GAMSTOP is a scheme to encourage safer and more responsible gambling at online and crypto casinos. It’s a facility for you to ask the casino operator to be self-excluded. This is usually requested by players when they think they are spending more time and money than they would like on gambling. It needs to be there to facilitate and support someone who may consider that the fun has stopped and they’re starting to lose more than they can afford. GAMSTOP allows you to self-exclude yourself from online casinos with just one request, making the whole process really easy. However, there are plenty of sites that are not part of the scheme that more and more players are choosing to visit. For example, Sergio Zammit says in his list of the best reviewed offers that some of these sites offer a 450% matched welcome bonus, welcome packages up to £10,000, and other enticing promotions – so it’s clear to see why these sites are proving popular.
Do all casinos have GAMSTOP?
GAMSTOP itself is a third-party service, so online casinos and online bookmakers aren’t legally obliged to have it on their sites if they are licenced outwith the UK. They do have to have support there to help you know about the dangers of gambling issues and to encourage responsible gambling.
However, as good as the scheme sounds, it has actually been seen to have flaws. Just over 5 years ago, it was discovered that it wasn’t quite fulfilling its purpose. In the sense that if I, for example, signed up to the scheme to self-exclude myself from online casinos, this could easily be circumvented by me just signing up with different user details.
This then prompted the UK Gambling Commission to enforce some more rigid checks, and there have since been a record number of sign-ups last year.
And so, with the flaws that have been pointed out with it, there are plenty of online casinos and crypto casinos that don’t have GAMSTOP. These casinos also tend to have a lot of promotions and offers available at your disposal. This doesn’t mean to say at all that these casinos are not responsible. After all, GAMSTOP is not a government-led initiative and isn’t robust at all, nor is it a deterrent to those with gambling addictions.
Non-GAMSTOP casinos are still safe.
Despite them not utilising and implementing this third-party service, these online casinos still have to be regulated and licenced by both the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. Just because they don’t endorse GAMSTOP does not mean they are a law unto themselves. They are still regulated and licensed and they still have to provide a fair and enjoyable gaming experience to their players. And so don’t be under the illusion at all that these are some black market casinos you’re playing at if they don’t have GAMSTOP on; in fact, they are far from that.
In fact, some of the biggest and most popular online casinos out there don’t have GAMSTOP as part of their offering but, at the same time, have a lot of facilities that will ensure you have all the support you need, encourage responsible gambling, and do as much due diligence as they can. The only thing that you should do, which should be the case when you are looking for a new casino to play at, is to do your own research to choose reputable sites, like those recommended by Casinos Not On GAMSTOP Ltd. If you’ve found a new casino you want to play at that doesn’t have GAMSTOP, always make sure you check out some reviews and see if other players have had good experiences on the website and if there are any red flags you should be looking out for.
In Summary
Hopefully today this has highlighted that there are plenty of online casinos out there that don’t offer GAMSTOP, which are still wholly responsible and to whom you can sign up and enjoy a thrilling and enjoyable yet fair experience at an online casino if you wish to do so.
