GamStop system, designed to protect players in the UK, unexpectedly became an entry point for offshore casinos. An investigation by The Guardian found, that users, limited themselves to licensed services, start looking for workarounds and end up on illegal platforms. Affiliate sites actively promote queries like “casinos outside of GamStop”, redirecting traffic to operators without a Gambling Commission license. This case demonstrates the risks for regulated markets, including Ukraine, where similar mechanisms without strict control can strengthen the position of the gray segment.
Marketing case: How player self-exclusion became an entry point for offshore casinos…
Joint investigation The Guardian and Investigate Europe showed, how the system for protecting players in the UK actually turned into a tool for transferring them to illegal operators. At the center of the scheme is the Santeda International network and a number of casinos, working without a Gambling Commission license.
How the system works and where the vulnerability occurs
GamStop is a voluntary self-restraint mechanism: the user adds himself to the registry, after which all licensed British casinos are obliged to block his access. However, offshore sites are not subject to these requirements.. As a result, the player, wanting to limit himself, paradoxically becomes more “valuable” from the point of view of the illegal market: he motivated, but is denied access to legal services. In this way, a ready-made audience segment is formed, who remains unprotected.
How offshore companies intercept traffic
Affiliate networks quickly adapted to this behavior model. They built an SEO ecosystem around queries like “casino outside of GamStop”. Simple logic: the user himself searches for a bypass - and immediately ends up on intermediary sites, leading to illegal casinos. For each client referred, affiliates receive a commission. According to the investigation, only for the period from November 2025 to January 2026 such sites attracted about 2,3 million monthly users from the UK.
The scale of the problem and real consequences
There are at least eight brands involved in the network, including MyStake, Velobet, Goldenbet и Rolletto. They all operate without a UK license. Cases of large financial losses have been recorded: For example, one of the players, previously blocked himself through GamStop, found a bypass through an affiliate site and lost over £23 000. In January 2026 year, a British investigation also linked the activities of offshore operators to the tragic death of a 36-year-old gambler.
Where does the money go?
Financial flows lead to Upgaming AG and its head Tornika Tvauri. Via domain chain, partnership programs and corporate structures funds are transferred outside the UK. Some of this money, according to journalists, was invested in real estate in Tbilisi - including through loans in the amount of about €6.5 million, issued to developers.
Regulator response
At the end 2025 The Gambling Commission received additional funding - about £26 million - to combat illegal sites. However, in practice most of these resources remain available to UK users. The domain blocking mechanism has not yet been implemented, and the timing of its launch remains uncertain.
Bottom line
GamStop performs its main function - it helps limit access to licensed casinos. But the side effect turned out to be critical: users with high motivation to play actually mark themselves and become easy prey for offshore operators. This is an ideal audience for affiliates, which you don’t need to look for - it comes by itself.
How does this relate to Ukraine?
For Ukraine the situation looks potentially similar. Despite market regulation and the presence of licensed operators, access to offshore casinos remains open. If self-restraint mechanisms similar to GamStop are introduced on a large scale in the country, it is important to take into account the British experience: Without parallel blocking of illegal sites and control of affiliate traffic, such tools can have the opposite effect. In active online gambling this creates a risk of players and funds leaking into the gray sector, bypassing national jurisdiction and tax system.
Remind, Cosmolot was closed online in Ukraine.
