Found a casino not on GamStop? Read this first

You signed up to GamStop. On a clear day, you made a good decision.

And now you are here, because you found a site that is not on GamStop. Maybe you already played on it. Maybe tonight, maybe last week.

First, this: you searched for something that brought you to a page like this one. Not to a casino review. That matters. Someone who has stopped wanting to stop does not end up reading this.

I am not going to judge you. I gambled for eight years. I know how this works. I also know how people get out of it. Read on, slowly.

What this does not mean

It does not mean you are hopeless. It does not mean you are a lost cause. It does not mean you will never stop.

It means your addiction is stronger than one lock. And one lock was never going to be enough on its own.

That is not failure. That is information. It tells you how much structure you actually need.

What it does mean

Three things. Once you see them, the rest gets easier.

One: an addicted brain looks for routes. That is what it does. You do not have to hate it for that, and you do not have to admire it either. Close one door and it starts looking for the next. The mistake is thinking that closing one door is enough.

Two: this is the pattern that costs years if nobody breaks it. You are officially excluded, so on paper you have dealt with it. Meanwhile you are still playing somewhere most evenings. Nobody around you can see it. That makes it one of the most dangerous places to be, because it looks like action and changes nothing.

Three: it can stop. Not by finding the next site to work around. By changing the whole set-up. That is what the rest of this page is about.

What "not on GamStop" actually means

GamStop covers websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain. A site that advertises itself as "not on GamStop" is telling you, in plain words, that it does not have that licence, or that it ignores the rules that come with it.

The Gambling Commission puts it simply: when a business has its licence, you are protected by consumer and gambling protection rules in Great Britain. Without that licence, you are not. No safer gambling checks. No proper route to complain if a withdrawal never arrives. Nobody watching who they let in.

These sites exist because there are people trying to get around their own exclusion. That is their business model. They are not offering you freedom. They are selling to the moment you are weakest.

So you lose twice. The addiction wins, and you play on a field with no referee.

Why one lock was not enough

You probably did what most people do. You signed up to GamStop and felt relief. That relief was real.

For some people, that is enough. For you, it was too thin. Here is what was missing.

No lock on your devices. GamStop works at the gambling company. It does nothing on your phone. Any site without a British licence is just a link away.

No lock on your money. Your bank does not know you are trying to stop unless you tell it. Card payments to offshore sites can go straight through.

No lock with people. Nobody knows what you do in the evening. The pattern carries on in silence.

No lock on time. No fixed appointment, no one who checks in, no evening that is already filled.

Every missing layer is an opening. An addicted brain will find it. Not because you are weak. Because that is how it works.

The set-up that does work

You do not have to do it all today. But do it this week, not this month.

Layer 1: block it on your devices. Install a gambling blocker on every device you use. BetBlocker is free. Gamban is paid, with a free trial, and covers all your devices on one licence. Both also block sites that are not on GamStop, because they work on your device, not at the casino.

On an iPhone, use Screen Time as well, and let someone else choose the passcode. You need the key out of your own hands. More detail in How to block gambling sites, apps and bank payments.

Layer 2: turn on your bank's gambling block. Most big UK banks have one in their app, and most build in a delay of 48 hours or more before you can switch it off. At Monzo you choose the cooldown yourself. A block on card payments makes those offshore sites much harder to pay. It is not watertight. It does not cover every transfer or payment app. But it buys you time.

Layer 3: tell one person. A partner, a parent, a friend, a counsellor. Tell them: "I am gambling around my GamStop. I want out. Will you ask me once a week if I gambled?" One question, one honest answer. A weekly check-in with someone you cannot lie to breaks the secrecy, and secrecy is what keeps this going. If that conversation feels impossible, How to tell someone you have a gambling problem walks you through it.

Layer 4: get support from outside, this month. Working around your own exclusion is a sign the pattern is strong. That is not a judgement. It means it is worth having someone in your corner who does this every day. Call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. It is free and open 24/7. They can talk it through with you and tell you what support is available where you live, including treatment. You can also start with your GP.

Layer 5: fill the hours. When do you gamble? Be honest: evenings, weekends, lunch breaks, nights. Fill those hours before they arrive. Not with "I will exercise more", but with something specific. Tuesday evening, five-a-side. Thursday, dinner at a friend's. Saturday morning, a long walk. Empty hours are the dangerous hours. What to do instead of gambling has more ideas.

What to do tonight, before you sleep

Do these three things tonight, not tomorrow.

Get the site off your phone. Close the tab, clear the history, delete the login. If you saved card details there, remove them.
Install a blocker. BetBlocker takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
Send one message to one person. "I am having a hard time with gambling. Can we talk tomorrow?" That is enough.

If the urge is strong right now, delay it by 15 minutes. Set a timer. For many people an urge peaks and then fades, often within 20 minutes. Get up, go to another room, go outside. The free Afterbetting recovery kit has a timer and the helpline ready, one tap on Help.

What to do tomorrow morning

Turn on your bank's gambling block. Do it in the app, before the day starts.
Look at your money honestly. Not to punish yourself, but to know where you stand. If there is debt, Rebuilding your finances after gambling has a plan you can stick to.
Call the helpline, or book your GP. Today, while the decision is fresh.

And if you gambled last night, that is not the end. Read What to do after a gambling relapse. You did not lose everything. You lost a day.

One last thing

GamStop on its own is a thin fence. For someone with a serious addiction, the fence needs more around it. That is not shameful. That is building work.

Build it. The first layer tonight, the second and third tomorrow, the rest this week.

And if you cannot do this on your own, which is very possible, that is not one more failure. It is a sign you need someone next to you from the first step. I did not get out of this alone either.

Today is a good day to start. Better than yesterday. Sooner than tomorrow.

Frequently asked questions

Are casinos not on GamStop legal?

A company needs a Gambling Commission licence to offer gambling to people in Great Britain. A site that is not on GamStop usually does not have one. Whatever its status, you have none of the protections that come with a British licence.

Can I get my money back from a casino not on GamStop?

Often not. Without a British licence there is no Gambling Commission complaints route. Ask your bank straight away whether a chargeback is possible on card payments. There is no guarantee, but it is worth asking.

Do blockers like Gamban and BetBlocker block sites not on GamStop?

Yes. They work on your device, not at the casino, so they also block gambling sites without a British licence. Install one on every device you use.

Is GamStop pointless if there are sites around it?

No. It still closes every site licensed in Great Britain. It is one layer. Add a blocker, a bank block and one person who knows, and the gaps get a lot smaller.

Sources

Help with an urge, one tap away

The recovery kit in the app is free: a 15-minute delay timer, a message to your person and the helpline.

Start free