Seen Something Suspicious Online?
Report Scam Casinos, Phishing, and Fake Bingo Sites

Seen Something Suspicious? The rise of fake and cloned online bingo and casino related sites is an increasing threat to UK players in 2025. These scam operations usually work offshore and replicate the look and feel of trusted UK-licensed bingo and casino websites, often redirecting users to unsafe non UK compliant sites.

If you've come across something that doesn’t feel right such as a suspicious bingo or casino related website - you can report it with GlitzyBingo.co.uk.

Report a Suspicious Site

We are under attack! UK gambling websites that are intended to be safe, fair, and regulated are losing rankings in the search engines and being replaced by sophisticated scammers.

Increasingly sophisticated clones and phishing pages now imitate licensed brands and reputable long-standing UK affiliate brands to capture personal data or divert players to unregulated platforms. Visual polish is no longer proof of legitimacy; staying vigilant and safe online is more important than ever.

How Scam Sites Typically Operate

There are several patterns we see repeatedly:

Imitation

Fraud sites mirror a genuine UK brand’s look and feel — logo, colours, layout, even review copy. Some clones duplicate whole sections; search snippets and icons can also appear convincing at a glance.

Deception

Domains are almost right but not quite (a swapped letter, extra hyphen, different TLD). Footers may show UKGC or “secure” badges that don’t link to a real licence record.

Redirection

Buttons labelled “Login” or “Play” silently open a different domain — often an offshore or crypto-only operator — via masked links or scripted redirects.

Capture

Once trust is gained, the site requests credentials, card/crypto deposits, or “verification” documents. Some prompt fake updates that install malware.

Obfuscation

Ownership is hidden, licence details are missing or mismatched, and domains/hosts rotate frequently to evade reports and takedowns.

Phishing: Emails, Texts & Ads

Phishing is a social-engineering attack. Messages that appear to come from licensed operators or trusted UK affiliates urge you to “verify”, “claim a bonus”, or “log in”, but the links lead to look-alike pages designed to capture credentials or divert you to an unlicensed site. If a message is unexpected, don’t click, type the brand’s address manually or use a saved bookmark.

Malvertising (malicious ads)

Malvertising uses paid ads or injected banners to make scams look official. The page may seem genuine, but the advert links to a clone or doorway page that immediately redirects elsewhere. If an ad opens a different domain than advertised, close the tab and verify independently. If a popup randomly opens without you clicking anything, virus scan!

Drive-by scripts & fake updates

Some pages run scripts that try to install extensions, toolbars, or “security updates”, or request unusual permissions. Do not install software prompted by a gambling or offer page; update your browser/OS only via official channels.

Detection & protection (AVG & your browser)

Use a reputable security suite such as AVG with real-time web and email shields enabled, plus a browser safety extension to flag known phishing and malicious hosts. Run on-demand scans of unfamiliar links/files. Tools help—but licence checks and domain verification remain essential.

If you clicked by mistake

Close the page, run a full scan (AVG or equivalent), remove unfamiliar extensions, and change any reused passwords. Enable 2FA on key accounts, then report the suspicious URL and screenshots so others can be warned.

If anything feels off, stop and verify the licence on the official register: UKGC Licence Search.

If you’ve spotted a suspicious site, email, or redirect, you can report it to us. While we cannot take sites down directly, we review every credible submission and, where appropriate, escalate verified reports — including URLs and screenshots — to affected licensed brands, hosts/registrars, or relevant authorities. You may report anonymously; personal details are never shared without consent.

Report a Suspicious Site

The Law in 2025: Why This Matters

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and government introduced new gambling regulations in 2025 to strengthen consumer protection and reduce illegal gambling online. It remains against the law for any gambling business to offer services to UK players without a valid UK Gambling Commission licence.

While affiliates like GlitzyBingo.co.uk do not need a UKGC licence to advertise, we must still follow UK advertising law — mainly the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules and CAP Code (Section 16). These require that all gambling advertising, including affiliate links and reviews, is socially responsible, not misleading, and only promotes UK-licensed operators. Promoting or redirecting players to unlicensed or crypto-only casinos can breach both advertising and consumer-protection law.

The 2025 updates also give regulators stronger powers to act against unlicensed gambling sites and improve cooperation with domain registrars and hosting providers. By reporting suspicious casino websites, you help protect UK consumers and keep the regulated market safe, fair, and transparent.

Report a Suspicious Site

Staying Safe: Practical Checks

Check the address bar carefully

Confirm exact spelling and the domain you expect (.co.uk vs .com, no extra hyphens). A padlock (HTTPS) is required but not proof of legitimacy — many scam sites use HTTPS.

Confirm where buttons really go

Hover over “Login”, “Play” or offer banners and read the status-bar URL. Doorway clones often look like a real brand but redirect to a different domain the moment you click. You can't always tell; if you are unsure, activate an antivirus scanner like AVG first.

Verify the UKGC licence

Legitimate UK sites state a company name and licence number in the footer. Cross-check those details — and the live domain — on the UKGC register. If they don’t match, don’t proceed.

Treat sudden changes as warnings

If a familiar brand suddenly looks different, asks for unusual documents, forces downloads, or bounces between domains, stop and verify before doing anything else.

Not all Crypto Casinos are safe

They are safe only if they are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Most crypto-only sites targeting UK players are not licensed. That means no UK player protections or responsible-gambling tools, no UK dispute resolution (ADR), and a higher risk of non-payment or data misuse. If a site accepts crypto and does not appear on the UKGC register, it is operating outside UK rules — avoid it.

Reporting Something Suspicious

• The full URL(s) you visited and any redirect path (copy it from the address bar).
• Date/time (and your timezone) when you saw the activity.
• Which brand the site is impersonating (if applicable).
• Any emails/SMS/ads that led you there (headers or links if available).

Note: When escalating viable reports we may include technical indicators (e.g., URLs, host data, observable IP evidence from the offending site). Your personal details are not shared without consent.

Is My Report Anonymous?

Yes. You may submit without personal details. If you choose to provide contact information, we will only use it to clarify your submission. We do not sell or share personal data. Where appropriate, we may share technical evidence only with affected brands or relevant authorities.

What We Can and Cannot Do

• We can: review reports, raise public awareness, contact affected licensed brands, and — where appropriate — share viable cases with relevant authorities or service providers (e.g., hosts/registrars).
• We cannot: take down websites directly, recover funds, or mediate player disputes.

Issues with licensed operators: contact the operator’s official support and, if needed, follow their ADR/complaints process via the UKGC route.
Unlicensed sites: there is no UK body to resolve disputes; protect your accounts and finances. If you’ve been scammed, let us know so we can build an evidence base and warn others.

A Recent Case: GlitzyBingo.co.uk Was Cloned

We discovered a fraudulent site of Glitzy Bingo that copied our previous pink design—logo, branding, layout, and even reviews. They even had our About Us page and Terms! It replicated our website so convincingly that the journey felt familiar, but the “Login” and offer links had been rewired to redirect users to an unrelated, unlicensed crypto casino. Despite limited external support from authorities in the UK industry and cybercrime experts, we persisted and had the clone removed ourselves. The episode shows how polished these operations can be - treat “looks legitimate” as a starting point, not a conclusion. It also shows how at risk UK players are from harm in the search engines.

Simple rule: if the address bar does not show glitzybingo.co.ukexactly, it isn’t us. We operate one official site — glitzybingo.co.uk — and we’ve had it since 2007. We do not use alternative domains or mirror sites.

If you spot an imitation, please let us know: Report an Imitation

Why Your Reports Matter

Not every case can be escalated immediately, and we cannot take down sites ourselves. However, credible reports build a clear picture of active threats, which brands are being impersonated, which domains are redirecting, and where UK players are being targeted. Where appropriate, we share verified, viable reports with affected brands, hosts/registrars, or relevant authorities to help disrupt the activity and warn other players.

If You Already Clicked or Made a Deposit on a Fraud Site

• Stop activity on the site and close the tab.
• Scan your device with reputable security software.
• Change passwords for any reused credentials; enable 2FA where possible.
• Contact your bank/card/crypto platform to flag the transaction and seek advice.
• Monitor statements for unfamiliar charges and set alerts.
• Report the incident via our form so we can help warn others.

Report a Suspicious Site

Why UKGC Licensing Matters

The UK Gambling Commission ensures that casinos and bingo sites follow strict rules to protect players. This includes:

• ✅ Full ID & KYC checks to protect minors and prevent fraud
• ✅ Access to independent dispute resolution (ADR)
• ✅ Responsible gambling tools like deposit limits & self-exclusion
• ✅ Fair games tested by independent auditors

To verify a site’s licence, visit the official checker: UKGC Licence Search

Report a Suspicious Site

Disclaimer

The information on this page focuses on unlicensed and impersonating (cloned) gambling websites that pose a risk to UK players. We are not stating that every non-UK or unlicensed casino automatically causes harm; however, if a site is not licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) and targets UK players, UK consumer protections and dispute routes do not apply.

References to brands are for identification and awareness only. We do not allege wrongdoing by any genuine UKGC-licensed operator. Content is provided for general guidance, not legal or financial advice. Always verify a licence on the official register before you log in or deposit: UKGC Licence Search.

Glitzy Bingo™ cannot remove websites, recover funds, or mediate player disputes. Where appropriate, we share verified reports with relevant parties to raise awareness and reduce harm. If you believe you’ve encountered an imitation or unsafe site, please report it to us.