As the UKGC tightens gambling restrictions, lots of Brits are looking for alternative sites that don’t follow UK regulations. The most popular type of site is a casino not on GamStop. You may have heard of them before and there aren’t that many differences between one of these sites and the big casinos you normally use.
However, one of the biggest disparities is found in the bonus section of these casinos. You’re able to choose a wide range of deals when joining non-GamStop sites that you can’t find at traditional UKGC casinos.
It makes you wonder if you’re missing out by not using these websites – do they possess a better array of bonuses than other online casinos? We’ll answer that question (and many others) in this quick guide.
Types Of Bonuses Offered By Casinos Not On GamStop
You will see any of the following bonuses at casinos that operate outside of GamStop and UKGC regulations:
- No Deposit Bonuses – These deals don’t require any real money to be wagered and are handed out as welcome offers or loyalty rewards. They’re also split into two categories, with free spins no deposit not on GamStop bonuses being the most common and free cash bonuses being rarer.
- Deposit Match Bonuses – An offer like this will match a user’s deposit and provide bonus funds to bet with. For instance, a 100% match deposit matches 100% of what you deposited. If you added £100 to your account, you receive a £100 bonus. This is the most popular and common bonus you’ll see; every site has one.
- Free Spins Bonuses – Some casinos outside GamStop offer free spins deals in their welcome packages. In essence, you deposit a minimum amount of money and unlock a set number of free spins. These spins can be used on slot titles and the site will normally say which titles are eligible.
- Cryptocurrency Bonuses – As some of you may be aware, cryptocurrency is banned at all UKGC casinos. Gambling sites that don’t have a UK licence – like non-GamStop sites – can (and will) accept crypto payments. Many will have special bonuses that reward every deposit with Bitcoin or other crypto methods. This will normally be a small match deposit, say 10 – 20 percent.
The eagle-eyed readers will note that we spoke about welcome offers and loyalty rewards when talking about no-deposit bonuses. These aren’t technically “types of bonuses” but they do relate to how any of the previous deals might be handed out.
A welcome bonus is given to new players and can only be claimed once when joining a casino.
A loyalty reward is a bonus handed out to regular players. They’re given randomly or you can earn the bonus depending on how often you play – it varies from casino to casino.
Do Non-GamStop Casinos Offer More Bonuses Than UK Sites?
Technically, yes.
Because UK casinos can’t accept crypto payments, they can’t provide crypto bonuses. Casinos not on GamStop will therefore provide at least one more bonus type than these sites!
Aside from this, there isn’t a massive difference in the types of bonuses offered by the two casino categories. Both offer similar deals and you can receive new player and welcome offers from either. If anything, the more significant difference relates to the size of the bonuses.
Looking at the top casino bonuses in the UK right now, even the best casinos have fairly underwhelming deals. At best, you’re receiving 100 or 150% match deposit offers for new players. A handful of free spins deals are thrown in too, but most of the bonuses are pretty small and insignificant.
We can’t seem to figure out why, but we believe it’s down to UKGC regulations. There aren’t any specific rules relating to bonuses – other than this page stating what companies should and shouldn’t do when setting bonus terms.
Our stance is that many UK online casinos don’t wish to provide big bonuses as they’re worried the UKGC will implement stricter regulations. After all, the UKGC wants to cut down on problem gambling and has introduced lots of restrictions over the last few years. Gambling companies make a lot of money and get lots of new members through bonus deals, so they want these to remain untouched. They keep them small to avoid the watchful eye of the UKGC.
Obviously, non-GamStop casinos don’t have to worry about this, which is why we see deals as big as 1000% welcome packages or 250% first-deposit deals with hundreds of free spins!
Things To Know Before Claiming Non-GamStop Casino Bonuses
We’ll bring this post to a close by going over some key information about non-GamStop casinos and their bonuses. Firstly, what is a non-GamStop casino?
It’s an online casino that is separate from the GamStop self-exclusion scheme. Therefore, it must operate outside UK gambling regulations. These casinos are largely based overseas in foreign territories like Curacao, Gibraltar or Sweden. Be aware that sites like these may have different rules or regulations in place and some are completely unlicensed.
Before claiming any GamStop-free bonuses, pay close attention to these main terms and conditions:
- Wagering Requirements – This will state how many times you must wager your bonus if it is to be withdrawn as cash. The higher this figure, the harder it will be to win real money.
- Maximum Bet Requirements – This puts a limit on how much you can bet in one go. Some bonuses place restrictions so you can’t use your entire bonus at once.
- Maximum Cashout Allowance – A key term that states the maximum you can win by using a bonus. Let’s say the maximum cashout allowance is £100 but you won £200 using your bonus and met the wagering requirements. You’d only be allowed to withdraw £100.
Don’t get caught out by T&Cs when obtaining bonuses and always check a site’s legitimacy before claiming an offer.
In conclusion, casinos not on GamStop will offer more bonus deals as they can provide unique offerings like crypto match deposit promos. You’re also far more likely to find big bonus packages on these sites as most UK casinos provide very small deals these days.
