Gambling scams and regulation writer
Kerry Dinsdale, from Darlington, writes BonusOut's guides on gambling scams and the rules that protect players in Great Britain. She worked for many years in a local council's Trading Standards team, logging reports of scams and unfair trading, and later handled disputed card payments at a payment services firm. In her final years at the council, more and more reports came from people whose winnings had not been paid by casinos advertised on social media, often sites that billed themselves as “not on Gamstop”. Since 2021 she has written about unlicensed gambling, how to check a licence and where to complain. She also checks the licensing sections of BonusOut's reviews. Her guides give general information and are not legal advice.
Gambling affordability checks is a label the Gambling Commission calls inaccurate. This guide separates the £150 vulnerability check, the planned financial risk assessments, deposit limits and the credit card ban, with sources dated 9 October 2026.
Gambling scams UK readers hear about cover more than unlicensed casinos. This guide reads the Gambling Commission’s 2025 to 2026 enforcement figures, explains what they count, asks whether takedowns work and sets out where to report a scam.
Online casino age verification UK explained: the age and identity rules in force since 7 May 2019, separate anti-money laundering checks, what a licensed site may and may not ask at withdrawal, and where to complain.
Many UK banks let customers block card payments to gambling merchants from the banking app. This guide sets out how to switch a gambling block on, what each bank says about turning it off, what a block does not stop and where free support is available, with sources dated 9 October 2026.
How to complain about a gambling company in the UK: write to the business first, wait eight weeks or for a deadlock letter, then use a free ADR provider. This guide also covers what the Gambling Commission does not decide and what a site without a licence leaves out.
How many people in Great Britain are harmed by gambling? This guide sets out the Gambling Commission’s official UK gambling statistics for 2025 and 2026, with years, groups and confidence intervals, and says what each figure does not show.
Is online gambling legal in the UK? The Gambling Act 2005 requires a Gambling Commission licence from anyone who provides gambling to people in Great Britain. This guide sets out the offences, why a foreign licence does not count and what a licence means for you, as at 9 October 2026.
The online slots stake limit in the UK is £5 per game cycle for players aged 25 and over and £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds at businesses licensed by the Gambling Commission. This guide explains game cycles, the spin and autoplay rules and the commission’s data, as at 9 October 2026.
How to report a gambling scam in the UK: call your bank first, then report to Report Fraud (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland on 101. The guide covers what to ask about card and bank transfer payments, recovery scams and what the Gambling Commission can and cannot do.
Casinos not on Gamstop are sites that advertise being outside the scheme every licensed online operator must join. This guide explains what the label tells you, who it targets, which protections you lose without a licence and where to find help.
How to check if a casino is licensed in the UK: search the Gambling Commission’s register by domain, confirm the status is ‘Active’, then match the name and web address. The guide also covers what the register leaves out and where to report an unlicensed site.
How long does Gamstop last? It runs for the period chosen at registration, cannot be cancelled during it and does not end on its own afterwards. This guide explains the rules, the limits of the scheme and the support available, with sources dated 9 October 2026.
Common signs of gambling addiction in yourself and in someone close to you, a nine-question NHS self-check and the routes to help: the National Gambling Helpline, NHS clinics in England, GamFam and Gordon Moody.
Players do not pay tax on gambling winnings in the UK, and National Lottery prizes are covered too. This guide sets out the legal basis, the limits for professional gamblers, what happens to interest and gifts, and who pays the 40% remote gaming duty.
The UK wagering requirements cap limits licensed operators to 10 times the bonus from 19 January 2026, and the same rules ban mixed product offers. This guide shows what changed, how to read bonus terms and conditions step by step, and where to complain when a term does not look right.
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