Casinos not on GAMSTOP are online gambling sites that do not hold a UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) licence and are not covered by GAMSTOP, the national self-exclusion scheme. People often search for them as non gamstop casinos or non gamstop casinos uk. This page sets out what the searcher is usually looking for, what a UK player gives up, and what the licensed route looks like. It is information only, and it does not point you to any site.
What the search means
The phrase covers several wordings: uk casinos not on gamstop, casino sites not on gamstop and gamstop free casinos all describe the same thing. A casino that GAMSTOP does not reach, because the operator is licensed elsewhere or not at all. The person typing it is usually in one of three positions. Some have registered with GAMSTOP and now want to gamble again. Some dislike a UK rule such as a stake cap or an identity check. Others are simply curious how the offshore side works.
The first group deserves a plain statement. GAMSTOP exists so that a decision made in a calm moment holds in a weaker one. A site outside the scheme removes that protection, and it does so on purpose. Our GAMSTOP page explains how the scheme works and how long each exclusion period lasts.
What a UK player gives up
These casinos hold no UKGC licence and are not covered by GAMSTOP. Everything that follows from a UKGC licence is missing:
- Self-exclusion. Every UKGC licensee must check GAMSTOP, under the Commission's licence conditions. Sites outside the scheme do not.
- A UK complaint route. Licensed operators must have an approved alternative dispute resolution provider and the Commission supervises them. An offshore site answers to its own regulator, if it has one.
- Stake and design rules. The online slot stake cap of £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over, and £2 for ages 18 to 24, does not bind them. See stake limits.
- Affordability and customer interaction. Checks on spending and signs of harm are a UK licensing duty. Read more under affordability checks.
- The credit card ban. In force for UK licensed gambling since 14 April 2020; see the credit card ban page.
- Customer funds disclosure. UK licensees must tell players how their money is protected. An offshore site has no such duty to a UK player.
How offshore licences differ
Not every site outside GAMSTOP is unlicensed. Many hold a licence from a foreign regulator, and the difference between those regulators is large. Our pages on Curacao, Malta, Anjouan, Kahnawake and Costa Rica describe each one in turn.
A foreign licence is permission from that country. It is not permission to provide gambling to people in Great Britain, which needs a UKGC licence under the Gambling Act 2005. The regulators also differ in what they enforce, how they publish decisions and whether a player has any route to them. Most of them take complaints from their own licensees, not from you as a UK consumer.
Practical risks
The risks are practical more than dramatic. A withdrawal request can be held for document checks that the terms allow, and there may be nobody independent to ask. Terms can change, and a dispute may be settled under the law of a country you have never visited. Contact is often by chat only, and the company may be hard to trace.
Tax treatment is a separate matter and is not covered here. Another risk is the one GAMSTOP was built for: a site that never asks whether you have excluded yourself will not stop you at a bad moment. Our trust and safety page lists the points to check on any site before sharing personal details.
How to protect yourself
If you have registered with GAMSTOP, leave it active. It will keep working on every UK licensed site, which is a protection worth keeping even if you are curious about other sites. Do not shorten or end an exclusion just to test an offshore site.
Blocking software is a further layer. Tools that filter gambling sites on a phone or computer exist, and GamCare can point you to them. Setting limits at your bank, such as a gambling transaction block that some banks provide, adds another barrier. See other self-exclusion for options beyond GAMSTOP.
If gambling is causing harm, talk to someone. GamCare runs a free helpline and webchat, and the help lines page lists other support.
The licensed alternative
Licensed sites are not all the same, but they share a baseline: GAMSTOP, an ADR route, stake caps and affordability checks. The licensed casinos section lists the brands and companies on the Gambling Commission's public register as read on 9 November 2026, with licence numbers and activities. You can compare the register entry against any site before you use it with the licence check guide.
The offshore list is separate and sets out brand names, domains and regulators for information, nothing more.
Gambling help
Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over only. If it is affecting you, call the GamCare National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, free and open 24 hours, or use GamCare. You can register or check your status with GAMSTOP, and BeGambleAware has guidance and tools.