How i check a site before putting any money in

[bex_plays]

Get asked this a lot so figured I'd write it down properly.

Before a penny goes in I do the same checks every time. First thing, scroll to the footer and find the UKGC licence number. Then I actually click through to the register and confirm the company name matches. A logo means nothing on its own, anyone can paste an image.

Next I read the bonus terms, specifically wagering and max bet. If it's 35x I'm happy, if it's 60x I close the tab.

Then the withdrawal page. I want to see debit card and ideally Open Banking, and a stated timeframe. KYC I'll do upfront if they let me, gets it out the way.

Is there anything you lot check that I'm missing? Genuinely asking, not pretending this is the full list.

[greenfeltgaz]

Solid list. One I'd add, check whether the licence holder name on the register actually trades that brand. Sometimes a white label sits under a parent company and the name's nothing like the site, which is fine, but it's worth confirming so you're not just trusting a number.

Also GAMSTOP and GamCare links in the footer. On a proper UKGC site they're there. If they're missing on something claiming to be UK licensed, that's a red flag straight off.

[sam.k.leeds]

From the value side I'd also read the bonus expiry and game weighting. A 35x that only counts slots at 100% and table games at 10% is a different animal to one that's slots only and clearly stated.

Lot of people see the headline percentage and stop reading. The damage is always three lines down in the small print.

[lou_spins]

this is dead useful actually, I never thought to click through to the register. just assumed the badge was enough.

quick question, on the offshore Curacao sites that aren't on GAMSTOP, do those checks even apply or is it a totally different thing? trying to understand where they sit.

[northern_neil]

To answer Lou, the non gamstop offshore sites are a separate world. They're informational here, they exist, some have higher limits and fewer ID hoops. But there's no UKGC behind them so no recourse if it goes wrong, no GAMSTOP, no ombudsman.

That's not a route round self exclusion, it's just a different and riskier product. If you're on GAMSTOP for a reason, stay on it. I'd read the terms even harder on offshore, not less.