Gambling sites “not on GAMSTOP”: the law, the risks and where to get help

According to the Gambling Commission’s analysis of search estimates, “not on GAMSTOP” is the most prominent theme in searches linked to illegal gambling websites, and has become something of a label for finding them, even among people who have not self-excluded. This guide explains why, what the Commission has found about who uses these sites, which protections you lose, and where to get help if you have self-excluded and are finding it hard.

Why “not on GAMSTOP” means unlicensed

GAMSTOP is the free national self-exclusion scheme for online gambling in Great Britain. Under the Commission’s social responsibility code 3.5.5 (opens in a new tab), holders of remote (online, telephone and email) licences must take part in it. The exceptions are mainly business-to-business licences and a few narrow cases, such as remote lottery licences that do not offer instant-win lotteries. Our GAMSTOP guide explains what that means for licensed operators.

The Commission’s page on how it tackles illegal gambling (opens in a new tab) says it is illegal to provide gambling to people in Great Britain without a Commission operating licence (or a valid exemption for non-commercial gambling), wherever in the world the gambling is provided from. A licence issued in another country does not allow an operator to take bets from people in Great Britain. Without a valid defence, it is also a criminal offence to advertise unlawful gambling to people in Great Britain.

So an online casino or betting site that takes players in Great Britain while advertising that it is outside GAMSTOP is not operating under a Great Britain licence.

What the Commission’s research found

The Commission has published a series of research reports on illegal online gambling.

• The search term has become a gateway. Its phase 3 report (opens in a new tab) (20 October 2026) says “not on GamStop” has evolved beyond its original meaning. It is now widely used as shorthand for features associated with the illegal market, such as fewer checks, less friction, faster withdrawals and alternative payment options. Some people use these sites deliberately to get round GAMSTOP, but others search for them without having self-excluded.
• Access, not a better experience, drives use. The same report says illegal site use is most strongly linked to looking for sites not blocked by GAMSTOP and sites that ask for minimal personal information. It also found that people often meet the same frustrations on illegal sites as on licensed ones, but without the same protections.
• Self-excluded people are targeted. In the phase 1 research (opens in a new tab) (18 September 2025), people who had self-excluded said the main route in was searching online for sites not registered with GAMSTOP. They also described large amounts of direct marketing and targeted social media advertising, and some recalled phone calls from illegal operators. Looking back, they described this market as predatory.
• How many people use these sites. Using new questions in the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, the Commission found that 1% of respondents had engaged with an illegal gambling website in the 12 months to April 2026. Among people who gamble online (excluding the National Lottery), it was 4%. The Commission describes this as a baseline for tracking trends.
• What users reported. In the phase 4 findings (opens in a new tab) (5 November 2026), among the small group of respondents who had used an illegal gambling website, 58% had used a site they knew was not on GAMSTOP, and 46.7% had signed up to a site because they knew they would not need to verify their age or identity. This is based on about 128 people, so the figures are indicative.

What you lose on an unlicensed site

The rules described across our guides apply to businesses licensed by the Commission. An unlicensed site does not have to follow any of them. That includes:

• Self-exclusion. It is not part of GAMSTOP, and it does not have to close your account or stop marketing to you if you ask it to.
• Age and identity checks before you deposit or play. See withdrawals and ID checks.
• Limits on how you pay. Licensed operators cannot accept credit cards, and they must not let you cancel a withdrawal once you have asked for it. See payment methods.
• Safer gambling tools and game rules, such as deposit limits, reality checks and the stake limits on online slots. See safer gambling tools and online slots stake limits.
• Protection of your balance. Licensed online operators must keep customer funds separate and tell you how well they are protected. See customer funds protection.
• A complaints process and free dispute resolution. See how to complain.

The Commission’s investigations into unlicensed websites have found that people often contacted it because they could not withdraw their money, that complaints were often not dealt with, and that such sites may be linked to organised crime. Our guide to checking a UK gambling licence sets out those findings and shows how to check whether a site is licensed, including its exact web address.

What the Commission is doing about it

The Commission investigates offences under the Gambling Act 2005 and can bring prosecutions in England and Wales; in Scotland, prosecutions are for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. It says its approach targets what illegal operators need to work at scale, including processing payments, advertising, access to games and software, and keeping customers.

In her CEO Briefing speech (opens in a new tab) on 5 November 2026, the Commission’s Acting Chief Executive compared April to September 2026 with the whole of the previous financial year:

At the start of the first Illegal Gambling Awareness Week (9 to 13 November 2026), the Commission said (opens in a new tab) it is widening its focus from websites to the money, assets and business models behind illegal operators. It said more than £40 million of suspected criminal funds had been referred to partner agencies for potential asset freezing since January.

If you have self-excluded and want to gamble

The Commission’s research found that people who had self-excluded often continued to gamble, and that the urge to gamble often outweighed the risks at the time. If that sounds familiar, support is available:

• Talk to someone. The National Gambling Helpline is free, confidential and open 24 hours a day on 0808 8020 133 (England and Scotland). In Wales, the NHS All-Wales Gambling Helpline is on 0808 2819 265.
• Add more blocks. GAMSTOP only covers licensed operators. Gambling-blocking software and a gambling block on your bank card work separately from it. Our safer gambling tools guide explains both.
• Get treatment. NHS and other services are free, and you can usually refer yourself. See gambling treatment in Great Britain.
• Deal with money worries. If debt is part of the pressure, see gambling and debt.

Reporting an illegal gambling site

You can report an unlicensed gambling site through the Commission’s confidential “Tell us something in confidence” (opens in a new tab) service. It also takes reports of underage gambling, money laundering and other suspicious activity. It cannot tell you what happens next, and it does not resolve individual disputes.