How are non-UK Casinos Accepting UK Players via No Deposit Signs Ups?

Learn how British players are signing up for non-UK casinos accepting UK players and the risks involved. Discover why T&Cs often restrict UK players from signing up and how players are still finding ways to play using cryptocurrency. (Image by Igor Ovsyannykov on Pixabay)

As there are so many news reports coming out of the British Gaming Council (BGC) focusing on the increase in the use of UK black market online casinos, it seemed appropriate to cover just how British players are signing up for non-UK casinos accepting UK players.

According to the BGC reported in my Online Gambling Black Market news more than 400,000 British players are betting at an online casino or sports book not regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC).

Now, I have to say that I personally would not take the risk. Playing at a casino regulated under the UKGC framework as a British player offers player protection and you are covered by local laws. That means playing at any other online gambling site is essentially you are taking a chance.

On the other hand, if you are adamant you want to take the risk, then who am I to tell you otherwise? It is entirely your choice. Therefore, I decided to write this news piece to make sure those of you that are looking to play at non-UK casinos accepting British players at the very least make the right decisions.

The key tips below: Although I strongly advise against players in the United Kingdom signing up for online gambling sites not under the UKGC, below I will give you some key pointers for those of you adamant about taking this path.

Why do most non-UK casinos show T&Cs that restrict UK players from signing up?

If you are not already aware of this, if you deposit your money into an online casino that is not regulated under the UKGC, under British law you can ask your payment provider for a refund. You also have to say you did not know this was a non-UKGC casino. Some players use this as a tactic to recover losses. This is why, in general, you will not be able to fund non-Uk casino accounts using VISA, eWallets or MasterCard if you are a UK citizen.

This is also why most Curacao casinos and non-licensed online casinos state in their T&Cs that players from the UK are not eligible to sign up. In the past, too many players activated their ability to claim a refund to recover losses.

Chargeback Loss Recovery Tactics: This tactic will only work a handful of times with the same financial provider. Eventually, the financial provider will refuse to process refunds/chargeback requests.

How are players still signing up for non-UK Casinos accepting UK Players?

UK players are still finding their way around the T&Cs restrictions and creating an account on non-UK casinos. The question is how?

It’s simple. They are playing using cryptocurrency. This is because, unlike traditional fiat currency payment methods, players cannot instigate a refund or chargeback request using crypto. For the casino, accepting UK crypto players comes with little risk, and as a result, they will accept crypto from British players.

With all the pros cryptocurrencies offer, there are still some downsides. One of those pros can become a major disadvantage for digital currency users.

• No Middleman: Not having an intermediary bank in the middle of the buyer-to-seller transaction keeps costs down and allows seamless borderless transactions with low fees. On the other hand, if someone defrauds of your hard-earned crypto, you have no entity (middleman/bank) to get your crypto back. At least, that is the case with most blockchain ecosystems.

Why does this help non-UK casinos? It means UK players cannot use the charge-back or refund tactic often used to get their losses back from non-UKGC online casinos. Therefore, as long the casino does not accept traditional fiat currency deposits, and offers crypto only, there is no risk.

Why I would not recommend playing at non-UKGC casinos

Playing at an online casino where local laws protect you is something I fully advise. I have the same attitude with any investments or online casinos I sign up to. I will always make sure the entity I use is regulated under a domestic licensing authority. If there is ever an issue, my local regulatory authority will offer support. Also, local laws apply making it much easier to pursue legal advice, instigate mediation, and if necessary legal action. None of these options are available if you play at non-UK online casinos. In fact, if the casino goes bankrupt, abruptly closes its website or decides to close your account, getting your money back could turn into a complicated and exhausting process as the company will know you do not have the support of UK laws.

Take the safe option: We have a dedicated page that gives you a trustable online casino guide covering how to choose a safe and secure online casino in your country. It also gives you access to specific online casino guides from countries like the UK and Ireland.

Non-UK casinos accepting UK players via no deposit signs ups

If you are adamant the route you want to take is to take advantage of a casino not operating under the UKGC, then the very least you can do is carry out some due diligence and set your self rules.

Here’s my advice:

• Curacao Online Casinos: At the very least, Curacao casinos that do accept British players depositing using cryptocurrency have a licensing framework in place. Although under Curacao laws the licensing body is unlikely to help UK players if you run into problems, these casinos will have gone through certain checks to gain their licensing.
• Avoid Casinos with no Licensing: These casinos can close your account and keep your money at their own discretion. Also, there is a chance that they use fake casino games. Many of these games are replicas of those from well-known software providers, but they come with low RTPs you would never be able to spot. Plus, don’t expect them to honour any bonuses you play through. They will likely not pay out.
• Look for a Reputable Casino: There are actually quite a few non-UK casinos that have a solid reputation. Their business strategy is to offer a trustworthy platform and as word of mouth spreads, the platform grows in popularity. With a strong reputation, the brand can grow.
• Test the Casino Using No Deposit Bonuses: As per the title of this news and section, there are plenty of non-UKGC online casinos out there that target UK players. This means plenty of no-deposit bonus deals to choose from. My advice is to use this to your advantage to test out the platform before committing real money.
• Never Deposit High Sums: Avoid leaving high sums of money in these casinos, especially if you are a high roller. The casino could close your account at any time and effectively steal your balance. Usually the chances of getting your money back are next to zero.
• Test the Casinos Withdrawals: First read the T&Cs to understand what needs to be done to qualify for a withdrawal. Some casinos will require you play through your deposits 3x. However, you may be able to withdraw without doing so with a 10% surcharge. It’s a small price to pay to test whether the casino will payout.

Recommended Non-UK Casinos: The simple answer is that I do not know. Also, I would not want to encourage you to play at a non-UKGC casinos, so its not something I can recommend. However, they are out there, hence I wrote this guide to help you understand the UK online gambling black market.