Since 2018, all UK casinos have started to be divided into those connected to Gamestop and those not supporting this initiative, a similar choice has been put in front of players. There are indeed reasons to ignore the right to self-limit – so a no deposit bonus or free spins not on gamstop can even be obtained for registering, and locally regulated casino bonus programmes are often reduced to 2-3 modestly profitable promotions. To what extent projects without an automated and common to all gambling halls self-locking system provoke gambling addiction, lawmakers and gambling project owners are still debating.
What is Gamestop’s self-locking system?
Like many legislative initiatives, the Gamestop project had the best of intentions.
The fundamentals of the idea are:
- The creation of a common player register for the purpose of sharing data on cheaters and bonus-hunters;
- To share with colleagues information about people who are forbidden to gamble (incompetent people, children, addicts with court orders to forbid them);
- Simple tools to block an account on your own initiative to protect it from hacking during a holiday or self-imposed hiatus.
The first experiments with data sharing showed that the project has weaknesses. The registry included not only all UK-licensed casinos, but also foreign gambling brands that registered users from the United Kingdom. As a result, the self-locking system became a database of illegal casinos in terms of UK legislation.
Many projects considered it impossible to obtain the UK license and operate under it – the requirements for online gaming rooms are too strict, and the requirement to remove popular offers from bonuses also reduces the attractiveness in the eyes of users. As a result, a significant proportion of UK-based gambling halls deliberately refused to join the State system. And this list includes not only casinos with offshore licences, but also European and even British ones – in 2022 Gamestop is still a voluntary service for the relevant business, and also a paid service.
How do non-Gamstop casinos deal with gambling addiction?
The refusal to join the so far voluntary system of self-restriction on the part of entrepreneurs operating in the gambling industry is understandable. There are reasons to look for casinos not on Gamestop and users:
- A wider bonus programme;
- the possibility to set their own limits;
- elimination of errors in the formation of the blocked list;
- the desire to hide expenses and income;
- a banal desire to decide for oneself whether to play or not.
However, most of those who choose a casino not on Gamstop show no signs of gambling addiction. Rejection is precautionary in nature – it is a manifestation of natural resistance to any framework or prohibition.
Most importantly, non-Gamestop casinos also easily provide a blocking service for those who are not sure they can refuse to play. For a temporary block, just write to support and the account will be closed for the required period. The only difference from the state register is that the blocking is only for a specific project. If desired, the user will be able to continue playing on a competitor’s platform. But to be completely fair, this does not exclude Gamstop: having received a block in all UK casinos (including land-based ones), a user at any time can register in a casino in another regulator and country, and already there continue to bet. Shutting down access to all online casinos is utopia. The only real way to avoid addiction is self-control and responsible gaming rules. And they are published by all legal casinos regardless of the type of regulation.
How to check yourself for gambling addiction
A list of tips for preventing gambling addiction is published on the home page. The main signs that it is worth taking a break and not going to the casino site for a while are:
1. Gambling to the detriment of other activities, lack of sleep due to time spent online;
2. Excessive spending on gambling, financial problems due to money left in the casino;
3. Loss of interest in other forms of recreation; constant thoughts of games, strategies and techniques.
A player for whom gambling remains only a pleasant pastime does not lose control of the situation even with the most tempting offers and is aware of the financial risks, which the casino also warns about. So, at Milky Wins casino no deposit bonus should not cause you to invest too much – as with any other form of recreational gambling, only really free funds should be spent. If alarming symptoms are beginning to appear, it’s really worth taking time out and spending time at the movies, fishing, or at least playing online games that don’t involve betting for money.
