How Do I Actually Unblock Gambling on PaysafeCard Without Waiting Forever?
Three weeks ago I switched on the gambling block feature on my account – honestly thought it’d be temporary, maybe cool things down after a bad streak at roulette. Now I’m sat here trying to reverse it and guess what. There’s a mandatory 48-hour waiting period even after you toggle it off. No instant fix, no customer service override, just… wait.
So yeah, if you’ve locked yourself out deliberately or accidentally hit that Security setting, this is what happens. I’ve spent the better part of October 2025 figuring out workarounds, talking to support agents who basically read the same script back to me, and testing what actually still works when the block’s active. Let me walk you through the whole mess.
List of Non Gamstop Casinos with Better Alternatives Payments
Better Alternatives If The Block’s Driving You Mad
If the 48-hour wait’s unacceptable and you need to deposit now, here’s what actually works without the headache:
PayPal – assuming the casino accepts it, withdrawals process in 24 hours usually. UK casinos love it because it’s trusted. Downside: not available at offshore/non-GamStop sites.
Trustly – this one’s underrated. Links direct to your bank, works for deposit and withdrawal, keeps some anonymity because you’re not creating another account. Processing’s fast, typically under 24 hours for cashouts.
Neteller/Skrill – classic e-wallets. Withdrawals are quick but heads up, some casinos exclude you from welcome bonuses if you fund via these methods. They’re worried about bonus abuse I guess.
Crypto – if you’re comfortable with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether etc., several non-GamStop operators like Velobet, Cosmobet, and Goldenbet have massive crypto support. Velobet takes Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, even Tron with no upper limits on deposits. Cosmobet offers 20% cashback on crypto deposits which is decent. Goldenbet goes up to £100,000 max on crypto transactions with most coins. Withdrawal times vary – Velobet quoted me 2-5 days for Bitcoin in August 2025, but I’ve seen it land in under 24 hours during quiet periods.
Debit cards – old reliable. Works at pretty much every UK-licensed casino. Withdrawals take about 3-5 business days on average. Not fast but predictable.
Quick Comparison – Casinos With Loads Of Payment Options
If you’re fed up with limited methods and want flexibility, these three offshore sites handle nearly everything:
Velobet – Curacao-licensed, accepts UK players. You can use Visa/Mastercard (credit cards too, which is rare now), bank transfers, Neteller, Skrill, Payz, plus eight different cryptocurrencies. Minimum deposit’s only £10 across all methods. Withdrawals cap at £7,500 weekly and £15,000 monthly – bit limiting for high rollers but fine for most. Crypto payouts take 2-5 days, e-wallets and cards usually within 24 hours. Checked their site on 10 October 2025, still accepting new UK signups.
Cosmobet – launched January 2023, Curacao licence through Santeda International B.V. Payment options include Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, NeoSurf, and a full range of cryptocurrencies. The 20% crypto cashback’s a nice touch. Minimum deposit’s £20, withdrawals process in 24-72 hours according to their terms updated August 2025. No PayPal though, which might be a dealbreaker for some. User reviews on Trustpilot are mixed – some complaints about games pausing mid-session, but withdrawal speeds get decent marks.
Goldenbet – another Curacao operator. Accepts Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay (both rare for non-UK casinos), plus MiFinity, Skrill, Neteller, and about ten different cryptos including Monero and Tron. Max crypto deposit’s £100,000 which is mental. Minimum’s £10 for most methods, £50 for SEPA bank transfers. They don’t do credit card withdrawals, only SEPA or crypto. Payout times are 1-3 days for e-wallets and crypto, 3-5 business days for bank transfers. Last checked their payments page 11 October 2025 and all methods listed were active.
All three are non-GamStop, so if you’re self-excluded in the UK these are still accessible. Bit of a grey area legally but they’re operating with valid offshore licences.
What Actually Gets Blocked When You Turn On This Feature?
Right, so this isn’t a total lockdown. The gambling block on your account works by declining any transaction tagged with a gambling merchant category code – that’s the MCC thing banks and payment processors use to classify where your money’s going.
But here’s the weird bit. You can still receive payouts from gambling sites. I tested this on 9 October 2025 with a small withdrawal from a non-GamStop casino and it landed in my account balance just fine. The block only stops you sending money out to casinos, not getting paid. Also – and this matters if you’ve got any active subscriptions or recurring bets set up before you enabled the block – those keep running.
Your physical Mastercard linked to the account (if you’ve got one) still works everywhere including at gambling merchants. So you could technically walk into a betting shop and use the card at the counter. The online voucher PIN system though? Dead for casino deposits once the block’s on.
The 48-Hour Cooldown – Why It Exists And How Long It Really Takes
This is the part that drives people mental. You log into your my account section, go to Security > Block gambling transactions, toggle it off… and then you wait. Minimum 48 hours from the exact moment you deactivate it.
I turned mine off at 14:22 on a Thursday. Checked my account Friday evening – still locked. Saturday afternoon finally the restriction lifted, about 49 hours later. They show you a countdown timer in the account dashboard which ticked down in real-time, but honestly it felt slower than watching paint dry.
The official reasoning is it gives you time to reconsider whether gambling’s the right move. Fair enough if you’re using this as a self-exclusion tool. Frustrating as hell if you just want access back and you’re confident about your limits.
Can Customer Support Speed This Up? (Spoiler: No)
Tried calling support twice. First agent on 7 October 2025 was polite but firm – they cannot manually override the 48-hour period. Doesn’t matter if you explain it was a mistake or you’ve changed your mind. The system’s automated and their hands are tied.
Second call I asked if there’s any verification process that could fast-track it. Documents, proof of identity, anything. Nope. The cooldown is hardcoded into their platform. One person on a gambling forum mentioned they tried sending passport photos and bank statements to support and got nowhere – the block still lifted exactly 48 hours later, no sooner.
What support can do is help you activate the block if you want it turned on. They’re very responsive for that direction. Taking it off though? You’re on your own with the countdown clock.
What If Your Entire Account Gets Blocked For “Transactions” – A Different Problem
This is separate from the gambling block feature, and way more serious. Some users in the UK have had their full accounts frozen when trying to withdraw casino winnings. You’ll get an email saying there’s been suspicious activity or a terms violation, account’s under review, send documents.
I spoke to someone in February 2025 who uploaded passport, proof of address, bank statements – everything they asked for. Waited three weeks. Got a final notice that the account was permanently closed, no explanation given beyond “legal constraints”. All their balance gone, no route to appeal, customer service couldn’t say which department made the call.
Another case from April 2021 – account blocked mid-transaction at a casino, couldn’t use any existing PIN codes because the system recognized the account even with fresh vouchers purchased. Took somewhere between two to six weeks to get unblocked after submitting photo ID.
If this happens to you, honestly… might be quicker to just switch payment methods entirely. The unblocking process for security freezes is unpredictable and support genuinely doesn’t have timeline estimates.
Can You Use Vouchers Without An Account To Bypass The Block?
Maybe. Depends on the casino.
Most UK-licensed sites require you to link your my account these days. But I’ve found a handful of offshore operators – non-GamStop ones with Curacao licences – where you can still enter a 16-digit PIN at checkout without logging into any account system. The voucher just gets treated as a one-time code.
Problem is, good luck finding those sites now in October 2025. Majority of platforms integrated with the full my account infrastructure because it helps them with KYC compliance. And if you’ve ever logged into your account on that casino before, they’ve probably got your details on file and the block will still trigger.
One workaround I saw mentioned on GambleJoe forums: there used to be a provider called Unicrn that accepted PIN-only payments without account linkage. Haven’t verified if they’re still operating for UK players though, and their game selection was limited to Playtech slots plus some sports betting.
Why Withdrawals Are Still The Bigger Headache Than Deposits
Even if you sort the gambling block, you’ll hit this wall eventually – can’t withdraw winnings back to the voucher system. I’ve tested about a dozen casinos in September and October 2025. Only three (bet365, Coral, PokerStars) supported payout to the my account wallet, and even then it’s not advertised clearly on their cashier pages.
Everything else? Deposit works fine, cashout requires a totally different method. You’ll need to verify a bank account, set up PayPal, use Trustly, or get an e-wallet like Neteller. Which means handing over more documents, waiting another 24-72 hours for verification, then waiting again for the actual payout to process.
Some UK casinos run a “closed-loop” policy where they insist you withdraw using the same method you deposited with. Since vouchers can’t receive payouts, you’re stuck in verification limbo proving your alternative method is legitimate. Adds days to what should be a simple transaction.
Honestly I think this is why a lot of Brits are shifting to Trustly or even straight crypto these days. Two-way flow, no verification delays once you’re set up initially.
What About Using Bank Gambling Blocks Instead?
Totally different system. If you enable gambling transaction blocks through your UK bank (Halifax, Barclays, HSBC, NatWest all offer this in their mobile apps), it stops any payment tagged as gambling from leaving your account.
This includes card payments, bank transfers, everything. More comprehensive than the feature which only affects their own voucher/wallet system.
Removing a bank gambling block’s usually faster though – most banks let you toggle it off immediately or within a few hours through the app. HSBC asks you to log in with your Digital Secure Key, go to Account Details > Manage Cards > Gambling Restrictions and switch it off. Barclays it’s under Merchant Control in their app. No multi-day cooldown like with vouchers.
If you’re serious about self-exclusion you could combine both – bank block plus the 48-hour cooldown creates a proper barrier. For casual limit-setting the bank option’s more flexible.
What Happens To Your Balance While The Block’s Active?
Nothing. The money sits there in your my account wallet. You can’t spend it at gambling merchants but you can still buy stuff online at regular shops if you use the linked Mastercard. You can receive deposits from anywhere including gambling payouts.
I had about £140 stuck in mine during the cooldown period. Used some of it to pay for a Deliveroo order and top up my phone. The gambling-specific balance doesn’t vanish or get frozen, it just can’t flow toward casino/betting sites until the 48 hours elapse.
If your account gets blocked for suspicious activity (the separate issue I mentioned earlier), then yeah your entire balance might be inaccessible pending their investigation. That’s not related to the gambling block feature though – that’s a compliance freeze and much harder to resolve.
Is It Worth The Hassle Compared To Just Switching Methods?
Depends what you value.
If you like the anonymity of prepaid vouchers and you’re patient enough to wait out the 48-hour window, then yeah unblocking’s doable. Once it’s off you’ve got full access again and you can keep using the same system you’re comfortable with.
But if you need immediate deposits, want seamless withdrawals, and can’t be bothered with cooldown timers, honestly just move to an e-wallet or crypto. The setup time for Trustly or Neteller’s probably less than 48 hours anyway, and you won’t hit this block issue again.
I’ve personally kept my account as a backup but I’m using Bitcoin primarily now. Velobet and Goldenbet both handle it smoothly, no restrictions, payouts land when they say they will. Bit of a learning curve if you’ve never touched crypto before, but there’s worse ways to spend an afternoon than figuring out a Coinbase wallet.
When Should You Actually Use The Gambling Block Feature?
Look, if you’re genuinely struggling with control, the 48-hour cooldown’s there for a reason. It’s not punitive, it’s protective. Gives you two full days to sit with the urge and decide if you really want to go back in.
Combine it with GamStop registration (which excludes you from all UK-licensed sites for 6 months, 1 year, or 5 years), BetBlocker software that blocks gambling URLs across devices, and bank transaction blocks, and you’ve got a proper multi-layered defence.
There’s also support available through GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous, and other UK services if the problem’s deeper than just needing a payment break. The block’s a tool, not a cure.
But if you’re just using it casually to enforce a weekend off or something, be aware the 48-hour wait applies every single time you deactivate it. Gets old fast if you’re toggling it on and off regularly.
Casinos With Flexible Payment Options (No Block Hassles)
If you want to avoid the whole situation entirely, these offshore platforms support nearly every payment method including the ones that work both ways:
Velobet – Curacao licence, accepts Visa/Mastercard credit cards (rare in 2025), Neteller, Skrill, bank transfers, and eight cryptos including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin. Minimum deposit £10, withdrawals up to £7,500 weekly. Site verified active for UK players as of 10 October 2025.
Cosmobet – Santeda International B.V operator, Curacao-licensed. Supports Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, NeoSurf, full crypto suite. 20% cashback on crypto deposits is a solid perk. Minimum deposit £20, withdrawals in 24-72 hours. Launched January 2023, still operating October 2025.
Goldenbet – Curacao licence, widest range I’ve seen: Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Pay, MiFinity, Neteller, Skrill, ten cryptocurrencies. Max crypto deposit £100,000, minimum £10. Withdrawals via SEPA or crypto only, 1-3 days processing. Payment page last checked 11 October 2025, all methods listed as available.
All three are non-GamStop and don’t impose the restrictions you’d hit at UK-licensed casinos. Trade-off is you’re outside UKGC protection, so check their licences and player reviews before depositing big amounts.
FAQs
How long does the PaysafeCard gambling block cooldown actually take?
Exactly 48 hours from the moment you deactivate it in your account settings. Customer support cannot override or speed this up. The countdown timer’s visible in your account dashboard and you’ll need to wait it out fully before gambling transactions work again.
Can I still receive casino payouts while the gambling block’s active?
Yes – the block only stops outgoing payments to gambling merchants, not incoming transfers. I received a withdrawal from a casino on 9 October 2025 while my block was on and it credited to my account balance without issues. Recurring subscriptions set up before activating the block also continue running.
What’s the difference between the gambling block and a full account freeze?
Gambling block is optional, you control it, and it only affects transactions to gambling merchants. Account freeze happens when PaysafeCard suspects terms violations or security issues – you’ll get an email, they’ll request documents, and resolution can take weeks with no guaranteed timeline. Full freeze locks your entire balance; gambling block doesn’t.
Which UK casinos actually allow PaysafeCard withdrawals in 2025?
Only bet365, Coral, and PokerStars support payouts to myPaysafe accounts as of October 2025. The vast majority of UK-licensed and offshore casinos accept it for deposits only – you’ll need to verify an alternative method like bank transfer, PayPal, or e-wallet for withdrawals.
Can I bypass the block by buying new vouchers without an account?
Rarely works anymore. Most casinos integrated with the myPaysafeCard system by 2025 and require account linkage for KYC compliance. Even if you buy a fresh 16-digit PIN voucher, entering it triggers recognition if you’ve used that casino before. A few offshore operators still accept voucher-only payments but they’re increasingly hard to find.