UK Poker Sites Not on GamStop

Online poker is possibly the most popular card game on the planet. At the professional level it requires incredible skill—rapid mental arithmetic, calculation, memory, the ability to read other players—as well as the resilience to take bad luck in your stride. For amateurs, it’s enormous fun and can be very lucrative.

The main difference between poker and other card games is that you generally play against other players, not the house. This means that the more you practise, the better you’ll be and the more you’ll win! The best non-GamStop poker sites give you both options.

Poker not on GamStop used to be hard to find. Fortunately, there are dozens of reputable non-GamStop casinos which offer all possible forms of poker—from classic live dealer hold’em to unusual RNG variations like pineapple poker.

We’ll talk you through how to play non-GamStop poker, where to find the best games and how to use casino promotions to your advantage. Stay on this page to start your journey into the lucrative world of non-GamStop poker!

Best online poker sites not on GamStop

Poker Hand Rankings

Here are all of the possible hands in poker, from most to least powerful. Every hand in this list beats every one below it. Their strength is simply down to the mathematical likelihood of each hand occurring—royal flushes are extremely rare, while there is a high card in every round of poker!

• Royal Flush—The only unbeatable hand in poker. It comprises 5 specific cards (10, jack, queen, king, ace) all of the same suit. A royal flush always wins because it’s the strongest hand and it’s impossible for two different royal flushes to appear in the same round. 
• Straight Flush—Like the royal flush, but it can be any 5 sequential cards. For example, 2 of hearts through 7 of hearts. 
• Four of a kind—Match 4 of the name number (e.g. four 4s, four kings) between your hole cards and the river. This is surprisingly rare. 
• Full House—Three of a kind plus a pair. For example: 3, 3, 3, ace, ace. The suits are irrelevant. 

• Flush—Here the suits are everything. A flush is any combination of cards where all 5 are the same suit: hearts, clubs, spades or clubs. 
• Straight – five cards of sequential rank, not all of the same suit.
• Three of a kind—Three matching numbers. 
• Two pair—Two sets of two matching numbers. For example: 5, 5, ace, ace, 7 would be two pair. 

• One pair—A single set of matching numbers. Generally considered the lowest real ‘hand’ in poker, since a high card is really a lack of hands. 
• High card—Technically the lowest hand in poker. If none of the other hands are made, then the player with the highest individual card (e.g. ace versus king) wins the pot.

It’s important to note that if two or more players have identical winning hands, and neither folds, the pot is split equally between them. But in poker, the player with the best cards often doesn’t win the pot—that’s because poker is also about mind games and psychology. Bluffing is the art of making players believe you have the strongest hand, even if you have nothing, and is the ultimate poker skill. 

Why play at a casino not registered with GamStop?

If you are currently registered with GamStop, it’s the only way for you to access safe, high-quality online betting and gaming. Non-GamStop casinos allow all UK players access to games, live sports, bonuses and all the other benefits of online gaming—regardless of GamStop status.

There are a couple of added benefits, too: 

• Independent platforms—The vast majority of offshore casinos are independently regulated, meaning they aren’t subject to any arbitrary rules from gambling commissions or gaming authorities. 
• Credit cards as a deposit method—UKGC-licensed casinos no longer accept credit cards as a payment method. Thankfully, a healthy number of non-GamStop casinos do offer this, as well as e-wallets, debit cards, and cryptocurrencies. 
• No upfront ID checks—Rigorous ID checks tend to happen at the withdrawal stage, not when you first deposit. This means there’s no delay in getting set up and betting. This is especially important when you have a poker tournament coming up with a fixed start time.
• High-value bonuses & low wagering—It’s not uncommon to see over 500% deposit match bonuses and wagering as low as 1x in a non-GamStop casino. This is significantly better value than most UKGC casinos.

Poker Bonuses and Promotions

Online poker-specific bonuses and promotions are thin on the ground. This is because most bonuses are specific to 4 groups:  

1. Video slots
2. Table games
3. Live dealer
4. Live sports

Groups 2 and 3 are usually in the form of deposit matches or reload bonuses and can be used for any table game—including poker. These bonuses usually have 10x to 30x wagering requirements. That means that once you’ve wagered your free cash 10 to 30 times, the profits are yours to keep.

We recommend choosing casinos with generous welcome bonuses, turning that into real cash, and then using that money at the poker tables! 

New poker casinos without GamStop

As one of the world’s most popular games, there are new poker casinos not on GamStop being launched all the time. Here are 5 of our favourites.

Other games available on GamStop

• Slots—By far the most popular online casino game for UK players is video slots. Most online casinos have hundreds (if not thousands) of slots. If you need a break from poker and want to try a game without any strategy—but with even bigger profit potential—check out video slots. 
• Table games—Along with poker, the most popular table games are roulette, blackjack and baccarat. The latter two are card games. The majority of table games are played as individuals against the house, as opposed to poker where we compete against fellow players. 
• Other casino games—The likes of bingo, keno, scratch cards and more niche table games. Most casinos offer some alternative games. 
• Racing—In physical bookies, horse and greyhound racing remain extremely popular for UK players. That popularity is growing online too, since races are so common and players can make multiple bets per hour. 
• Live dealer games—These are table games hosted by real, live-streamed dealers. You’ll see blackjack, baccarat, roulette and a few other games at most non-GamStop casinos.
• Live sportsbook—Place bets on all the world’s most popular (and a number of quite niche!) sports and leagues. While they used to be rare, non-GamStop casino sites are increasingly incorporating sportsbooks into their repertoire.
• eSports—Typically offered as an extension to the sportsbook, eSports betting has exploded since Covid. Tournaments for sports, FPS and racing games are very popular. 
• Virtual sports—When live sports are unavailable, many bettors turn to virtual sports like horse racing and football. These are literally virtual, computer-controlled matches where you bet on the match result. 

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