About Us

Online Casinos was set up for one specific reader: the UK player who has self-excluded through GAMSTOP but still wants a clear, honest guide to the sites operating outside that scheme. We're not here to talk anyone into anything. We're here to explain, compare and rate the Curaçao-licensed casinos that fall outside GAMSTOP's remit, so that whoever lands here can make an informed choice rather than guessing.

What We Actually Do

We research operators that hold licences outside the UK Gambling Commission's jurisdiction — typically Curaçao — and hold them up against the same criteria every time. We look at how they present welcome offers, how their games libraries are built, what payment options they support, and how the small print on bonuses actually reads once you get past the headline percentage. None of this is about pushing you toward a deposit. It's about giving you the same depth of information a UKGC-licensed site would be expected to disclose, applied to a part of the market that's often covered with far less scrutiny.

For a full breakdown of the wider market, including sites beyond our top picks, our Non Gamstop Casinos UK 2026 guide goes into more detail on how the sector as a whole is structured.

How We Rate and Rank

Every operator on this site is scored against the same set of factors, and no brand can pay to move up the list. Commission from affiliate links funds this site, but it plays no part in where an operator sits in our rankings. Here's what actually feeds into a rating:

• Licensing transparency — whether the operator clearly states its licence and jurisdiction, and what that licence realistically covers
• Bonus terms — we read past the headline offer figure to the wagering requirements, maximum cashout caps, game contribution rates and time limits attached
• Game range — the balance of slots, table games and live-dealer content, and the software studios behind them
• Payment options — the deposit and withdrawal methods on offer, processing times, and any fees or limits that apply
• Site conduct — how clearly terms and conditions are written, and how easy it is to find self-exclusion or account-limit tools

Ratings are editorial judgements based on this research, not customer review scores, and they get revisited as offers and terms change.

A Few Names We Cover, and Why

We don't review every site not on GAMSTOP — we focus on the ones that hold up under the criteria above. A few examples from our current list:

• Betmica sits at the top of our table on the strength of a large-scale welcome package — 570% up to £5,700 plus 270 free spins — but offers of that size always carry heavier wagering conditions, so the terms are worth reading before assuming the headline number is what lands in your balance.
• Kikibet follows closely with a 350% match up to £5,555 and 300 free spins, aimed at players who want volume in both the bonus and the spins count rather than a smaller, tighter package. As with any large multiplier offer, expect a longer wagering journey and check which games count toward it.
• Betninja takes a more straightforward route — a flat £1,000 bonus with 100 free spins for new players, without the inflated percentages some competitors use. It's a simpler offer to evaluate at a glance, though a flat bonus of this size still needs its wagering requirement and expiry checked before you commit.

These write-ups sit above the ranked table on the review pages so you can weigh the exact figures alongside the reasoning behind each score.

What Playing at These Sites Involves

Sites outside GAMSTOP's scope are licensed elsewhere — often Curaçao — and operate under a different set of rules than a UKGC-licensed casino. That means the consumer protections built into the UK system, including the GAMSTOP exclusion itself, don't automatically apply. It also means account verification, dispute handling and complaint routes vary by operator rather than following one national standard. We flag licensing details where an operator publishes them, and we never state or imply that a site holds a licence it doesn't.

In terms of what's on offer, most of these casinos run the same broad categories as any online casino — slots, blackjack and roulette variants, live-dealer tables, and increasingly a sportsbook alongside the casino product. Payment methods commonly include debit cards and e-wallets, with some sites also supporting cryptocurrency and prepaid options like Paysafe. Deposit and withdrawal speeds, fees and limits differ by operator and by method, which is exactly the kind of detail our reviews try to spell out rather than gloss over.

Where We Stand on Self-Exclusion

GAMSTOP is a UK self-exclusion scheme covering operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission. It doesn't extend to casinos licensed outside that system, which is why these sites remain accessible to someone who has self-excluded. We're not going to tell a reader that using them is wrong — that's a personal decision, and this site exists to inform it, not moralise about it. What we will say is that self-exclusion tools exist for a reason, and if gambling has become something you're trying to manage, our Responsible Gambling page has practical information on support options, regardless of which sites you use.

Keeping This Page Honest

Online Casinos earns commission when a reader signs up through one of our links. That funds the research but never buys placement — ratings are set before commercial terms are agreed, and they get adjusted if an operator's terms or conduct change. If you've spotted something out of date or want to raise a question about how we work, our Contact Us page is the way to reach us, and our Terms and Conditions set out the fuller detail on how the site operates.