Online bingo is one of the most popular pastimes among many Brits. With its reward potential and the diversity of games available, it’s not difficult to see why. However, since playing bingo is considered a form of gambling, many players who’ve signed up on Gamstop can’t access bingo games on UK-based websites.
This is where bingo sites not on Gamstop come in. These online operators are trustworthy offshore gambling sites that accept UK players. To help you find the most reliable ones, we’ve compiled a list of the best UK bingo sites not on Gamstop that you can sign up to if you want to avoid the many restrictions set by the UKGC. Read on!
Top Bingo Sites Not on Gamstop
Whether you’ve signed up to Gamstop’s self-exclusion scheme accidentally or on purpose, you’ve probably been looking for bingo sites not on Gamestop that let you play games without restrictions. However, since the UKGC does not regulate these operators, there is a chance you may run into some rogue ones.
Luckily, you don’t have to go checking each and every bingo site out there, as we’ve already done that for you and more. We’ve made a list of the best bingo sites not on Gamstop that offer an optimal ratio of game variety, bonuses, payment methods, and other important factors.
Why Should You Even Want to Play Bingo Not on Gamstop?
Before we discuss some of the most common reasons why players would want to play bingo in non Gamstop casinos, let’s see what Gamstop is in the first place.
Gamstop is a self-exclusion program designed to help players struggling with problem gambling curb their addiction and increase their quality of life. It works by blocking all gambling accounts of a player in question and preventing the user from opening new ones for up to several years. To restrain themselves, players only need to create a Gamstop account and request to join the self-exclusion program.
As of 2020, it became mandatory for all UK-based gambling sites to join the Gamstop network if they wished to receive or extend their operating licences. The rule was mandated by the UKGC — the official regulating body for online gambling activities in the UK. What this means for players is that once they sign up for the Gamstop self-exclusion program, they can no longer play on any bingo and gambling sites in the country.
This can present a problem for many players who’ve accidentally signed up to Gamstop or even those who did this on purpose but have regained control over their gambling habits. They might want to play some bingo games occasionally but may not be able to do so until their self-exclusion period has expired.
What’s more, the UKGC bingo sites also have restrictions related to deposit and withdrawal limits, bonus amounts available, and other rules that make the gambling experience less enjoyable. Therefore, many UK bingo fans feel the need to find reliable non UK casinos with bingo games that offer more freedom and greater perks.
How we rank the Best Non-Gamstop UK Bingo Sites
While it is easy to bypass Gamstop by playing on UK bingo sites not on Gamstop, not all of these operators are equally reliable, so you should be careful which ones you choose. The sites we recommend have to pass our strict best bingo sites UK reviews that we conduct using the following criteria:
- Safety and security — A bingo site needs to be absolutely safe for a player to use. We check whether it employs the necessary security protocols, such as SSL encryption and firewalls.
- Licensing and regulation — For a bingo site to be considered trustworthy, it needs to be properly regulated by a licensing body, such as the ones from Curacao and Panama.
- Bonus offers — A bingo site’s bonus program tells a lot about its relationship to its players. Therefore, we make sure to single out those operators offering hefty promotions. Some of them even have the best casino bonus 2023.
- Wide variety of games — A good bingo site will always offer a wide variety of games, so we make sure to take a good look at gaming portfolios.
- Payment methods and transaction limits — We want our readers to deposit and withdraw from a casino using convenient payment methods with wide transaction limits, so we choose the websites that fulfil this condition.
What games Bingo Sites Not on Gamestop offer
Although bingo started as a pretty straightforward game, its growing popularity gave rise to many new and exciting variations. Let’s take a look at some of the most prominent kinds of bingo games you can find on bingo sites not on Gamstop:
- 90-ball bingo — As you can probably assume, this bingo variation is played with 90 numbered balls. To win it, you need to be the first one to fill out your ticket. This is one of the less complicated bingo games, so it’s suitable for beginners.
- Pattern bingo — This kind of bingo game is played using different number patterns. The first player to fill out the pattern wins the prize.
- 75-ball bingo — This bingo game is a variation of pattern bingo. As its name suggests, it uses 75 balls. There are five different ways to win, and players can win multiple prizes per game.
- 80-ball bingo — Another pattern bingo game, 80-ball bingo, uses 80 balls. Each game is played using a different pattern. Players have to fill it out to win, which adds plenty of excitement. This is the main reason why players love this variation.
Benefits and Risks of Playing on Independent Bingo Sites
Non Gamstop bingo sites like Tombola come with numerous advantages for UK players, but they also have some drawbacks users should keep in mind. In this section, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of bingo sites not on Gamestop.
Advantages
- A way around Gamstop — UK bingo sites not on Gamstop are actually non-UK sites that don’t have to work with this organisation. These platforms offer a way to bypass your self-exclusion and play bingo games online.
- More freedom — UK-based bingo sites are regulated by the UKGC and are thus bound by many strict rules the commission imposes. One of them is the mandatory player verification process you don’t have to go through on independent bingo sites.
- Credit card use — Because of the recent gambling regulations in the UK, players are not allowed to use credit cards to fund their bingo accounts. If you’re used to having this payment method at your disposal for online payments, you can still rely on it, thanks to the non-UK bingo operators that don’t have to follow UKGC rules.
- Generous bonuses and promotions — Another set of UKGC regulations pertains to the bonus amounts bingo and gambling sites are allowed to offer. Since new bingo sites no wagering don’t fall under the jurisdiction of the UKGC, they can offer more generous promotions.
- Looser limits — While playing on bingo sites based in the UK, you may have noticed they tend to limit their deposit, withdrawal, and betting amounts. You won’t have these problems playing casino games not on Gamstop as they have much looser limits and fewer restrictions.
Disadvantages
- Not regulated by the UKGC — Bingo sites and slots not on Gamstop are based outside the UK, so they don’t have to follow the UKGC guidelines designed to protect players. This makes it easy to run into rogue operators. However, you can avoid this danger if you stick to the UK bingo sites on our list.
- Harder to self-exclude — As our best casino sites reviews reveal, there isn’t one overarching self-exclusion program encompassing all non-UK bingo operators. Therefore, you may have to block all your accounts separately, which can be a lot of work.
