GamStop Program: What is it? What are the alternatives?

The world of online gambling has evolved as fast as the World Wide Web has allowed it to. It has been there from the early days of downloading casino programs to your computer to modern times when you can gamble from anywhere and everywhere. All this is to say that online gambling and online casinos have considerably changed humanity.

 

Of course, laws and regulations have been right behind these technologies. Many countries have different laws when it comes to online gambling as well as gambling in general. In some countries, gambling is completely banned. Other countries are more lenient, legalizing gambling but imposing strict standards and rules both for gamblers and gambling sites. The United Kingdom is one such country.

 

The United Kingdom is one of the most prominent countries that have solid gambling laws and regulations set in place. Their purpose is to protect the players and ensure the companies can operate safely in the UK. To that end, they have imposed age restrictions, taxation, and gambling syndicates. However, they have also created methods to control excessive gambling.

 

One of the methods the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) has ensured is the GamStop program. However, only a few are aware of this program or what its purpose is. In this article, we’ll explore the GamStop program and some safe alternatives.

What is the GamStop program?

The GamStop program is an online self-exclusion program that aims to help users regulate their excessive gambling activities. It offers players several options to this end. For example, the player can choose to set a limit on the deposits they can make, time spent gambling, and their losses while playing.

 

The UK Gambling Commission has helped establish this program along with The National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Limited and the Remote Gambling Association. The Remote Gambling Association Limited also operates this program.

 

Nearly all casinos registered and licensed in the UK are included in the GamStop program. However, there are non-GamStop casinos which allow users to access them even during their self-exclusion period. We’ll mention their benefits later.

 

Once you sign up for the GamStop program, you will need to provide some personal information. This includes your current address, contact number, e-mail address, date of birth, and any previously used residential or e-mail addresses. The self-exclusion period activates within 24 hours upon registering, and the limits you have set will apply.

 

While this program has been effective in dealing with gambling issues, it also has a few drawbacks. Many users have found it to be too restrictive and it cannot be canceled upon sign-up. These users generally use brick and mortar casinos as an alternative. However, they may also choose to use casinos that aren’t affiliated with the program. Still, much of the population has doubts when it comes to these casinos.

Benefits of non-GamStop casinos

The doubts many have when it comes to GamStop casinos are often unwarranted. However, the point of non-GamStop casinos is the fact that they are operated by offshore companies. This means you can still access them as they are not registered in the UK. Despite this, they are licensed and regulated by reputable authorities. This means you are still protected as the user of these websites.

 

Non-GamStop casinos may also offer options that are not available in UK casinos. Generally, they may have a wider or different variety of games and sports to bet on. International casinos generally have a larger selection of slot games, better odds when betting on sports, and even better live dealer options.

 

More often than not, these casinos also give players higher deposit bonuses and better loyalty programs. Depending on the casino, you may find that the limits on deposits and betting amounts are much higher than in UK-based gambling sites. However, this also depends on the payment method.

 

For example, PayPal will often limit the amount of money you can send to around $10,000 USD or depending on the currency. This may also change once you verify your PayPal account. If you use PayPal as a payment method for online casinos, a verified account will be able to send any amount.

How to choose a non-GamStop casino

Keeping all these benefits in mind, players may want to find the best casinos not on gamstop for them. For that reason, we’ve compiled a few tips to help you choose the right non-GamStop casino for you!

#1: Understand your preferences

You’ll have to figure out what experience you want to have while playing casino games. This question pertains to whether you like classic slots or prefer a live dealer twist on poker. Although most online casinos have an abundance of games for you to go through, they may focus on different categories.

 

Another important factor when it comes to your preferences is whether or not these casinos offer any bonuses and benefits. Some may even offer welcome bonuses upon sign-up or loyalty rewards upon logging in consecutively. All these benefits come into play when choosing the perfect non-GamStop casino for you.

#2: Consider payment options

Considering non-GamStop casinos operate outside of the UK, it’s important to know about the payment options in certain casinos. Most casinos will present this information before sign-up, so you don’t have to make an account to find out. However, keep in mind that your preferred payment method may not be available in some casinos.

 

When reviewing these payment options it also helps to see if the casinos have an option to pay with your currency. This will help you avoid conversion fees from payment providers such as PayPal. Researching these payment options is also helpful in figuring out whether or not they are trustworthy payment providers.

#3: Read reviews

Reading non-GamStop casino reviews is a great way to test the waters without risk. You may choose to read expert reviews or research previous user experience. Most casino-reviewing websites are very thorough and professional with their casino reviews.

This way, you can find out if the casino you’re planning to choose has had any issues with its users. You can read about the choice of games, customer support, and general experiences with the website experts and other users have had. All of these factors should be important and come into play when it comes to choosing the best non-GamStop casino for your needs.#

#4: Research tools

Although non-GamStop casinos are not a part of the GamStop program, they may offer their own options when it comes to controlling your gambling. These come in the form of deposit and betting limits. These limits are in place both for the player’s protection as well as the casino’s protection.

 

With the help of these tools, you can achieve your goals of controlled and safe gambling even after you’ve entered the self-exclusion period on GamStop. Some casinos can offer a break period after a certain amount of time if you so choose. This criterium is important if you’re still looking to exercise safe gambling while having fun on these websites.