For players who can’t make the trip to Grosvenor or for whom Genting is an Uber too far, online casino gambling has become a hugely convenient alternative to visiting physical casinos. iGaming sites can offer a wider array of games, as well as more payment options.
And, while the UK online gambling market is regulated and open, it does have certain restrictions that can feel limiting to UK players.
In contrast, offshore casinos, or those that are licensed in other jurisdictions, dispense with many of these restrictions and offer players a more enjoyable casino experience.
Online Casino Options
There are thousands of online casinos around the world. UK players can access casinos licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), but it is also legal to use casino websites licensed in other jurisdictions.
There are a lot of non-UK casinos for British players, including those licensed in countries like Curacao and Malta, among others. Ensuring a site is licensed is important, according to sports betting editor Charlie Pearson, as it helps ensure that the casino has processes and systems in place to protect bettors and their money.
UK Online Casino Restrictions
The UK has a highly developed regulatory framework, which means that UK-licensed companies have to meet a lot of criteria before they get their license. These regulations help ensure players are protected, but they can also be restrictive on the players. Sites must be part of self-exclusion programs, set maximum stake and deposit limits for UK players, and they rarely accept cryptocurrency as a payment option, for a start.
Other regulatory bodies still ensure player protections are in place, but they don’t place the same restrictions on players, and this is chief among the reasons that a lot of West Midlands online casino gamblers choose non-UK online casinos.
Fewer Wagering Restrictions
The UK recently introduced new online gambling regulations. Online slot players are restricted to a £5 maximum bet limit if they are aged 25 or over, or £2 if they are aged between 18 and 24. While some players will be happy sticking within these limits, lower stakes can lead to lower jackpots, especially when it comes to progressive jackpots. Progressive jackpots require players to stake the maximum coin, so a jackpot shared on sites in different countries may now be inaccessible to some UK players.
Other limits include deposit and wagering limits. Players who place net wagers of £500 a month or more undergo soft affordability checks, and the government wants to reduce this rate to £150 per month while introducing hard checks on high-rollers. Although the government states that the checks do not impact credit scores, a lot of players are concerned about the potential effects they have, while some simply don’t want their financial records checked when choosing how to spend their own money.
Another restriction placed on UK online casinos is that they must sign up for self-exclusion programs. These programs are designed to protect players, but once a bettor excludes themself, they cannot opt back out of the program until the deadline expires. Players set deadlines themselves, but it is another restriction that some players feel is unfair.
Varied Payment Methods
Strictly speaking, the UKGC does not prevent its licensed casinos from accepting cryptocurrency as a payment option. However, it does require that casinos show additional evidence of how they will mitigate price fluctuations, and how held funds will be treated in the event of insolvency, and it requires that casinos inform players of the risks associated with gambling using cryptocurrency.
These requirements mean that there is only a very limited number of UK casinos that offer crypto payment methods. Cryptocurrency’s use continues to increase, especially thanks to its enhanced security and faster transaction times compared to traditional payment methods. Players who prefer cryptocurrency generally look at offshore casino websites for these reasons.
Privacy
One reason that cryptocurrency has become popular is that it offers greater privacy. Bitcoin’s anonymity is greater than is offered by credit card or bank payments, although it is not completely anonymous. UK casinos are required to gather Know Your Customer (KYC) details.
These details include name and address, and if a member then sends or receives cryptocurrency payment to or from their crypto wallet, their name and address are linked to that wallet. Effectively, KYC detail requirements can reduce privacy. Players who want to keep their gambling preferences private may prefer to use offshore websites that do not gather this information.
Wide Range Of Games
Crash games are not prohibited by the UKGC, but they are not commonly licensed in UK online casinos yet because they are very quick games that carry additional risks. However, they are also very popular with online players. Online players may find they are better served by looking for offshore casinos that offer these and other specialist games.
Some offshore casinos offer very large selections of games – often, even tens of thousands of different games. While UK casinos can have similarly large game portfolios, the games they offer must have similar licenses to the casinos themselves, and this can limit the game software they have available to them. Offshore casinos may offer access to games that are not available in the UK.
Greater Variety
There are more than 120 UKGC-licensed casinos. While this does offer some variety and choice, it is only a drop in the ocean of the estimated 7,000 total online casinos that exist globally.
With more casinos comes more choice, and this not only means getting access to a wider variety of games and payment options, but it means players can choose according to how the site looks, the responsiveness of customer service, and even whether they offer other types of games. Offshore casinos may also offer better bonuses and other offers, making them a more appealing prospect to West Midlands casino aficionados.
By Kendal.
