UK residents have been wagering on horses for over 150 years. That would also include online horse race wagering over the last 25 years.
Here's an interesting tidbit. Betting on horses is an intricate part of European culture that more than a few people think it's very different from sports betting and casino gambling. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. Gambling is gambling no matter what option or options a gambler chooses. That also means online gambling is online gambling, no matter what.
That's certainly the position of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), which has regulated most forms of gambling in the UK since 2007. Let's look at the UKGC's position regarding regulations on online horse race betting.
It's important to note that the UKGC is not responsible for regulating the UK horse racing community. That responsibility falls on the British Horse Racing Authority. With that said, the UKGC does have jurisdiction over any forms of gambling that take place over UK-owned remote devices. That would include smartphones and computers (PCs and laptops). That does include jurisdiction over all gambling sites that offer horse race betting as an online gambling alternative.
Are Horse Racing Betting Sites Required to Meet GamStop Requirements?
As a horseplayer, you should be aware there are two types of online horse race betting sites available in the UK. Some sites are exclusively devoted to horse race betting action. The rest of the options are general gambling sites that offer some combination of betting options (sports betting, casino, gambling, lottery, bingo, horse racing).
By law, any online gambling site that wants to offer online gambling services within the UK must be licensed. If they are licensed to do so, they must abide by all of the UKGC's rules, regulations, and mandates. That includes the mandate to subscribe to the GamStop Self-exclusion scheme.
What is GamStop All About
For drug addicts and alcoholics in the UK, there are a lot of resources where addicts can get help. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for people with a gambling disorder.
That's not to say the UK online gambling community doesn't make an effort to protect problem gamblers. They make an effort through responsible gambling initiatives and programs like GamCare and Gamblers Anonymous. And, of course, many UK online gambling sites, horse race betting sites included, offer access to GamStop as mandated by the UKGC.
GamStop was first introduced in 2018, with operator membership mandated in 2020. The program is strictly voluntary, while the registration process is free and fast. It works like this.
A horseplayer decides their online horse race betting is getting out of control. They find the GamStop link on their favourite horse race betting site and begin the registration process. At registration, they must provide the personal information that will be used to identify them in the GamStop database. They must also select their self-exclusion period using the following options: 6 months, one year, or five years.
After completing and submitting the online registration form, their self-exclusion immediately goes into effect for the duration of their self-prescribed timeframe.
Here's the problem. Some horseplayers decide they want to start betting horses again before their self-exclusion ends. Try as they may, they won't be allowed to do that through licensed horse race betting sites that are members of the GamStop scheme. Does that leave UK horseplayers with any options? Yes, please keep reading.
Non-GamStop Horse Race Betting Alternatives
It's OK if you change your mind about your GamStop self-exclusion. You must figure out how to get around your current GamStop status. Here are some options you might want to consider.
Use Non-GamStop Horse Race Betting Sites
There are hundreds of horse race betting sites in the UK from which you can choose. While many are GamStop members, quite a few are not GamStop members. In fact, most of these non-GamStop sites were not even licensed by the UKGC. While using such sites comes with extra risk, most are safe and reputable. You can locate many of these non GamStop betting sites via Casino Wise.
Overseas Horse Race Betting Sites
While horse racing in other countries might not be as popular as it is in the UK, there are still some offshore gambling sites that will accept horse race wagers.
It's a good sign that while these sites might not be licensed in the UK, they are often approved by other regulatory bodies. As such, they are regulated and provide fair and safe gambling services. Also, they tend to appreciate participation by UK gamblers.
There is one caveat. Many offshore operators are operating in countries where access restriction is limited to devices in the applicable region. To get around these restrictions, UK horseplayers might have to subscribe to and use a reliable VPN to gain access.
Use Crypto-Only Sites That Accept Horse Race Wagers
OK. It's tough to find horse race-specific betting sites that accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. However, several general UK online gambling sites accept crypto and offer horse race betting. If you can find one that suits your needs, you will benefit from the anonymity generally afforded to crypto users.
UK Retail Betting Shops
The ultimate way to beat GamStop is to avoid all online gambling. As a horseplayer, that would leave you with a viable horse race betting option. While internet gambling rules the roost in the UK, plenty of betting shops still accept sports bets and horse race wagers. If you are willing to turn back the clock to yesteryear, a little walk in the right part of town could lead you to a retail horse race betting option.
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