Gamstop is a voluntary self-exclusion program designed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) to protect habitual and over-keen gamblers. The program works universally across the United Kingdom, and voluntary gamblers who register for the program are excluded from all gambling activities, betting, software providers and other relative connections to the gambling industry. It also allows registered gamblers to refrain from receiving promotional material enticing punters to gamble.

According to the UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission), the Gamstop free service makes it impossible for registered gamblers to log in to their accounts or engage with a gambling platform. Casinos registered with GamStop must comply with the rules and regulations imposed by the UKGM and eventually offer the opportunity for problem gamblers to enroll in the service. The self-exclusion period varies from six months to one year to five years. The program’s exclusion practice can affect any bettor in the United Kingdom. No punter is forced to be part of the program, and the best way to get around GamStop is not to register for its services or to visit online casinos not registered with Gamstop. 

Finding alternative ways to gamble around Gamstop 

Although the creation and objectives of GamStop are genuine and geared to protect problem gamblers and could be seen as a life-saver for over-keen gamblers, some may venture to register and place themselves for self-exclusion without carefully mulling the repercussions. In the spur of the moment, it may look plausible to control one’s gambling habits; however, some gamblers can eventually realize that they do not have a gambling problem and want to return to their pastime before the end of the self-exclusion period. Asking GamStop to reverse one’s registration is not an option, as the system will not allow gamblers to cancel their registration. So how can any gambler registered on GamStop bypass the design and resume participating in the gambling industry?

Before answering this question, gamblers will be wise to ponder the benefits of bypassing the system and continuing with their gambling entertainment or sticking to the rules and regulations of self-exclusion. The benefits derived from circumventing the method may include the opportunity to try more exotic gambling offshore platforms procuring a different betting experience, and if you cannot bet online, you can always get back to the old system of physically visiting land-based casinos or your local betting outlet. In contrast, to the benefits, bypassing GamStop creates the risk of falling back into the addiction world with all possible consequences to the gambler, his family and friends.

Joining non-UK international gambling sites

Besides avoiding registration to the program, another simple way to bypass GamStop is to join gambling sites and platforms that are not part of the GamStop system. The program is brilliant in protecting gamblers with gambling problems, but it only affects platforms forming part of the program. This is one of the flaws of GamStop as there are many gambling websites outside the program’s influence and only those with the UKGC license are obliged to join the system. There is a substantial number of online bookies, poker rooms and lottery/bingo platforms not part of GamStop, and any gambler can easily access these sites and join any of them at their leisure.

As GamStop is only limited to the borders of the United Kingdom, the program does not affect offshore gambling sites. On occasion, UK-based gamblers can be skeptical about joining or using the services of offshore betting sites. Still, plenty of betting sites hold respected licenses and are strictly controlled within their jurisdictions. Not all offshore gambling sites accept UK players, as many of them ban UK citizens from accessing their services. Therefore, the UK gambler must search for those offshore sites accepting UK players. It should be noted that although offshore online gambling sites cannot be part of GamStop, they sometimes operate their self-exclusion programs.

Visiting Bitcoin and cryptocurrency gambling sites 

Another option for registered gamblers to bypass GamStop is to seek the services and facilities of Bitcoin casinos or non-verification gambling sites. These sites are becoming increasingly popular with bettors as in addition to circumventing GamStop, they offer an excellent gambling experience for any player looking for a safe, secure and private gambling environment. Naturally, to use a Bitcoin casino, a player needs to have a cryptocurrency account, and due to today’s advanced technology, it should be of no particular problem to the punter. In addition, there is no difference between a bitcoin-operated casino and a typical casino except for the mode of payment. Both types of casinos offer a wide range of quality games from reliable software providers, good welcome bonuses and rewards.

For a problem gambler to join GamStop, they must provide personal details during the registration process. Giving false information during the registration process is illegal, and gamblers are advised to try this method to bypass GamStop. In any case, the system will not allow registration. That said, there are legal alternatives on how to register to GamStop and at the same time, keep your options open to gamble. Using phonetics to spell your name is legal and not against the law. For example, if your name is Mark, you can spell it as Marc. This should be enough to register under a different name to the system. One can use the Cyrillic script.

Given that the letters are very similar to the dead language of Latin, the system will register them differently as they have different Unicode numbers. Simply give a different address. This is allowed by the system as people move from one address to another all the time. This bypass technique is somewhat tricky, although not illegal.

Seek help from friends and family 

Problem gamblers can simply ask their partner, family members or friends to use their details when registering to GamStop. When using this method, the gambler needs to ensure that they fully trust the person and relies on them to give him the money in case of winning a bet. Remember, all gambling sites ask for the user’s payment methods to be registered in their own name and you will not be allowed to use your own e-wallet or credit card if you register under another person’s account.

Using a trustworthy VPN service 

Using the services of a virtual private network (VPN) is an effective way to bypass GamStop. The VPN protects the user’s location and the IP address and projects the location as coming from a different region/continent. It also offers and acts as a very secure network and keeps you safe on the internet. UK gamblers can use VPN service to join offshore gambling platforms irrespective of whether the sites accept UK players. When it comes to choosing a VPN for bypassing GamStop, both Surfshark and NordVPN are solid options, providing robust privacy features and reliable connections, ensuring UK gamblers can access offshore gambling platforms with enhanced security and anonymity.

Visiting Land-based Casinos 

Self-exclusion on GamStop is limited to online casinos, and Land-based casinos and betting shops are not part of the system. Gamblers can always refer back to the old way of betting and physically visit the nearest casino or betting shop or simply wait until the self-exclusion period has elapsed.

The options to bypass GamStop are endless. The method of how to go about bypassing the system is up to you but most importantly, whether it is wise to circumvent a system that is there to help you combat your habit.