What Should Players Look Out for to Avoid Using Illegal Gambling Sites?
To stay safe when gambling online, you should only ever be using sites that operate within UK laws and have a reputable licence. Using an illegal gambling site is incredibly risky; it can result in lost money, compromise your sensitive information and cause gambling-related harm mentally, physically, and financially.
Although in principle it should be easy to verify whether a site is operating within the law, it’s not always as straightforward as you’d like. There are a few warning signs you can look out for, though, such as a lack of responsible gambling tools, especially self-exclusion, which should set warning bells off. Let’s take a detailed look at why using illegal gambling sites is so dangerous and how you can spot those operating outside of the law.
Why is Avoiding Illegal Gambling Sites Important?
When it comes to responsible gambling and player security, sites that operate outside of the law don’t have to abide by the same regulations as sites licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. That means they might not have your best interests at heart or any measures in place to protect you from harmful behaviour like overspending or chasing losses.¹
Lack of Support
If you encounter a problem at a licensed provider, you’re able to contact both them and the licensing body for help. There are usually plentiful customer support options, including live chats, helplines, email addresses, and social media. However, if you have an issue with an illegal site, there are these protections in place, and there’s no guarantee you’ll see any of your money returned.
Potential Scams
There’s also no guarantee that illegal gambling sites will give you a fair chance of winning; instead, they could be fraudulent. The outcomes of the games could be rigged in their favour, or it could simply be a ploy to harvest your personal information, including financial information. These scam providers gaining access to your details is a threat to your safety, and your sensitive information could be stolen, harvested or misused.
A Problem That’s Likely to Get Worse
According to the Betting and Gaming Council, UK gamblers spend more than £2.7 billion a year on unlicensed sites.² The black market in the UK continues to grow, putting more players at risk than ever before.
There’s also concern that the changes to the gambling tax system could prompt even more players to move to this illicit sector of the industry. As Remote Gaming Duty is set to increase from 21% to 40%, almost doubling, providers will feel the pinch.³ As a result, bonuses, promotions, and odds are likely to become less attractive. Illegal sites don’t have to pay the tax, of course, meaning that they can continue offering more appealing deals and drawing in more and more players.
The Warning Signs of an Illegal Gambling Site
In order to stay safe, it’s absolutely vital to make sure you’re only playing at gambling sites with a reputable licence. Unfortunately, simply seeing a site state they have a licence, or showing the UKGC icon, is no longer enough. It’s not uncommon for sites to pretend to have a licence, which is why you need to be able to spot the other warning signs of an illegal gambling site. Let’s cover some of the main ones!
Not on the UKGC Register
To make verifying that a site is truly licensed with the UKGC easier, they provide a full public register of all the providers they’ve approved. You can access it through their site and search for the company you’re looking to play through.⁴ It’s also possible to do this for other reputable licensing bodies, such as the Malta Gaming Authority.
It’s not enough to just spot the icon of one of these licensing bodies; it’s important to verify the specific licence number. They should include it on their ‘About Us’ page, or you can ask their customer service to see a copy of their licence. If you ever have any doubts that a provider doesn’t truly have a licence, steer clear and report them to the UKGC or MGA.
Lack of Responsible Gambling Tools
For a site in the UK to be operating legally, they need to have an array of responsible gambling tools to offer support to players. You should look through the site of the provider you’re considering to make sure they offer some form of help, such as limits, reminders, and breaks. If they don’t have any responsible gambling tools, they’re not operating within the law.
A site worth using will offer educational resources, such as checklists or questionnaires, to help you reflect on your relationship with gambling. They’ll have a range of tools on offer to help you, as well as additional aid like helplines or support groups. According to a 2023 study by the National Council on Problem Gambling, those who make regular use of responsible gambling tools are 60% less likely to develop gambling problems. An illegal operator offering none of these tools shows a complete disregard for their players’ safety.
You Can’t Self-exclude
Another key sign to look out for is a lack of the option to self-exclude. Self-exclusion allows players to block all their activity at a provider, preventing them from using it at all. It’s a vital tool for those struggling, as it allows them to regain control of their behaviour and prevent associated harm. All providers in the UK have to offer players the ability to self-exclude individually and through platforms like GAMSTOP.
According to the UKGC, once you have a self-exclusion order in place, the business “must close your account” and return any money remaining in it to you.⁵ They must also remove your name and details from their marketing databases, so you don’t keep seeing promotions from them. During this time, usually between six months and a few years, you should not be able to gamble.
Deals are Too Good to Be True
We’ve all heard the expression that if something seems too good to be true, that’s because it is, and that’s certainly the case when it comes to gambling. If a deal is irresistibly good, for example, offering thousands of free spins with no catch, be extremely wary.
Free spins are a generous bonus, but they should still have conditions attached to them. Usually, they’ll have wagering requirements around 40x, which would require you to play through the game 40 times before you could withdraw your winnings. Should you see bonuses that are extremely generous without any sort of drawback, they could be being offered by an illegal provider who can’t actually follow through on their promises, or one just luring you to play.⁶
Having a good look at the terms and conditions of a provider is a good idea in general. A reputable provider will have reasonable and clear requirements in place, while an illegal one might bury the conditions or not include any at all.
Other Things You can Check
It’s also a good idea to take a look at the reviews of a provider on third-party websites, like Trustpilot or Reddit. They don’t have to be perfect, but if a problem is consistently raised, especially regarding struggling to withdraw money, avoid that site. A provider with no reviews isn’t necessarily a bad sign; it could be they’re just new. However, it’s worth reflecting on whether you want to take that risk.
You can also look out for certifications from the likes of eCOGRA, an independent assessment body that verifies the games available at gambling sites are fair. At a verified provider, there will often be a little logo at the bottom of the page to show they’re compliant—a great sign in terms of legality.⁷
How can You Avoid Illegal Gambling Sites?
To stay safe, protected and supported when gambling online, you should always make sure you’re using a legal gambling provider. It’s no longer enough to just see a logo indicating a UKGC or MGA licence. Instead, you should verify the individual licence number and search for the provider on the UKGC register.
Outside of licences, there are other warning signs you should watch out for, such as a lack of responsible gambling tools, self-exclusion in particular. Be cautious when it comes to bonuses, and if they sound too good to be true, that’s likely because they are. You might want to read through reviews from other players or check for an eCOGRA verification to help verify a site is legitimate. Most importantly, trust your gut; if something feels off, avoid using that site and consider picking a provider from the UKGC register of licensed businesses instead!
¹ Signs of Gambling Harm, Written by GamCare, Published by GamCare.
³ Gambling Duty Changes, Written by HM Revenue and Customs, Published by Gov.UK.
⁴ Full Business Register, Written by the UK Gambling Commission, Published the UK Gambling Commission.
⁵ Self-Exclusion, Written by the UK Gambling Commission, Published by the UK Gambling Commission.
⁷ eCOGRA Certification for Online Gambling Games, Written by eCOGRA, Published by eCOGRA.
