Gamstop is a relatively new feature from the UK Gambling Commission. It’s caused a lot of confusion, especially for UK gamblers, so today we’re going to take a look at what it means, what you need to know, and how to work around it if you need to.
What is Gamstop?
Gamstop is a voluntary program that has been brought onboard by the UK Gambling Commission. If you feel that your gambling is becoming a problem, you approach the Gamstop program and sign yourself on. All UK regulated and registered casinos will then block you from playing there. You can choose to enact the Gamstop program for anything from 6 months to 5 years.
Obviously this can be a helpful tool for people trying to limit their gambling or step away from it completely, so it’s not a bad thing in itself. However, it can become problematic for some people and does have some flaws- namely that some casinos will continue to limit you even after your Gamstop period lapses, which isn’t really fair, and you may not be able to play your favorite slots or face other restrictions you didn’t sign up for.
What Can I Do About Gamstop?
Luckily, UK-registered casinos are not your only choice. Non-UK online casinos do not use the Gamstop program and don’t have to block you to keep their licenses, so you can freely play there. You will also find many free spins offers not on Gamstop.
Of course, if you are venturing into using non-UK online gambling sites, then it’s imperative that you do your due diligence. There are unethical offshore casinos out there, and you don’t want to fall prey to them. There’s enough safe and legitimate casinos to use.
How Can I Safely Avoid Gamstop?
Look for valid non-UK registered casinos. We suggest using online reviews to establish how other customers have been treated. In particular, look for online casinos with strong customer service that accept a range of legitimate payment methods like PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard.
A good customer support rating is essential. You want to know that, if anything goes wrong, you will be able to get help to access your funds. It’s a good idea to drop their customer service a note letting them know you are a UK-based gambler before you start playing. This allows you to pre-vet them as well as ensure you will receive responsive support as needed. Then you can feel free to play with a VPN for added security if you wish.
There’s plenty of ways to safely play online casino games without running into Gamstop if you are having issues with them. Simply make sure you are using a reliable, non-UK registered online gambling site that’s responsive and well thought of, and you can enjoy your gambling Gamstop free. As with FOREX brokers, it’s in the trust and reliability. This will also help you play the games you want if you find that, post-Gamstop order, you are still being unfairly restricted from playing your slots of choice.
