain self-control, although Con-GAMSTOP specialists disagree. According to con-gamstop specialists, a player’s unhappiness with Example Casino A, shouldn’t stop him from trying his luck at Example Casino B. Since everything is governed by the UKGC, casinos can’t compete with game availability or RTP, but they still could have different approaches, promotional offers, designs, and other features. As self exclusion on one of them results in self exclusion on the other, the GAMSTOP absolutely destroys all the rivalry between brands.

The following is a list of the top UK casinos on Gamstop.

1. BetWay
2. Bet365
3. Unibet
4. William Hill
5. Jimmy Winner Casino
6. EnergyBet

A self-exclusion from one of the aforementioned casinos results in a self-exclusion from the other three. Therefore, be cautious before using GAMSTOP to try to exclude yourself.

Non-Gamstop UK Casinos

Many players have embraced UK-Licensed casinos like Bet365, Unibet, and Williamhill and joined overseas casinos that welcome players from the UK because the GAMSTOP and UKGC have destroyed the competition of the gambling brands and reduced the quality of gaming. The length of the self-exclusion may be another factor in a decision to join a foreign casino. Even if a player feels emotionally healthy and has the desire to continue having fun playing casino games, they are unable to do so since UK-based casinos that participate in GAMSTOP prohibit it.

The best NON-GAMSTOP casinos that welcome UK players are contested by hundreds of international online casino firms. Below are some of the players’ favorites among them.

MyStake Casino

The most well-known Non-Gaming UK Casino is MyStake. MyStake, which has a Curacao license, provides access to the most popular game providers, which are unavailable at other UK casinos. On MyStake, you may play games from Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, MicroGaming, Evolution Gaming, and more developers.

MyStake Methods of Deposit

MyStake, unlike Stake, Gamdom, and other well-known online Non-Gamstop casinos, accepts Visa and MasterCard for deposits! You are not need to setup Cryptocurrency wallets to deposit! You may quickly and conveniently deposit up to 10,000 GBP per transaction using your debit or credit card. No fees, no modifications; deposit amount is immediately accessible in your account.

Because every game on the site is genuine, MyStake differentiates out from other Non-Gaming casinos, which could only provide Pragmatic Play slots or other well-known Mini Games as their offerings.

MyStake Reviews

MyStake is not just popular in the United Kingdom, but also across the globe. Only 20% of Casino users are from the United Kingdom, with the remaining 80% coming from France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, the Czech Republic, Canada, and even the United States. MyStake, which hosts millions of players worldwide, has a fantastic Trustpilot Trust score of 4.4/5.0. Check out all of MyStake Casino’s favorable and negative TrustPilot ratings for yourself!

The diversity of bonus offers at MyStake Casino is its most appealing feature. Foreign casinos, in general, aim to compete with a wide range of welcome bonus offers. MyStake is unquestionably at the top of every list, with welcome bonuses of up to 170%. The table below lists all of MyStake Casino’s promos and bonuses!

Despite the fact that MyStake provides over 6,000 Casino and Live Casino games, some of them may be inaccessible due to your region. In this instance, the VPN is the best choice. By selecting a nation such as Brazil, you will have access to EVERY slot game, allowing you to make the most of your casino experience.

GoldenBet Casino

Goldenbet is the most recent Non-Stop casino to allow players from the United Kingdom. Because it is new to the market, it must compete with MyStake, Stake.com, Gamdom, and other industry titans, thus it must offer something unique!

Non-Gamstop casino review websites such as CasinoGap, NonGamstopBets, NonstopCasino, and others have ranked the Goldenbet casino highly. This implies that Goldenbet is popular among players in the United Kingdom because it provides a variety of games, bonuses, and special offers in a beautiful, golden-colored style that is unlike any other online casino. Goldenbet offers a one-of-a-kind gaming experience.

Goldenbet, like MyStake, accepts FIAT deposits in addition to crypto, so you may experience the full potential of gaming simply by using your credit card!

VPN – The Solution for GAMSTOP / UKGC Regulations

The United Kingdom is not the only country that regulates gambling. Casinos are regulated in almost every EU member nation. Different countries’ governments have banned certain gaming providers. Just as the UKGC regulates gambling in the UK, AAMS regulates gambling in Italy, and ANJ regulates gambling in France!

When it comes to online restrictions, there is always a remedy from government rules – and the most effective one is VPN. VPN is a program that allows you to alter your local IP address. You fool the website server by utilizing a VPN.

Geotargeting vs. VPN

The rules are carried out by giving distinct rules to participants from various areas. It’s known as GEO-targeting. For example, Pragmatic play is prohibited in the United Kingdom, thus you will not be able to play Pragmatic slots from the United Kingdom, but the game may be played from a different region on the same website. VPN enables you to pick any nation and mislead servers into thinking you are accessing their website from that country.

Brazil is the most unregulated gambling market, thus by selecting Brazil as your VPN country, you will have access to all of the games featured on MyStake. The VPN is not the sole answer for online gaming. VPNs are often used to circumvent restrictions on Netflix and other streaming services, porn sites, cryptocurrency platforms, gaming platforms, and so on.

The Best VPN for Gambling in the United Kingdom

FastestVPN is the most well-known and affordable VPN right now, with IP addresses in over 40 countries. It is appropriate for gambling and is utilized by thousands of gamers. It is available as an Android / iOS app, a browser extension, and a standalone website. The price is quite affordable with a 15-day money-back guarantee. Its user-friendly interface makes it simple to grasp how to utilize the VPN and circumvent gambling rules.

What exactly is the RTP, and how do casino games operate?

RTP is an abbreviation for “Return To Player”. Each casino game has an RTP % that may be concealed or exposed to the player. MyStake Slot is displayed in the game’s information box – there’s nothing to conceal when the RTP is the highest on the market!

The Return To Player Percentage specifies how much of the total stake should be returned to players. The casino’s profit is determined using the formula: (Total Bets – Total Win) / 100, which means that when the game RTP is set at 96%, the casino keeps 4% of the total bets and the remaining 96% is distributed to the players. The multiplier on all spins / game rounds, however, is still randomized by the RNG (Random Number Generator). Every casino game is supported by a plethora of mathematical formulae and computations. They are meant to produce a profit for the casino; consequently, you should only bet with money you are willing to lose.

What You Should Know About Casino Licenses

Separate nations have different casino licenses that govern gambling. Each license has its own logo and issuing ID, which must be followed while playing at an online casino. You should avoid casinos without licenses since they are unable to legally publish games from any well-known slot supplier, which means that all of the material on non-licensed casinos is false, counterfeit, or just fraudulent merchandise. License information is available in the casino’s footer as well as on the Terms and Conditions website. Check out the list of the most common gambling licenses to ensure you’re in the right spot when selecting an online casino to play at.

Curacao E-Gaming License (CEG)

The most well-known license, used by tens of thousands of online casinos globally, is the Curacao E-gaming License. Since the government of Curacao has few rules and allows casino companies to use any kind of game, promotion, limit, and site policy, it continues to be the most well-liked one. Players from any country, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Spain, are welcome at Curacao-licensed casinos. Additionally, getting a CEG license is the most affordable option available, making it accessible to everyone. The badge appears as follows in the website’s footer:

United Kingdom Gambling Commission License (UKGC)

The UKGC license permits casinos to lawfully run their operations there. However, as previously stated, this license’s requirement that casinos abide by UK government restrictions results in a terrible playing experience and little competition. The highest authority level and most difficult to get license is still the UKGC license. The UKGC license should appear as seen below in the website’s footer.

Malta Gambling Authority (MGA)

One of the most important licenses is that issued by the Malta Gambling Authority (MGA). Only a small handful of nations, like Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Croatia, Chile, etc., have casinos with MGA licenses. Although there are certain rules in MGA casinos, there is still less red tape than in the CEG. The MGA license should appear like this in the casino footer.

How can I know whether a casino is legitimate or a scam?

You should think about if an online casino is legitimate or a fraud before making a real money deposit. Casinos often fail to pay their clients their gains. These casinos have warning signs that they are scams. There are several methods to determine if a casino is legitimate before making a transaction, however. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of determining a casino’s validity step by step.

1. License

The license of a new casino is the first item you should check. Around the globe, there are several gambling regulators. However, MGA / CEG licenses, which are regarded as worldwide, are the most often used license. The Malta license requires a lot more mandatory features than the Curacao license does for a casino. MGA casinos are not allowed to accept a player’s deposit without verification or to postpone a withdrawal beyond what is allowed under the Terms and Conditions. The casino will be devoted to its patrons since failing to follow these requirements might result in heavy penalties or possibly the license being revoked.

2. Game Availability

The range of game suppliers ensures the casino’s credibility. Because well-known game producers, including as Evolution or Pragmatic Play, always choose not to collaborate with scammer casinos and do not make any of their games accessible on their platforms in order to protect their own reputation. If you utilize a VPN, you may play almost any provider’s game at certain casinos. Pragmatic, EGT, Endorphina, Hacksaw, NetEnt, NoLimitCity, Push Gaming, Evolution Gaming, Wazdan, Thunderspin, Thunderkick, and many more are among the game suppliers.

How Can We Tell If a Casino Is a Scam?

There are 6 ways to tell whether a casino is a scam:

1) A shortage of positive feedback

When you first start playing at an online casino, you should read the reviews. As it always includes a lot of information about its services, validity, quality, and many other important facts, it forms your general imagination and allows you to readily identify its credibility.

Reliable online casinos feature several favorable ratings and comments on well-known websites like as AskGamblers, Trustpilot, Casinoguru, and others. If your preferred casino is not included on that website, it is already suspect, and you should proceed with caution. In another example, it may be identified as a fraudster casino, in which case you should pay heed to its reviews and rating. They don’t have any positives. Consider the first step in avoiding such casinos and feeling comfortable.

2) Requirements for Account Registration

There are two steps involved in the registration procedure for online casinos. Your basic details, including your first and last names, email address, nation and city, postal address, and phone number, are needed in the first stage. A minimum age restriction of 18+ must also be present. The verification procedure, which comes in at step two, is crucial for a player who is actively playing. You must provide the casino your identification, address, credit card, and sometimes more papers in order to go on to the next phase. You won’t have to enter this information more than once at secure casinos since it is saved in their system. The unreliable, phony casinos often request your authentication information. This is a sign; therefore, you need to take urgent action.

3) Casino License

Several casino regulating agencies, like Curacao, MGA (Malta Gaming Authority), UK Gambling Commission, Gibraltar Licensing Authority, Alderney Gambling Control Commission, etc., govern reputable casinos. This license specifies the functionality and payment options for casinos. In general, the license serves as evidence that the casino is trustworthy and that prizes will be paid out. There is a very good likelihood that a casino is a sham if it lacks a license. Therefore, pay attention to its license before you start playing and make sure it is a legal betting site.

4) Doubtful Payment Methods

For secure deposits and withdrawals, a trustworthy gambling site provides its users with the safest and most dependable payment options, including MasterCard, Visa, bank transfers, e-wallets, and cryptocurrency payments. If the casino doesn’t provide all of these alternatives, there is a strong likelihood that it is a fraud. If the casino provides you a less well-known and ambiguous payment instead of the ones you requested to withdraw money, it is a huge warning sign!

5) Lack of customer service

Customer service is the most crucial component of any casino website since they aid you in solving any issues you may have and compensate you for any lost games in addition to alerting you to any concerns with a player’s account. Since their primary objective is to amass a large player base with large deposits and then vanish without providing any refunds, the majority of frauds lack such support services. Instead of genuine customer service, scam casinos utilize bots, and based on their responses, you can tell how trustworthy that service is.

6) Forged Games

The purpose of scammer casinos is to take as much money as possible from you. As a result, they give you fabricated games designed to cause players to lose. To guarantee that games are based on chance and dependability, a high RTP (Return To Player) should be supplied. Furthermore, reputable casinos utilize RNG (Unpredictable Number Generators), which guarantees that the outcomes will be random and depending on chance. Scam casinos lack such technology and instead offer you rigged games in which you seldom win.

To conclude

And that’s a wrap! As mentioned, gambling is a intricately regulated industry. The gambling industry in the UK is vast, but foreign regimes have refused to register with the UK Gambling Commission. We’ve discussed whether or not it is safe to gamble or partake in offshore casinos and have also highlighted the basics and laws of UKGC. Furthermore, we recommend anyone indulging in online casinos to connect with a reliable and secure VPN. FastestVPN is currently the most affordable and secure option that keeps you safe on multiple gambling sites.

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