Responsible gambling
Gambling is entertainment with a negative expected return. If it has stopped being entertainment, help is free and available at any hour.
If you need help now: the National Gambling Helpline, run by GamCare, is free on 0808 8020 133 and answers 24 hours a day.
What GAMSTOP does not cover
This matters more on this site than on most. GAMSTOP blocks your accounts across every operator licensed by the Gambling Commission for Great Britain. The operators listed on this site are licensed elsewhere, so GAMSTOP registration does not close accounts with them.
If you are registered with GAMSTOP, or have used self-exclusion anywhere, treat that as a reason to avoid the sites listed here entirely. The scheme exists because you decided you needed it, and a licence issued in another country does not change that decision.
Where to get free help
| Organisation | What it offers | How to reach it |
|---|---|---|
| National Gambling Helpline | Confidential advice and treatment referral, 24 hours | 0808 8020 133 |
| GamCare | Counselling, group support, live chat and forums | gamcare.org.uk |
| GambleAware | Self-assessment tools and a directory of local support | begambleaware.org |
| Gordon Moody | Residential and intensive online treatment programmes | gordonmoody.org.uk |
| GAMSTOP | Self-exclusion across all GB-licensed operators | gamstop.co.uk |
Account tools worth turning on
Most cashiers carry these, and on almost every site they are switched off by default. None of them work unless you set them before you need them.
- Deposit limits: a ceiling per day, week or month. On GB-licensed sites a lower limit applies immediately and a higher one takes 24 hours; offshore sites vary, so check.
- Loss limits: caps net losses rather than deposits, which is the more honest number.
- Session reminders: a prompt showing how long you have been playing and what the session has cost.
- Time-outs: a short break, typically up to six weeks.
- Account closure: permanent, and worth choosing over a time-out if you are unsure.
Set a deposit limit before your first deposit rather than after a loss. The decision is better made when nothing is at stake.
Warning signs
Worth acting on, not explaining away:
- Depositing more than you planned, or more than once in a session to chase a loss.
- Gambling with money meant for bills, rent or food, or borrowing to fund it.
- Hiding how much you play, or how much you have lost, from people close to you.
- Cancelling a withdrawal to put the money back into play.
- Playing to escape stress or low mood rather than for entertainment.
- Feeling irritable or restless when you try to stop.
Reversal windows deserve a specific mention. A site that lets you pull a requested withdrawal back into your balance is offering a feature that works against you. We treat it as a mark against a site in our ranking, and you should treat it as a trap.
Under 18s
Gambling is illegal for anyone under 18 in the UK, and nothing on this site is intended for under-18s. Every operator listed runs age verification before releasing funds. If a child has access to your devices, filtering software such as Net Nanny or FamiSafe can block gambling sites.
Money facts worth knowing
Gambling winnings are not taxed in the UK, so a cashout needs no declaration. That is the only guarantee on this page. Every game listed on this site has a negative expected return, which means the longer you play, the more likely you are to be down. Stake only money you can lose without consequence, and stop when it stops being fun.