GamStop is a useful service when you want to take part in this self-exclusion scheme and limit your gambling activities. However, it can also become a pain in the neck if you’re looking for a way to play poker after some time to find out you cannot do it.
I’ve been part of GamStop for a while, and I can tell you that it’s not as useful as they claim to be. I’ve ended up with restricted access to many poker sites and, as an avid poker player, that was something I didn’t really like.
If you accidentally signed up at GamStop or you want to get out of self-exclusion earlier than scheduled, you won’t be allowed to play in any of the UK poker sites. But I can show you how you can still quench your thirst for poker.
That’s why I made in-depth research to find the sites that are not on GamStop. Needless to say, my little journey turned out to be quite fruitful, as I’ve stumbled upon a plethora of online poker rooms where you can play as much as you want.
Yet, not all of them seemed right. I wanted to have the same experience as if I was playing on reputable poker sites in the UK. After a lot of sleepless nights of playing poker and exploring sites, I finally managed to narrow down the list to a couple of platforms that I really consider the best.
This article is dedicated to all poker enthusiasts who are looking for a well-regulated poker room that doesn’t belong to the GamStop group. That also means that the UKGC license is off the board, considering that all UK poker sites are now required to participate in the GamStop scheme.
There’s nothing to worry about – the UK Gambling Commission isn’t the only reputable gambling licensing jurisdiction in the world. In fact, plenty of world-class poker platforms are licensed by the Malta Gaming Commission and Curacao, which are just as legitimate as the UKGC.
You just need to know where to look, and that’s where my expertise kicks in. I know the poker industry inside out and know exactly which operators can be trusted and which ones you should stay away from.
Here’s a recap of all the stuff you’re going to learn on this page:
- What the best non-GamStop poker sites are
- Gamstop — how does the self-exclusion scheme work?
- What next for GamStop Poker?
- Are non-GamStop poker sites legit?
- How non-GamStop poker platforms work
- Top non-Gamstop poker sites
- How I rate each online poker room
- Advantages and disadvantages of non-GamStop poker sites
- Final thoughts
- FAQ
Let’s get right into it!
Best Poker Sites That Are Not on GamStop
What you’ll see below is a list of poker sites that are not on GamStop. What makes them stand out from the crowd is that all of them passed my strict assessment test.
Therefore, all the platforms located on this page are actually the best you can get outside the GamStop. I’m certain that the majority of poker sites you’ll find on this list are even better than many GamStop sites.
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What Is GamStop and How Does It Work?
GamStop is a UK national self-exclusion scheme that was created to help people with online gambling problems. It was launched in 2018 by the Remote Gambling Association and it is currently operated by a UK non-profit organisation called The National Online Self-Exclusion Scheme Limited.
How does it work? It’s rather simple. If you’re struggling with gambling addiction, you go to GamStop, submit your personal information, and choose how long you want to be excluded from gambling sites. You can choose to be banned for 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years.
Once you sign the papers and enrol in the program, you will be denied access to all gambling sites that belong to the GamStop group. And since GamStop works closely with the UKGC, that means that you won’t be able to register or play on any gambling sites licensed in the UK. I believe that GamStop should have made a somewhat different approach to the whole self-exclusion thing, allowing players at least to be able to play poker with certain limits.
Nevertheless, those who changed their mind and are looking for an alternative are definitely going to be happy with non-GamStop poker sites — especially the ones I selected on this page. All of them are definitely top-of-the-class platforms where every poker player can enjoy playing their favourite cash games and tournaments.
The Gambling Commission has recently made changes to their licensing conditions, making it obligatory for all online gambling operators to sign up to GamStop. That means that all gambling sites licensed in the UK are required to deny access to GamStop users.
What Now?
First of all, I must say that I’m not advocating against signing up with GamStop. I applaud and even admire those who fully accept that they have a gambling problem and are willing to do something about it.
But what about those who accidentally signed to GamStop or didn’t think it through? Or maybe you were forced to do it by your employer, or maybe someone else. And what about those who got their gambling problems under control before their ban has expired?
The main problem here is that once you sign up for GamStop, the effects are irreversible — there’s no going back. There is no way to bypass the exclusion system. You can’t just go to GamStop and tell them that you want to get back into gambling and ask them to revoke your block. It doesn’t work that way.
The other problem is with the gambling sites themselves. Once you’ve signed with GamStop, a lot of poker rooms and casinos will put your name on the blacklist, effectively prohibiting you from playing on their website, forever.
But there is a way to get around the scheme and experience poker not on GamStop. If you really miss gambling, this is the best way to get some poker action. And as you’re going to find out soon, these sites are just as great and safe as their UK-licensed competitors.
Are Non GamStop Poker Sites Legit?
Absolutely. These sites are heavily regulated by some of the most respected licensing jurisdictions in the world, like the Malta Gaming Authority or the Curacao Government. In terms of safety and legitimacy, you have nothing to worry about when playing on non GamStop poker sites.
As far as the overall quality is concerned, poker rooms that are not licensed in the UK are top-notch. Most of them offer massive bonuses, worth up to several thousands of pounds — more than you’ll ever come across on Gamstop-associated sites.
Several world-renowned poker rooms are non Gamstop sites. For instance, all the top US poker rooms are licensed in Malta, Curacao, Panama, or some other jurisdiction with loose online gambling laws. Most of these places accept UK players, including the ones listed in the GamStop database.
Additionally, players in non GamStop poker sites will have an easier time depositing and withdrawing, since they don’t have to go through numerous Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures as they would if they were playing in a UK-licences poker room.
Playing in poker sites that are not on Gamstop is a great way to circumvent the GamStop block. Instead of having to wait up to 5 years for your ban to expire, you can play in a poker room that’s not a member of the GamStop’s platform.
How Are Non-GamStop Poker Platforms Different from GamStop Ones?
The only thing that makes non-GamStop poker sites different from the ones that are part of GamStop are licences. All the GamStop sites are also regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission which provides licences for them. That way, the UKGC is in direct control of them.
On the other hand, all non-GamStop sites have licences from other regulators around the globe, which makes them accessible to players in the UK.
Top Non GamStop Poker Sites
I’ve set apart a few poker sites not on GamStop that I found to be the best options in terms of the quality of games, traffic, legitimacy, support and other relevant aspects.
However, I wanted to narrow down the list even further and add poker sites that I consider the best of the best.
Feel free to examine all of them below, as I listed my reasons why I consider them special. Read on!
Feel free to examine all of them below, as I listed my reasons why I consider them special. Read on!
How Do I Rate Non GamStop Poker Sites?
The process of selection wasn’t an easy one, but I felt that this was something that I needed to do in order to provide UK players with the best possible online poker experience. That’s why I came up with a very strict assessment test for these sites and included on the list only the ones that had the highest score on the test.
Most of the poker platforms that are not part of the GamStop scheme are actually not licensed by the UKGC at all. In fact, they mostly have licenses from other operators around the globe. I understand that players from the UK might not trust sites that don’t have a UKGC license.
That was a reason good enough for me to make sure to include only the reputable sites that have a long and successful history and are trusted by the players worldwide.
Here, I’ll walk you through my selection process.
Licensing
The first thing I did was to exclude all the non-GamStop poker sites that aren’t legitimate. I understand that the UK Gambling Commission is something that many players trust, but I also know that there are many other legitimate regulatory bodies out there that license dozens of poker sites, casinos, bookmakers, and more.
If a poker site has a non-UK license, this tells me that the site isn’t connected with GamStop, and that it, therefore, accepts players registered in the program.
If I see that the site has MGA, Curacao, or any other reputable license, this reassures me that it’s 100% safe and secure to play at if you’re worried about security or tracking for purposes of personal tracking, credit rating and so on. These licensing jurisdictions make sure that the operator treats its players professionally and fairly.
Therefore, I made sure that all the sites which made it to my preliminary list are licensed by an official regulatory body. Moreover, I checked the license of every single one to confirm that it’s legit.
Restricted Countries
Being licensed outside the UK, Non-Gamstop poker sites have every right not to accept players from the UK. As a matter of fact, many of them cannot be accessed by the people from the United Kingdom due to certain geo-restrictions.Now, I’m not going to talk about why anyone would forbid UK residents from registering, but the fact is, some operators do.
That’s why I first check out the ‘restricted countries’ list to see whether the UK is on there or not and then proceed with analysing other aspects.
In other words, you can play poker on these platforms, no matter where you are in the UK.
Games Selection
Even if a poker site is both legitimate and available in the UK, that still doesn’t mean it’s good. Therefore, I made sure that only the sites with the best offer of poker games are included. In other words, all the platforms located on this page are of the highest quality, meaning you will have a pleasurable experience while playing your favourite poker games.
A top-rated poker room must feature several poker variants, including Hold’em and Omaha, as well as some less prevalent formats and other non-poker games such as video slots and even bingo.
Furthermore, the poker room must constantly offer a number of tournaments and SNG’s, even if they were for softer competition. If there isn’t a sufficient number of competitions, the operator certainly won’t get a recommendation from me.
This was actually the most difficult part for me, as I played poker on each of the sites that remained on the list to test the game variety, player liquidity, peak times, and more. I basically tested every important aspect that makes an online poker game entertaining and smooth.
What you see on this page are not only the best non-GamStop poker sites These are the best poker sites overall, as many of them are better than those that are part of the UK self-exclusion scheme.
Bonuses
Any poker room worth its salt realizes how significant it is to keep its new and existing players happy and engaged by increasing their chances to win. And what better way to keep the players motivated than by offering them massive bonuses?All the Non-Gamstop poker sites above provide exceptional bonuses for both newcomers and existing players. If there is a superb Rakeback deal on offer or a lucrative bad beat jackpot — the operator will climb higher or my list.
Software
For me personally, the functionality of the poker client is one of the most significant aspects. That’s why I choose poker sites that work seamlessly on all devices, both mobile, and desktop.The operator must have a user-friendly interface that’s optimised for all popular iOS and Android mobile phones. A downloadable client is not mandatory, but the brand must offer some means for players to play on the go — whether it be through a dedicated app or instant play mobile version of the site.
Banking
A fully-equipped banking section is a must-have for all Non-GamStop poker sites. UK players must have at least several payment methods at their disposal, and the fees involved in transactions should be low to non-existent. Also, withdrawal times should be reduced to a bare minimum.
All the sites on this list offer popular payment methods that are often used by poker players from the UK. Therefore, once you choose the site that meets your needs, you should also check out the payment options on it. Chances are that you’re going to find the method that you’re currently using for making online transactions.
Support
I deem customer support essential for any online poker site. When playing in an offshore gambling site, you’ll need someone to provide 24/7 assistance and help you out with any questions you may have regarding registration, payments, and technical issues.
Moreover, I believe that poker sites not on GamStop should offer great support in order to gain the trust of players who decide to sign up.
All the sites I’ve chosen for my list have around-the-clock customer support that treats UK players in a professional manner. Email and live chat support are mandatory – the faster they handle customer queries, the more points they get from me.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Non-GamStop Poker Platforms
There are several advantages of non-GamStop poker sites, such as:
Pros
- Great welcome bonuses
- Variety of games available
- Available to UK players, but also to players around the globe (except for restricted countries)
- More poker games covered compared to GamStop sites.
Cons
When it comes to disadvantages, I can only name one, but it’s kind of an important one- A lack of proper regulation – What I want to say is that there are poker sites out there that are simply going to steal your money, so it’s expected that you don’t trust sites outside of the UKGC jurisdiction.
However, I made absolutely sure that no such sites are present in this article. Instead, I made a list of the industry-leading sites with a high reputation and even better offer of poker games.
Final Thoughts
That’s it, folks. It wasn’t so difficult to circumvent the Gamstop scheme, was it?
If you signed yourself up for the self-exclusion program, there’s no going back. But there are still dozens of reliable poker sites that provide the same quality of service like the ones that are linked with GamStop.
Non-GamStop poker sites are a haven for those who want to play in a safe and reliable gaming environment that doesn’t have anything to do with GamStop or the UKGC.
If I failed to answer some of the questions you may have regarding this topic, don’t hesitate to leave a message in the comment section below. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
FAQ
Can I sign off from GamStop?
Are poker sites that are not on GamStop legal?
Are Non-GamStop poker sites safe?
Can UK players play in Non-GamStop poker sites?
Are there any bonuses for UK players on Non-GamStop poker sites?
Can I play on Non-GamStop poker sites on my mobile phone?
Are non-GamStop poker platforms rigged?
What kind of poker is offered on non-GamStop poker sites?
Are poker sites not on GamStop regulated?
Which payment methods are accepted on non-GamStop poker sites?
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