Self-exclusion schemes provide many benefits for regular casino users. They give you a chance to restrict access to multiple casinos at once, offering the perfect time to cool off. You’re free from temptations, can take time to assess your gambling habits and maintain better mental clarity. GamStop is the main self-exclusion scheme for UK players, though it’s not as perfect as it seems. The shortest period of self-exclusion is 6 months on this scheme – which is a pretty long time! This creates different problems for players, most notably the inability to join or use gambling sites until the full exclusion period is over.
Keep in mind 6 months is the shortest – you can be excluded from hundreds of sites for up to 7 years. That’s a crazy amount of time considering you may only need a break for a couple of weeks. What if you want to place a few bets on the football? Or, maybe you fancy playing a few casino games. You took a break and know how to gamble responsibly, yet you’re blocked from doing so. It can lead you down a very dangerous path where you encounter black market scam sites. This puts you at more risk than you were before self-excluding!
You must avoid finding dangerous sites like these, which is why the goal is to locate credible sites away from self-exclusion schemes – but how do you find them? Here are some simple tips:
Read trusted reviews of casinos outside GamStop
The best approach is finding reviews of casinos existing outside self-exclusion schemes. It’s easy to find a good non GamStop casino at CasinoGam with credible reviews from trusted sources. You can read all about the different casino sites without self-exclusion requirements, getting a good view of the ratings, features, etc.
Reviews always help you figure out which sites are the most:
- Trustworthy
- Exciting
- Complete
Different players may have different preferences depending on what they’re into. For you, the dream casino offers amazing slot games while for someone else they might prioritise poker. Reading reliable reviews lets you see which casinos outside GamStop are the best for you and can replicate the experience you’re used to.
Check for player feedback
As well as scouring loads of online reviews, keep an eye on player feedback from different websites. You can use platforms like Trustpilot to help with this as they provide ratings and comments from users. Search for any sites you find on review platforms and look at what the players say to back up the ratings.
One big thing to keep in mind here; pay attention to the comments rather than the scores on platforms like Trustpilot. Many people write bad reviews for no reason – you’ll see they complain about not winning money, but that’s not the website’s fault! Look for comments talking about the site’s safety and trustworthiness over anything else. You’ll quickly differentiate between worthwhile and trusted sites for self-excluding players and those on the black market.
Look for licensed casinos outside the UK & Australia
Casinos without a UK licence will not be part of self-exclusion schemes like GamStop. However, you still need to be sure these sites are trustworthy and legal. Look for any platforms with international gambling licences – like ones from Curacao or the Philippines – and you’re immediately on the right track.
These casino sites will be licensed and regulated, proving their safety, though they’re under no obligation to join self-exclusion schemes. If you’re on GamStop, you can open the sites and create accounts with no problems whatsoever.
We should also note it’s wise to avoid casinos with Australian gambling licences too. They won’t be part of GamStop, but this country has its own self-exclusion register called BetStop. It’s basically the same thing, only for gambling websites and players in Australia.
Use a VPN to join American gambling sites
Online gambling in the USA has grown in popularity within the last decade and more states now allow online casino wagering. At the very least, sports betting is prominent in this country so there are loads of safe and credible gambling platforms to try. All of these exist beyond any self-exclusion schemes yet remain regulated and secure. Access them by downloading and installing a VPN to make it look like you’re playing from America.
Most people associate VPN usage with using streaming services outside their country. That’s one of many benefits – another is that you can access websites and platforms that are usually blocked where you live. Using a VPN helps you find reliable casinos with loads of great games to play.
In conclusion, self-exclusion schemes have ups and downs. They are beneficial for many punters, though there comes a point when they’re too oppressive. It leads players down dark and dangerous paths, creating more risks than intended. Finding safe places to gamble outside of self-exclusion schemes is the key to remaining safe until your exclusion runs out. As always, make sure you’re betting responsibly!
