Unregulated Casinos in the UK
Unregulated Casinos?Β The online gambling industry is one of the most rapidly growing industries globally. According to research published by Ibisworld, based on expert analysis and a database of +70 industries, it found that the online gambling industry ranks sixth in the list of the highest growing industries for 2022-2023, with revenue growth of 14.9%.
Jason Farrell`s Blog about UnregulatedΒ Online Casinos. Last Updated: December 2024
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List of Unregulated Online Casinos: Are they a great find or a big risk?
Your one stop guide to finding the very best Unregulated Online casinos.
πSafe π±Mobile Friendly πLicensed π°Fastest Payouts
In fact, the past two years have been a milestone in the history of iGaming industry. Although many experts thought that online gambling, like other entertainment industries, would decline, the opposite has happened! The spread of the coronavirus and home isolation restrictions has significantly increased traffic to offshore casinos, which has accelerated the pace of regulatory actions against these sites. However, they are still available in abundance on the web!
Although the name βUnregulated casinosβ might imply that these sites are run by unscrupulous people who are just looking to get your money without any oversight, this idea is not correct at all! The non UK casinos are sites authorized by offshore regulatory committees such as the CuraΓ§ao Gaming Control Board, the Malta Gaming Commission, or the Gibraltar Commission. However, the companies operating these sites do not have headquarters in the UK and therefore do not hold the UKGC license.
DefinitionOffshore casinos are not licensed in the UK, but hold statutory licenses issued by other trusted commissions. |
What Are Unregulated casinos? And Why Is It So Common in the UK?
All forms of online gambling are growing around the world at an accelerating pace, and the UK is leading this trend. According to Finder.com, 47% of Brits gamble regularly. According to Statista, the total gambling revenue from the betting market in Great Britain between April and September 2020 was around 63 million euros. This makes the UK the jewel in the crown for all the virtual gambling companies that are always looking to build a strong base of loyal players.
However, regulators, led by the British Gambling Commission, view this growth with suspicion. Although the revenue growth of UK casinos is reflected in the number of jobs they add to the economy and the taxes they pay, it also indicates an increasing number of addicts. To tackle this problem, the UKGC started implementing a plan to crack down on gambling addiction which included strong measures against British sites, including:
- Limiting VIP incentives to over 25s.
- Reduce average playersβ rewards.
- Tighter limits on player deposits/ withdrawals.
- Cancellation of in game bonuses in slot games.
- Removing the ability of casinos to reverse player withdrawal requests.
- Banning the sponsorship of sports teams and teams.
So, all of a sudden, UK licensed casinos are poor in terms of gaming content and donβt offer players what theyβre looking for. Thus, players are looking more for unregulated casinos that offer them a unique gaming experience free of compromises.
Starting in 2022, offshore casinos are outperforming their local peers in both bonuses and promotions, gaming, banking, mobile compatibility, and other aspects as well.
Top Five Unregulated Casinos
π° Number of Games | π° Welcome Bonus | β Casino | |
+1950 | β¬5,000 | β₯οΈTwinky Win | 1 |
+5,600 | β¬10,000 | β£Winner Casino | 2 |
+3,189 | β¬3,000 | β Yummy Wins | 3 |
+2,360 | β¬3,000 | β οΈShiny Joker | 4 |
+3,755 | β¬3,500 | β¦Slottio Casino | 5 |
Since the online gambling industry is already a lucrative industry, gaming companies are launching more and more casinos almost monthly. This means that there are many unregulated casinos already available for British players at the moment. Thus, it can be difficult for novice players to discover the most suitable casino for them. To make the selection process easier, in the following list, we have recommended to you the top five offshore casinos that you can easily sign up for the best possible gaming experience:
Twinky Win
- Unique game package
- Attractive rewards
- Available to GamStop players
Although Twinky Win Casino is one of the newest offshore sites, it already has a lot of features that put it on the right track to be one of the best offshore sites in the world. Immediately after signing up at unregulated casino, you will have the chance to receive an excellent welcome bonus in five stages, with a max amount of 5,000 euros. Thanks to this bonus, you will have the opportunity to try out a lot of games that the casino offers.
The casino game library includes an excellent selection of games from top global studios such as NetEnt, Nextgen, and Yggdrasil.
Mobile players can enjoy playing on the go thanks to the easy to use platform that is compatible with all types of smartphones and tablets. Besides casino games, you can also enjoy betting on both virtual and real sports using the same account. Customers can also make both their deposits and withdrawals with bank cards and e-wallets easily. However, unfortunately, the casino does not support withdrawals using Visa cards.
Some of the best games in this casino library are:
- Giant Fish Hunter
- Ocean Princess
- Crash betting game
- Alice Run
- Space XY
- Gold Rush Shooter
- God Hand
- Towers
Winner Casino
- Biggest welcome bonus
- A handpicked selection of games
- User friendly platform
Winner Casino was launched on the scene in 2009. Therefore, it is one of the oldest unregulated casinos available on the scene. The most notable feature of this casino is the huge welcome bonus of β¬10,000. Certainly, this offer is the best one can get in the industry to date. The casino games library contains more than 300 top class games.
Some of the best games in this casino library are:
- Book of Keno
- Keno Deluxe
- Hot Balloon
- JavelinX
- Fury Stairs
- MacLudo
- Cash Galaxy
Slottio Casino
- Huge welcome bonus
- A great selection of casino games
- Offers sports betting
The name says it all, it is clear that Slottio focuses primarily on slot games. However, it has a balanced selection of table games and live casino games as well. The games of this casino come from over 100 top notch studios.
Among them are well known names such as NetEnt, NextGen, Play βN Go, and other famous studios as well. Although it is one of the unregulated casinos, it holds a valid license issued by the CuraΓ§ao Gaming Control Board. Furthermore, this website protects its playersβ financial and personal data with the strongest encryption protocols known worldwide.
New players here get a triple welcome bonus which can be worth up to β¬3,500. After taking advantage of this special offer, players can get a great selection of daily offers and weekly rewards as well. Unregulated casino games, the casino hosts great sports betting section. The customer service here works 24/7, and you can reach them via both live chat and email as well.
Some of the best games in this casino library are:
- Force Of Dragon
- Lucky Ocean
- Goblin Run
- Iron Chicken Hunter
- 4 Dragon Kings
- Lucky Crumbling
- Mermaid Hunter
- Undersea Battle
Yummy Wins
- Fantastic welcome bonus
- Profitable daily offers
- Outstanding selection of casino games
Yummy Wins Casino is one of the newest offshore casinos available on the scene at the moment. As soon as you join this unregulated casino, you will get an excellent bonus of up to a whopping 3,000 euros. After taking advantage of this bonus, casino players can get a lot of incentives for the duration of their stay in the casino. Bonuses and promotions are the highlight of this casino ever as it comes with only 1x wagering requirements!
All casino games come from top global studios such as NetEnt and Play βN Go. The casino also has a special sports betting section that you can access with the same account.
Some of the best games in this casino library are:
- Jump & Jump
- Mines
- Dragon Tiger
- Save the Hamster
- Candy Bar Slider
Shiny Joker
- Bright and easy to use platform
- Numerous games to choose from
- High quality Rewards
Shiny Joker Casino is one of the best unregulated casinos available on the scene at the moment. This site has a well balanced library of slots, table and card games, and live games.
All newcomers here get an attractive welcome bonus of up to 3,000 euros immediately after signing up. The cashier section contains many payment methods, including bank cards and e-wallets. Hence, depositing and withdrawing are supposed to be easy for all players around the world.
Some of the best games in this casino library are:
- Balloon Run
- Monster Island
- Limbo Cat
- The Thimbles
- Space Cowboy
- Lustrous Ocean
- Hero Fishing frenzy
Is It Smart to Play at Unregulated Casinos?
The short answer is: βYes, of course!β For many reasons.
Firstly, in fact, the UKGC has not been on the scene for a long time. From 1999 to 2005, British players gambled freely at unregulated casinos. Furthermore, many of them managed to get the jackpot and were able to withdraw the entire value of their prize.
Secondly, if the casino holds a UKGC licence, it says nothing about its safety. There are a lot of cases whose victims were good players like you who could not access their winnings due to the hidden terms of British casinos. In such unfortunate cases, you will rarely find help from the judiciary, the media or the UKGC itself.
Thirdly, unregulated Casinos do not operate without regulation, and these casinos are monitored by offshore committees such as Gibraltar Commission, Curaçao Gaming Control Board, Malta Gaming Commission, and others as well.
Fourthly, these casinos have a larger selection of games. The recent restrictions imposed by the UKGC have significantly reduced the quality of the gaming experience that players get there.
Fifthly, unregulated casinos offer their customers a lot of great extra features, including bonuses, extensive game selection, compatibility with smartphones and tablets, and the possibility to bet on sports besides casino games.
Creating a New Account Is Much Easier at Unregulated Casinos
The wave of new legislation passed by the UKGC has caused a lot of trouble for players. After opening a new account, you cannot participate in the game directly, and you have to wait 24 to 48 hours for the casino to make sure that you are not participating in the GamStop or any other self exclusion gambling tools.
Furthermore, when your account is verified, you will have to wait from 72 hours up to 5 working days.
At unregulated casinos, youβll be protected by a foreign license agency. Moreover, you will benefit from easy and fast check processes. This means that you can start playing right away and the rest will be taken care of behind the scenes.
British Tax Authorities Are Not Happy With Offshore Casinos!
Casinos without a UK license often have different rules regarding paying taxes. For example, a UK licensed casino must pay gaming tax on your behalf. However, if you decide to play at an offshore casino, you must pay the taxes yourself!
This is something you should take into account. There are of course, risks associated with playing at unregulated casinos. For example, it is possible to file your tax return too late, with all the consequences.
Can UK players play at Offshore Casinos?
It is safe to say that British players are welcome everywhere! The offshore casinos hold licenses that allow them to accept players from the whole world. Thus, they can accept British players without any problems. This means that there are no legal ramifications to signing up for these casinos since the UK is in a free trade agreement.
The Global Market Is Much Bigger!
If your choice is limited to British casinos only, you really end up in a small world. At unregulated casinos, the range of games is much larger. Furthermore, the rewards they offer are much better. In short, there are many reasons why you should choose unregulated casinos. Surely, the Bermuda Islands is worth checking, with know casino presence.
Is It Legal to Play at Unregulated Casinos?
In principle, unregulated casinos are located within the EU. As a British citizen, you are a resident of the EU. Just as you are allowed to travel to these countries, gambling is allowed there. So, you can play there without a British license. The UKGC will always advise you to play only at local casinos and avoid offshore gambling sites. Since they are not able to supervise them, if you intend to play in reputable unregulated casinos, donβt worry!
Cons of Playing at Unregulated Casinos | Pros of Playing at Unregulated Casinos |
There is no oversight from the UKGC, but is this really a downside? | You can easily create your account |
Unfortunately, the British player is not welcome at all online offshore casinos. | Your account is quickly verified |
Lower brand awareness: Players are more likely to sign up on a website they know the owner of. | You can play with higher limits |
Sometimes blocked from the internet. | Bigger collection of games |
Payments with PayPal not possible | Higher rewards |
The rules are different from British casinos |
Bonuses of Unregulated Casinos
In the UK, casinos are allowed to offer bonuses, but they are bound by all the rules. As a result, welcome bonuses are never special. When we first started playing at offshore casinos, we found the story to be completely different. Unregulated casinos offer their customers larger welcome packages that can cover the first three and five deposits and have a max value of between β¬3,000 to β¬5,000.
Offshore casinos also strive to invest in their customers for the long term, which is why they offer daily bonuses, as well as weekly special offers.
We have to say that I appreciate a good welcome bonus. However, we appreciate it, even more when there is no more hassle of creating an account! What a misery it is to set up an account in a UK casino; even if you are not on the GamStop List, the casino should take the time to make sure that you are not self excluded.
Wider Range of Games
In the end, the game selection is the masterpiece of any online casino. The casino platform can be eye pleasing, or the casino has a strong licence, but if the casino library does not have a solid selection of games, there is no incentive for players to choose this casino.
In order to be able to judge the selection of games at unregulated casinos, all you have to do is browse the game package they offer before signing up. Furthermore, you can try any of the games that the casino offers for free before you sign up or make your first deposit.
The common belief among British players is that the big casinos have a better selection of games, while the newer casinos are poor in terms of the variety of games. However, the opposite is the case!
Due to the restrictions that the UKCGC imposes on older casinos, every few weeks, they filter their game libraries, which causes the selection to be reduced. However, the new offshore casinos work with a wide range of studios. So, they have a larger selection of games that meet the aspirations of all players.
After all, there is a big difference if you focus only on British consumers or on the entire international market. This is noticeable in the gameβs selection.
Payment Methods in Unlicensed Casinos
British casinos offer a limited set of payment methods, and they guarantee both bank transfers, PayPal and other e-wallets. However, do not think that conducting your transactions is easy in British casinos!
Firstly, if your credit score is bad, you may be prevented from conducting your transactions at the casino.
Secondly, if you intend to transact with credit cards, you may not be able to do so either because the UKGC has banned the use of credit cards at all internally licensed gambling sites.
Thirdly, your transactions are processed very slowly due to a lot of controls and standards.
On the contrary, when playing at unregulated casinos, you can enjoy making your deposits and withdrawals quite easily by any of the following methods:
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Skrill
- NETELLER
- SOFORT
Introducing PayPal is very challenging as this method is only licensed to work with UK casinos.
You Can Conduct Your Transactions With Cryptos
As already mentioned, British casinos operate with a very limited list of payment methods. So, it is not at all obvious that we will see British casinos accepting crypto and here, too, you will automatically end up in an offshore casino!
Casinos that accept crypto are mostly from Curaçao. However, there are online casinos that already have a reputable license from Malta that facilitates depositing in altcoins.
Despite the huge benefits of crypto casinos, the Bitcoin market is completely unpredictable and therefore more risky than depositing in euros, but we simply cannot escape the need for cryptos.
This also applies to the online casino world, which is why more and more online casinos are starting to accept transactions with cryptos such as Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin, Ripple, and Ethereum.
Anyone who also wants to play with crypto will have to automatically go to an unlicensed casino.
NoteAnyone who also wants to play with crypto will have to go to an offshore casino! |
How Reliable Are Unlicensed Casinos?
We are of course, always honest on our site. In fact, licensed casinos are very safe option. On the other hand, unregulated casinos have a lot to offer, we shouldnβt forget that these sites donβt have any UK laws, but that doesnβt really mean they arenβt safe to gamble there!
The unregulated casinos in question must also meet various requirements abroad. For us, the best online casinos out there at the moment do not have a British license.
Therefore, the comparison is almost limited to both reliability and features. British players believe that the local sites are reliable, while the offshore casinos have advantages. However, this view is completely inaccurate. You can be assured of the integrity and reliability of offshore sites through trusted review sites such as ours.
This way, you can be guaranteed that you get both good things; Reliability and features too.
Be Careful When Choosing an Unregulated Casino!
Despite the fact that offshore casinos are simply reliable, you should also be careful. Of course, there are also active scammers. Fortunately, there are plenty of casinos where you can gamble safely. For example, check how many licenses the casino has, or simply read our casino review.
Since we have tested many offshore casinos, we can say that only these casinos are safe to play at!
What Are the Risks Involved in Playing at Unregulated Casinos?
Of course, you have to keep in mind that there are some small risks involved in playing at an offshore casino. For example, there is no direct oversight from the UKGC. However, on the other hand, there is supervision from foreign licensees.
In addition, you risk forgetting to pay the gambling tax. If the BTA finds out about this, you will have a big problem. Are you going to sort this out well? So itβs okay!
The final danger is that there are always black sheep. On the other hand, UK casinos are moderated and can never be a scam.
Despite these risks, as long as you know where you are playing, you never have to worry. You can then simply avoid a lot of misery by playing at one of the UK casinos.
Our Advice: Play Responsibly, Choose Consciously
In general, British casinos has their pros and cons. The same can be said for any unregulated casino. You can sign up for a legal UK casino where you can be protected by the UKGC. However, at the same time, you may have a smaller selection of games and cannot deposit with cryptos. Moreover, British casinos do not offer attractive bonuses to their customers.
On the other hand, some online casinos offer premium platforms where you can choose from thousands of games, operate under a strong license from Malta or Curaçao, and follow all the licensing rules because they can be fined for not following the rules. So, it is important to think carefully about this, because there is something to be said for both of them.