- The UK-based online casinos with the best features pride themselves on unique traits and achievements, which should be considered every time a site is rated. The casino awards are often overlooked by players, but they are an important sign.
- Currently, the best casino site for UK players is Grand Ivy. The casino is chosen based on slot, roulette & blackjack selection, new player bonuses, game RTP and payouts. Of course, the rankings change all the time, so make sure to check our full ranking of the best online casino sites in the UK.
- New Casino Sites UK. When you are thinking about signing up to a new UK casino, you won't be able to rely on the brand name or reputation. Instead, what you can look at is the casino's licence. The UK casino market has some of the strictest rules and regulations in the world.
UK New Casinos 2021 List of New UK Online Casino Sites 100+ There are a large number of new casino sites popping up in the UK which indicates just how popular online gambling is in. New UK Casinos 2021. Another new year that will most likely mean several new casinos are finally here! As usual, we will be presenting all the latest casinos on this site so stay tuned here during the year to be the first with the latest. In 2021, the pace of new casino launches has been even greater than before.
For gamblers in the UK, there are many online casinos that can be accessed. Online casinos that are legal in this country must be licenced with the UK Gambling Commission. Still, there are several non UK casino sites that are available for many players to access from outside of the United Kingdom as well.
These online casinos will hold licences from a range of different jurisdictions, sometimes in conjunction with the UKGC licence – but more often than not this other licence will be their only one. BestUK.Casino will guide you through these casinos, their bonuses, free spins, game selections and more!
✅ What is a Non-UK Casino? – ✅ Are Non-UK Casinos Safe? – ✅ Toplist
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What is a non UK casino?
The UK Gambling Commission has cracked down on online casinos, meaning that these sites need to be licenced with the United Kingdom to enable UK citizens to play on them. However, this does not mean that all sites are. There are still some sites offering their services to new players that do not hold a UKGC licence. This can mean two different things when it comes to the type of website they are operating:
- Off-shore base
- Expansion from another country
- Are not connected to Gamstop
Some casinos sites not in the UK are operating offshore because of tax reasons. By being based in another country, they do not have to pay the UK tax that would otherwise come with operating within the country. By holding a licence with another jurisdiction, they can circumvent this part of online gaming life. Some have also just expanded their market but are based in another country already, simply branching out to bring in new players.
Www gambling com. What this means is that these casinos do not have to follow the rules and regulations of the UKGC, able to act outside any guidelines set out by the UK governing body. This can mean a lot of different things to players, some of them good like bonuses and free spins and others bad. In the end, it's more risk versus reward situation for players of these sites, so we recommend considering all the options outlined in this article.
What is the UKGC?
Before diving into all the other licencing options that casinos outside of the UK registered casinos offer, it's important to take a look at the UK Gambling Commission and see what it is that this governing body offers UK players. The UKGC is arguably the strictest gaming jurisdiction in the world. But rather than being restrictive, it's all about ensuring new players get a safe and secure environment to play in. The UKGC requires certain standards from online casinos operating in the UK:
- Must have a UKGC licence
- Must be registered with Gamstop
What this means in terms of playing is that new players can only access these sites if they feel the risk is worth it to themselves. Often though, many of these casinos will not be able to accept players from the UK simply because of the strict rules of the UKGC. New players may be able to find some casinos that have not yet banned players or players in the United Kingdom can use VPNs to access these sites, though this is not recommended.
You can find more information on the official website of UKGC.
Gambling at Offshore Non UK Casino Sites
Continuing in this vein, players who choose to join non UK licensed casinos will have some issues to face. It's perfectly acceptable to join up, but players will not have any protection or access to the services that the UKGC offers. This means that if there is an issue with payouts, for instance, players in the United Kingdom will not have any way, or even the right, to claim any money back – meaning they are more exposed to fraud.
- Cannot get refunds
- More exposed to fraud
What this means is that new players will need to carefully vet any online casino licenced outside of the UK sites that they intend to join. This is very important if players intend to be able to enjoy their experience online. It is also why it's still important to choose a casino that still holds a licence, albeit not a UK one. Online gambling sites with any licence will have to uphold certain standards, even if they're not as high as the UK's.
Licensing by other governing bodies
One of the things to think about when choosing to play at a non UK licensed casino site is the jurisdiction. This can mean the world of a difference in terms of the experience that is offered. While no jurisdiction lives up to the UKGC, some definitely come close and others that really do not. Some of these jurisdictions will also enable casinos to get more than one license so they can obtain a UK licence in the future.
The reasons for such differences though in jurisdictions is all down to the differences in licencing, fees and the registration process. Some jurisdictions are cheaper and have minimal requirements for casinos, enabling them to get up and running a lot faster than if they were to go through the stringent process that is getting a licence in the UK. This can mean that vital security aspects are glossed over, which is why these sites don't choose to get a UK licence.
What's important to bear in mind is that just because they don't hold a UK licence doesn't mean the casino is bad. In fact, if online casinos want people to return to their site and play with real money, it's actually in their best interest to offer a safe and secure gaming environment. There are a lot of good and reputable licensing bodies that players can look for when playing at non UK casino sites, and these include:
- Curaçao
- Gibraltar
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
- Malta Gaming Authority
Malta Gaming Authority
Malta Gaming Authority is arguably the runner up to the UKGC license. The MGA offers a stringent set of rules and regulations which casinos must follow if they are to hold a licence with them. For players looking outside of the UK for a place to play, MGA licenced sites are really the way to go, as they offer similar levels of protection as the UK licenced sites do. Ensuring players will get a quality experience.
In fact, players will often find that a UKGC casino will actually hold a licence with MGA as well, enabling them to offer their services to a range of players from different countries. Similar to the UKGC license, MGA has a strict policy regarding casinos holding their licence and will cancel or remove licences from online casinos that do not comply with their requirements. They also offer a place for players to get in touch with any complaints.
Curaçao jurisdiction
Another commonly found jurisdiction is that of Curaçao. This is hugely popular with some online casinos, as it allows US players to be able to access the site as well as new players from countries around the world. However, Curaçao is notorious for not having such strict rules and regulations in place, meaning that a number of their licenced casinos maybe a little more fraudulent in their activities, a concern when it comes to player safety.
On top of this, Curaçao actually only offers four master licences, and it is through these licences that other online casinos are given their licence – in a second-hand way. These licences are much cheaper to obtain than most of the other jurisdictions and companies do not need as much paperwork, meaning that the licence is often issued in a very speedy fashion, thus making it popular to sites that want to get operating quickly. Players joining a Curaçao site need to bear this in mind.
Gaming Options at non-UK Licensed Casinos
Once players have settled on a non UK online casino, there are many other things to consider. One of these is the games that are on offer. Part of the appeal of playing at a non UK site is that these sites will often have a range of games from other providers not found on UK sites. This is because game providers also need to get a licence with the UKGC to offer their games within the UK.
Some providers do not meet the requirements in terms of fair gaming that the UKGC license requests. This means that players in the UK are not able to access games from many game providers unless they choose a casino outside of the UKGC jurisdiction. Playing at one of these online casino sites often means that players are treated to collections in the thousands, offering a wealth of new and exciting casino game options across all game genres.
Slots and other luck-based games
As we mentioned, often the slot game selection will number in the thousands when playing at a non UK licenced site. Slots are hugely popular around the world for beginners and old hands alike. This is because these games do not require any skill or strategy; they are all about luck. All players need to do is place their bet and spin the reels, hoping for the symbols to line up and offer up the reward.
These casinos also tend to offer a wide variety of other luck-based games as well. These games can include small lotteries, keno, bingo and even scratch card options. While these are available in at most casinos, again, the choice at casino not licenced in the UK is often a lot larger, giving players a lot more to choose from. However, it's still worth noting that not all these games will be provided by suppliers that put fair gaming as a priority.
Table and live games
There are always several different virtual table game options available at these casinos too. Usually, players will be able to access a range of different blackjack, baccarat and roulette options. On top of this, players can choose between a variety of different poker options, including Omaha, Three Card and Texas Holdem. Most casinos of this type will also offer a selection of video poker games for those who wish to try their luck on these options.
Non UK sites will also have a collection of live games available too. These live games will vary depending on the provider. Interestingly enough, some of these sites will have more on offer, utilising software from a wider number of providers such as Ezugi as well as Evolution Gaming and NetEnt. These sites often have more unusual live games such as Andar Bahar and Teen Patti as well, making the experience even more interesting to new players.
How Secure are Non UK sites?
When it comes to security, this is the big issue with online sites that are not registered with the UKGC. While some of these sites will operate at the same level as UKGC sites, many will not, and this is where the issues lie and why the UKGC seeks to protect UK players from accessing and joining these sites. For one thing, some of these sites do not require new players even to sign up an account.
Though this may sound like a good thing, it can be detrimental for the player down the line if something goes wrong. On top of this, the licensing for these casinos means that the online casino does not necessarily have to abide by Know Your Customer policies, may not have as strict encryption protocols in place and may even sell on private player data to other third-party companies, which can be very damaging to potential players.
No Gamstop
A problem for players in the UK, playing at sites licensed outside of the country, though, comes in the form of any issues or complaints arising. There are also fewer contingencies in place to ensure responsible gambling. Online casinos under the UKGC are all required to register with Gamstop, which is a company that helps players if they have a problem with gambling, enabling them to self-exclude and stop seeing adverts for playing at online casinos or sportsbooks. Non UK casino sites and bingo sites are not registered with Gamstop, which is important to keep in mind.
While off-shore casinos might have some responsible gaming policies in place, these are often not as effective as those found under the UKGC, which means that problem players are often left exposed and taken advantage of. On top of this, there are usually no options for players to make any complaints – if an issue arises, players at non-UK sites are essentially on their own. They will not get the money refunded as they might when playing under the protection of the UKGC. Playing on a non-licensed casino is a way to get around Gamstop, but should be treated with great respect.
This means that also bingo sites and betting sites are not covered by Gamstop.
Non UK licensed online casinos and their Bonuses
One of the positives about playing at an off-shore online casino is that they often have pretty impressive bonuses, free spins and other offers to bring in new players. With the fact that players won't have to pay tax on any winnings from casinos such as this, it's often a big draw. It's no secret that non UK regulated sites will often have bigger rewards than their UKGC counterparts, and that's simply because they don't have to pay the same high fees that UK casinos need to pay.
These sites will offer a range of different bonus options, including massive match deposit bonuses and free spins. Often these can be 100% matches up to amounts far larger than those found at UK online casino sites. Some sites will offer massive bonuses on poker games too. In contrast, others will have particular bonuses for live casino games – something that is often missing for players looking to play live online casino games via a UK site. In short, these sites can really deliver.
Faster signups
On top of a wealth of bonuses, non UK sites often offer what could be considered bonuses in other areas. For instance, there are many of these sites that offer up faster signup processes. Many non UK regulated sites do not need as much information as UKGC sites do, which means that inputting details is a faster process, allowing players to get playing the games a lot faster. However, this can come with its downsides in terms of security.
Some non UK sites will even offer players the option to not make an account at all. Some of these sites will allow complete anonymity of their players, simply encouraging them to deposit without registering and play that way. Again, though, these sites can have a drawback as they are often not as safe and secure as they could be, meaning money and payments could get lost during the transaction process. There's no way for players to claim this is the case either.
Advantages and disadvantages of non UK casinos
Unfortunately, many disadvantages come alongside playing outside of the UK. Often players will find that there are no options to play using GBP. Players will then have to choose an alternative currency, which can come with some pretty hefty conversion fees, which means players won't necessarily get as big a win as they thought they might. On top of this, there are often no local payment methods available, meaning slower payouts for players.
Finally, while these sites will often have a range of exciting software providers, there are often many of the top game providers missing. This is because some of the top providers will have strict regulations about which casinos and jurisdictions can actually use their games. This means that players are likely to miss out on brands such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Playtech, which can be a bit of a downer as these suppliers do offer some of the best games around.
Advantages of non UK sites
Hollywood Park Casino
There are some advantages to playing at non UK sites. For instance, not being licensed by the UKGC does not mean these sites are not to be trusted. Instead many of these sites are licensed by reputable jurisdictions offering players high levels of security. The only thing to bear in mind is that these jurisdictions tend not to focus on UK players, but more so on Europeans and North Americans, which can make it slightly harder to play.
Before diving into all the other licencing options that casinos outside of the UK registered casinos offer, it's important to take a look at the UK Gambling Commission and see what it is that this governing body offers UK players. The UKGC is arguably the strictest gaming jurisdiction in the world. But rather than being restrictive, it's all about ensuring new players get a safe and secure environment to play in. The UKGC requires certain standards from online casinos operating in the UK:
- Must have a UKGC licence
- Must be registered with Gamstop
What this means in terms of playing is that new players can only access these sites if they feel the risk is worth it to themselves. Often though, many of these casinos will not be able to accept players from the UK simply because of the strict rules of the UKGC. New players may be able to find some casinos that have not yet banned players or players in the United Kingdom can use VPNs to access these sites, though this is not recommended.
You can find more information on the official website of UKGC.
Gambling at Offshore Non UK Casino Sites
Continuing in this vein, players who choose to join non UK licensed casinos will have some issues to face. It's perfectly acceptable to join up, but players will not have any protection or access to the services that the UKGC offers. This means that if there is an issue with payouts, for instance, players in the United Kingdom will not have any way, or even the right, to claim any money back – meaning they are more exposed to fraud.
- Cannot get refunds
- More exposed to fraud
What this means is that new players will need to carefully vet any online casino licenced outside of the UK sites that they intend to join. This is very important if players intend to be able to enjoy their experience online. It is also why it's still important to choose a casino that still holds a licence, albeit not a UK one. Online gambling sites with any licence will have to uphold certain standards, even if they're not as high as the UK's.
Licensing by other governing bodies
One of the things to think about when choosing to play at a non UK licensed casino site is the jurisdiction. This can mean the world of a difference in terms of the experience that is offered. While no jurisdiction lives up to the UKGC, some definitely come close and others that really do not. Some of these jurisdictions will also enable casinos to get more than one license so they can obtain a UK licence in the future.
The reasons for such differences though in jurisdictions is all down to the differences in licencing, fees and the registration process. Some jurisdictions are cheaper and have minimal requirements for casinos, enabling them to get up and running a lot faster than if they were to go through the stringent process that is getting a licence in the UK. This can mean that vital security aspects are glossed over, which is why these sites don't choose to get a UK licence.
What's important to bear in mind is that just because they don't hold a UK licence doesn't mean the casino is bad. In fact, if online casinos want people to return to their site and play with real money, it's actually in their best interest to offer a safe and secure gaming environment. There are a lot of good and reputable licensing bodies that players can look for when playing at non UK casino sites, and these include:
- Curaçao
- Gibraltar
- New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
- Malta Gaming Authority
Malta Gaming Authority
Malta Gaming Authority is arguably the runner up to the UKGC license. The MGA offers a stringent set of rules and regulations which casinos must follow if they are to hold a licence with them. For players looking outside of the UK for a place to play, MGA licenced sites are really the way to go, as they offer similar levels of protection as the UK licenced sites do. Ensuring players will get a quality experience.
In fact, players will often find that a UKGC casino will actually hold a licence with MGA as well, enabling them to offer their services to a range of players from different countries. Similar to the UKGC license, MGA has a strict policy regarding casinos holding their licence and will cancel or remove licences from online casinos that do not comply with their requirements. They also offer a place for players to get in touch with any complaints.
Curaçao jurisdiction
Another commonly found jurisdiction is that of Curaçao. This is hugely popular with some online casinos, as it allows US players to be able to access the site as well as new players from countries around the world. However, Curaçao is notorious for not having such strict rules and regulations in place, meaning that a number of their licenced casinos maybe a little more fraudulent in their activities, a concern when it comes to player safety.
On top of this, Curaçao actually only offers four master licences, and it is through these licences that other online casinos are given their licence – in a second-hand way. These licences are much cheaper to obtain than most of the other jurisdictions and companies do not need as much paperwork, meaning that the licence is often issued in a very speedy fashion, thus making it popular to sites that want to get operating quickly. Players joining a Curaçao site need to bear this in mind.
Gaming Options at non-UK Licensed Casinos
Once players have settled on a non UK online casino, there are many other things to consider. One of these is the games that are on offer. Part of the appeal of playing at a non UK site is that these sites will often have a range of games from other providers not found on UK sites. This is because game providers also need to get a licence with the UKGC to offer their games within the UK.
Some providers do not meet the requirements in terms of fair gaming that the UKGC license requests. This means that players in the UK are not able to access games from many game providers unless they choose a casino outside of the UKGC jurisdiction. Playing at one of these online casino sites often means that players are treated to collections in the thousands, offering a wealth of new and exciting casino game options across all game genres.
Slots and other luck-based games
As we mentioned, often the slot game selection will number in the thousands when playing at a non UK licenced site. Slots are hugely popular around the world for beginners and old hands alike. This is because these games do not require any skill or strategy; they are all about luck. All players need to do is place their bet and spin the reels, hoping for the symbols to line up and offer up the reward.
These casinos also tend to offer a wide variety of other luck-based games as well. These games can include small lotteries, keno, bingo and even scratch card options. While these are available in at most casinos, again, the choice at casino not licenced in the UK is often a lot larger, giving players a lot more to choose from. However, it's still worth noting that not all these games will be provided by suppliers that put fair gaming as a priority.
Table and live games
There are always several different virtual table game options available at these casinos too. Usually, players will be able to access a range of different blackjack, baccarat and roulette options. On top of this, players can choose between a variety of different poker options, including Omaha, Three Card and Texas Holdem. Most casinos of this type will also offer a selection of video poker games for those who wish to try their luck on these options.
Non UK sites will also have a collection of live games available too. These live games will vary depending on the provider. Interestingly enough, some of these sites will have more on offer, utilising software from a wider number of providers such as Ezugi as well as Evolution Gaming and NetEnt. These sites often have more unusual live games such as Andar Bahar and Teen Patti as well, making the experience even more interesting to new players.
How Secure are Non UK sites?
When it comes to security, this is the big issue with online sites that are not registered with the UKGC. While some of these sites will operate at the same level as UKGC sites, many will not, and this is where the issues lie and why the UKGC seeks to protect UK players from accessing and joining these sites. For one thing, some of these sites do not require new players even to sign up an account.
Though this may sound like a good thing, it can be detrimental for the player down the line if something goes wrong. On top of this, the licensing for these casinos means that the online casino does not necessarily have to abide by Know Your Customer policies, may not have as strict encryption protocols in place and may even sell on private player data to other third-party companies, which can be very damaging to potential players.
No Gamstop
A problem for players in the UK, playing at sites licensed outside of the country, though, comes in the form of any issues or complaints arising. There are also fewer contingencies in place to ensure responsible gambling. Online casinos under the UKGC are all required to register with Gamstop, which is a company that helps players if they have a problem with gambling, enabling them to self-exclude and stop seeing adverts for playing at online casinos or sportsbooks. Non UK casino sites and bingo sites are not registered with Gamstop, which is important to keep in mind.
While off-shore casinos might have some responsible gaming policies in place, these are often not as effective as those found under the UKGC, which means that problem players are often left exposed and taken advantage of. On top of this, there are usually no options for players to make any complaints – if an issue arises, players at non-UK sites are essentially on their own. They will not get the money refunded as they might when playing under the protection of the UKGC. Playing on a non-licensed casino is a way to get around Gamstop, but should be treated with great respect.
This means that also bingo sites and betting sites are not covered by Gamstop.
Non UK licensed online casinos and their Bonuses
One of the positives about playing at an off-shore online casino is that they often have pretty impressive bonuses, free spins and other offers to bring in new players. With the fact that players won't have to pay tax on any winnings from casinos such as this, it's often a big draw. It's no secret that non UK regulated sites will often have bigger rewards than their UKGC counterparts, and that's simply because they don't have to pay the same high fees that UK casinos need to pay.
These sites will offer a range of different bonus options, including massive match deposit bonuses and free spins. Often these can be 100% matches up to amounts far larger than those found at UK online casino sites. Some sites will offer massive bonuses on poker games too. In contrast, others will have particular bonuses for live casino games – something that is often missing for players looking to play live online casino games via a UK site. In short, these sites can really deliver.
Faster signups
On top of a wealth of bonuses, non UK sites often offer what could be considered bonuses in other areas. For instance, there are many of these sites that offer up faster signup processes. Many non UK regulated sites do not need as much information as UKGC sites do, which means that inputting details is a faster process, allowing players to get playing the games a lot faster. However, this can come with its downsides in terms of security.
Some non UK sites will even offer players the option to not make an account at all. Some of these sites will allow complete anonymity of their players, simply encouraging them to deposit without registering and play that way. Again, though, these sites can have a drawback as they are often not as safe and secure as they could be, meaning money and payments could get lost during the transaction process. There's no way for players to claim this is the case either.
Advantages and disadvantages of non UK casinos
Unfortunately, many disadvantages come alongside playing outside of the UK. Often players will find that there are no options to play using GBP. Players will then have to choose an alternative currency, which can come with some pretty hefty conversion fees, which means players won't necessarily get as big a win as they thought they might. On top of this, there are often no local payment methods available, meaning slower payouts for players.
Finally, while these sites will often have a range of exciting software providers, there are often many of the top game providers missing. This is because some of the top providers will have strict regulations about which casinos and jurisdictions can actually use their games. This means that players are likely to miss out on brands such as NetEnt, Microgaming and Playtech, which can be a bit of a downer as these suppliers do offer some of the best games around.
Advantages of non UK sites
Hollywood Park Casino
There are some advantages to playing at non UK sites. For instance, not being licensed by the UKGC does not mean these sites are not to be trusted. Instead many of these sites are licensed by reputable jurisdictions offering players high levels of security. The only thing to bear in mind is that these jurisdictions tend not to focus on UK players, but more so on Europeans and North Americans, which can make it slightly harder to play.
The bonuses is naturally higher on these online casino sites, both free spins and cash bonuses. This comes naturally since their margin is much higher than UK-licensed casinos.
Payment methods at casinos not regulated by the UK
One of the final things to touch upon when discussing non UK gambling sites is the payment options available. Like other casinos, these gambling sites will have a huge range of options available to their players. Commonly found options include e-wallets, credit cards and, excitingly, cryptocurrencies. Often this is where the online casino sites with another license stand out from the crowd when compared to their UKGC counterparts – cryptocurrency payments are relatively few and far between when it comes to UK licensed sites.
For UK based players at non UK licensed casinos, the use of cryptocurrencies can be a big boon as they are secure and fast. It's harder for casinos to make fraudulent transactions with these methods too. Other popular options at online gambling sites like these include Paypal and Neteller, both of which are popular around the world. However, players do run the risk of not being able to claim a bonus or free spins when depositing with either of these methods.
- Payment options are usually similar to UKGC sites.
- Fees and currency conversions will vary.
Good sites, though, will give players a clear layout of how to set up an account as well as list all the fees and transaction options available. Similar to UK online casino sites, the deposit and withdrawal times will vary depending on the payment method used. However, online gambling sites that are keen on keeping their players will be transparent about this, usually including any processing times as well as any fees that players might incur from using a specific payment method.
Tips on selecting non UK casinos
While there are good and bad points for UK players wishing to sign up to non UK gambling sites, the key here is to ensure that players are selecting a good site from the outset. There are a number of tips and things to think about that players can do when whittling down casinos to play and these will go along way to ensuring they have a good time online. UK players should always play at a non UK site that holds a licence to make sure all casino games are safe and real.
Reputable online gambling sites will display their licence from whichever jurisdiction they come under on their main page. This will then allow players to verify whether the casino does indeed hold a licence with that governing body. Checking the registration number is an easy option to do once the player has clicked on the jurisdiction logo. Another thing players can do is to check out reviews of the casino they plan to sign up to as it will give a better idea of its operations.
Do they allow UK players?
Some of these issues may also be moot as some non UK sites won't actually allow UK players to join at all. This will narrow down the options for players considerably. Some players may be tempted to use a VPN to circumvent such restrictions, but this is to be avoided at all costs. Players are also advised to select a casino that offers reputable payment providers, as this will ensure more secure transactions between the player and the casino.
FAQ on Non UK licensed casinos
What are non UK gambling sites?Casinos that operate outside of the UK with another jurisdiction.
What is the UKGC?It is the regulatory body for all casinos in the UK.
Uk Casino Sites
Can UK players gamble at non UK sites?Yes, only if the UK casino accepts UK players.
Is it safe to gamble outside the UK?Yes, if the player chooses their non UK casino site carefully.
What are the best UK sites not licensed?Uk Gambling Sites
This is hard to say and comes down to player preference.