Best Non GamStop Casinos UK: Free Spins Offers Compared

Casino reviews: how the top non GamStop casinos compare on free spins

The following write-ups cover the ten casinos not on GamStop featured on this page, in the order they are ranked. Each review focuses on what the free spins package actually involves — the wagering attached to it, the deposit needed to unlock it and any evidence gaps worth flagging before you sign up. Figures are drawn from the offer terms supplied by each brand; where a detail such as payout speed or catalogue size is not independently verifiable, that limitation is noted rather than guessed at.

Betmica

Betmica tops this list with a headline package of 570% up to £5,700 plus 270 free spins, the largest combined match-and-spins offer among the operators reviewed here. That scale makes it attractive to slots players chasing a long session on free spins, but a package this size is almost always split into stages across multiple deposits rather than paid in one go, so check the staged structure before assuming the full amount lands after a single top-up.

Pros

• Large free spins allocation spread across several slot titles
• Broad slots library covering multiple volatility levels
• GBP account support for UK depositors

Cons

• 40x wagering requirement demands a substantial playthrough
• Full bonus value likely requires several qualifying deposits
• Licensed outside the UK Gambling Commission's remit

Kikibet

Kikibet offers 350% up to £5,555 and 300 free spins, leaning slightly more on spins volume than Betmica while offering a smaller match percentage. This is the kind of package that suits a player specifically after spin count over match cash, since 300 free spins on a low-stake slot can stretch a session considerably further than an equivalent cash bonus.

Pros

• High free spins count relative to deposit size
• Wide game library including newer slot releases
• Lower minimum deposit than several competitors on this list

Cons

• 35x wagering still requires meaningful turnover
• Spins may be restricted to specific slot titles rather than free choice
• No independently verified payout history available

Betninja

Betninja's £1,000 bonus plus 100 free spins is a flat offer rather than a percentage match, which makes the terms easier to read at a glance — every new player is offered the same figure regardless of deposit size, subject to the deposit minimum being met. The lower spins count compared with the top two entries is offset by the straightforward structure.

Pros

• Fixed bonus amount is simple to calculate against deposit size
• Lower wagering requirement than several rivals on this page
• Low £10 minimum deposit widens accessibility

Cons

• Free spins allocation is smaller than the top-ranked packages
• Game catalogue size is comparatively modest
• Longer operating history data beyond the launch year is not available

WinnerIsland

WinnerIsland's welcome bonus is quoted in euros — up to €1,000 plus 100 free spins — which is worth noting for UK readers, since deposits in pounds sterling may be subject to currency conversion depending on whether a genuine GBP account is offered. This is the smallest headline figure among the top five reviewed here, though the spins count matches Betninja's.

Pros

• Free spins included alongside the match bonus for slots players
• Reasonably sized game library across slots and live tables
• Straightforward eligibility for the welcome offer

Cons

• Euro-denominated offer may involve currency conversion for GBP depositors
• 40x wagering is on the higher end for this comparison
• Smallest headline match percentage in the top five

Zombillion

Zombillion's Welcome Pack runs to 250% up to £4,000 plus 200 free spins. The percentage match is lower than the top two brands, but the free spins count remains competitive, and the sterling-denominated offer avoids the conversion question that applies to WinnerIsland.

Pros

• Sterling-denominated bonus avoids currency conversion for UK players
• 200 free spins is a solid mid-tier allocation
• Moderate 35x wagering requirement

Cons

• Match percentage trails the higher-ranked brands on this list
• Independent payout verification is not available
• Game catalogue slightly smaller than the market leaders here

Smash Casino

Smash Casino's 600% up to €10,000 Slots Welcome Package carries the highest headline cash ceiling on this page, though it does not include a separate free spins figure in the supplied offer terms, which is a gap worth flagging rather than assuming spins are automatically bundled in.

Pros

• Highest headline bonus ceiling among the operators compared here
• Large slots-focused game library
• Wide provider mix supports slot variety

Cons

• Free spins are not itemised separately in the supplied offer
• 45x wagering is the steepest requirement in this comparison
• Recent launch means limited operating history to assess

Nightluck

Nightluck's package — €6,400 plus 280 free spins at 805% — is structured as a very high percentage match against a comparatively modest qualifying deposit. The 280 free spins is among the largest allocations reviewed here, second only to Kikibet.

Pros

• Very high match percentage relative to deposit size
• Large free spins count suits extended slot sessions
• Broad game selection across multiple providers

Cons

• High percentage match often means a proportionally high wagering target
• Euro pricing may require conversion for GBP depositors
• No verified withdrawal-speed data beyond the operator's own figures

CoinPoker

CoinPoker's offer of 150% up to $2,000 is the smallest headline match on this page and does not list a separate free spins figure in the supplied terms. The dollar denomination and the name itself suggest a product angled toward poker and cryptocurrency-based play rather than a slots-first free spins experience, which is a material difference from the rest of this list.

Pros

• Lower wagering requirement than most operators on this page
• Cryptocurrency-friendly deposits and withdrawals
• Fast crypto payout speed relative to fiat alternatives

Cons

• No dedicated free spins figure in the supplied welcome offer
• Smaller general slots catalogue than dedicated slots casinos
• Dollar-denominated pricing may not suit GBP account holders

Rivo

Rivo's Slots welcome package runs to 1000% up to €10,000 plus 25% cashback, combining an unusually high match percentage with a cashback element rather than a free spins count in the headline terms. The cashback structure is worth understanding separately from free spins, since cashback returns a portion of losses rather than issuing spins outright.

Pros

• Cashback element supplements the match bonus
• Very high headline match percentage
• Sizeable slots-focused game library

Cons

• No dedicated free spins allocation in the headline offer
• Recent launch limits available operating-history evidence
• 40x wagering applies to a large potential bonus sum

Daytonaspin

Daytonaspin closes this list with 255% up to £4,500 plus 255 Free Spin, a sterling-denominated offer with a free spins count that lines up numerically with the percentage figure. As the lowest-ranked entry here, the terms are broadly comparable to the mid-table brands above, without a standout advantage in either match size or wagering.

Pros

• Sterling-denominated bonus avoids conversion concerns for UK players
• 255 free spins gives a reasonable slots allocation
• Moderate £15 minimum deposit

Cons

• 40x wagering sits at the higher end of this comparison
• Match percentage is modest against the top-ranked brands
• Limited independent evidence on payout consistency

What are casinos not on GamStop?

GAMSTOP is the UK's free self-exclusion scheme. Every operator holding a UK Gambling Commission licence must connect to it, so once a player registers, every UKGC-licensed site is required to block that account for the chosen exclusion period. A casino not on GamStop is, definitionally, one that does not hold a UKGC licence and therefore sits outside the scheme's reach — usually because it is licensed by a different regulator entirely.

This is often described using several overlapping terms: non GamStop casino, offshore casino, casino not on GamStop, or casinos not on GamStop more generally. These terms describe the same regulatory position — licensed abroad, not connected to GAMSTOP — rather than different tiers of legitimacy. The label says nothing on its own about the quality of a site's terms, its financial stability or how it handles disputes.

A related but distinct claim is "no-KYC", meaning a casino supposedly skips identity verification. This claim should be treated with caution. Anti-money-laundering obligations apply to most licensed gambling businesses regardless of where they are based, and a casino advertising no verification at all is either being imprecise about when checks happen (often deferred until withdrawal) or is operating with materially weaker compliance than is safe to rely on. The label "not on GamStop" establishes only that the operator sits outside the UK self-exclusion scheme — it does not establish that the operator is authorised to serve UK customers, that verification is skipped, or that withdrawals are guaranteed.

How non GamStop casinos differ from UKGC-licensed casinos

The practical differences between a GAMSTOP-connected casino and one outside it fall into several categories, and none of them should be assumed to favour one side uniformly.

The clearest practical benefit some readers cite for non GamStop casinos is access despite a GAMSTOP exclusion or larger promotional headlines than UK-facing brands typically advertise. The clearest limitation is a weaker fallback if a dispute arises: UKGC-licensed operators must use an approved alternative dispute resolution service, while overseas regulators vary enormously in how accessible and effective their complaint processes are. Neither point should be read as a blanket claim that offshore casinos are unsafe or that UKGC-licensed ones are automatically better in every respect — the honest position is that the protections differ, and a reader needs to know which set of protections, if any, applies before depositing.

How we reviewed these non GamStop casinos

Assessing a non GamStop casino starts with establishing who actually operates it. Casino ownership is not always obvious from the front-end branding — many operators run several skins under one parent company, and the licence displayed in a footer should name the same legal entity that holds the licence, not just a similar-sounding brand. Where a licence number is published, checking it against the regulator's own register (rather than trusting a footer badge) is the only reliable verification step available to an outside reviewer.

Clear terms matter as much as the licence itself. A casino that buries wagering requirements, game contribution rules or withdrawal caps in hard-to-find pages, or that changes bonus terms after a deposit is made, is a weaker proposition regardless of its licence. Complaint patterns — recurring reports of delayed or refused withdrawals, unexplained account closures, or bonus terms invoked after the fact to deny a payout — are a more useful signal than the size of a welcome offer, though this page has not conducted independent testing of withdrawal outcomes and relies on published terms rather than first-hand deposit-and-withdraw trials.

Customer support quality and account controls were also considered where information was available: whether deposit limits, loss limits and time-outs are offered and easy to set, and whether support is reachable by more than a single slow-moving contact form.

New non GamStop casinos: what a short track record means

Several operators on this page launched relatively recently. A new casino not on GamStop should be distinguished from a new online casino brand run by an established operator — a fresh skin from a company with years of licensing history behind other brands carries different risk than a genuinely new legal entity with no track record at all. Limited operating history means fewer data points on how an operator handles disputed withdrawals or bonus disagreements under pressure, which is a real limitation of the evidence rather than a reason to assume the worst.

Specific red flags worth checking for any new casino: a licence number that does not resolve on the regulator's register, contact details that only work through a single social-media channel, bonus terms that are vague about wagering or missing entirely, and withdrawal limits that are dramatically lower than the deposit limits offered.

Common licences held by non GamStop casinos

Online casino authorisation for UK players legally means holding a UK Gambling Commission licence. Every operator reviewed on this page instead holds a foreign licence, and the strength of consumer protection attached to that licence varies considerably by jurisdiction.

Curaçao is the most common licence among casinos not on GamStop. Since 2023 Curaçao has been consolidating what was previously a sub-licensing "master licence" system into a single regulator, the Curaçao Gaming Authority, with the stated aim of tightening oversight. Historically, Curaçao licensing has been criticised for weak enforcement and a limited formal complaints process compared with the UKGC, though the ongoing reforms are intended to address this. Curaçao casinos not on GamStop remain widespread because the licence is comparatively inexpensive and fast to obtain relative to European alternatives.

Malta, regulated by the Malta Gaming Authority, is a more established EU-recognised regulator with a formal player-complaints unit and stricter operational requirements than Curaçao, making it one of the stronger overseas options a reader might encounter, though it is still not the UK Gambling Commission and does not connect to GAMSTOP.

Anjouan (part of the Union of Comoros) and Tobique are newer, smaller licensing jurisdictions that have attracted operators seeking lower-cost alternatives to Curaçao. Both have a much shorter regulatory track record and thinner published enforcement history, meaning less external evidence exists about how disputes are actually resolved.

Panama issues gambling licences through its Gaming Control Board, historically used by a mix of sportsbooks and casinos; oversight and public complaint-resolution transparency are generally considered lighter-touch than EU regulators.

Estonia's Estonian Tax and Customs Board licenses operators under EU consumer-protection frameworks, which gives Estonian-licensed brands a stronger baseline of formal accountability than several Caribbean-style jurisdictions, though again this is not a UK licence.

Kahnawake, issued by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission on Mohawk Territory in Canada, is one of the older offshore licensing bodies, with a longer operating history than Anjouan or Tobique but a complaints process that is not directly comparable to UK ADR schemes.

The practical takeaway is that "licensed offshore" is not one category. A reader checking any non GamStop casino should confirm the exact licence number and issuing body against that regulator's own published register, confirm the legal entity named matches the one on the casino's terms page, and treat the strength of consumer protection as varying by jurisdiction rather than assuming any foreign licence offers UK-equivalent recourse.

Casino bonuses: welcome packages, free spins and the terms that decide their value

A bonus figure on its own tells a reader very little. What decides whether a bonus is worth claiming is the wagering requirement, the game contribution rate, the maximum stake permitted while wagering, the expiry date and any cap on how much can eventually be withdrawn.

Welcome bonuses and deposit bonuses

A welcome bonus is typically a percentage match on a player's first deposit, sometimes split across the first two or three deposits rather than paid in a single instalment. Deposit bonuses of this kind almost always attach a wagering requirement to both the deposit and the bonus amount combined — this is called deposit-plus-bonus wagering — rather than to the bonus alone. The difference is significant: a £100 deposit matched at 100% with 35x wagering on deposit-plus-bonus requires 35 × £200 = £7,000 in total stakes, whereas the same match at 35x bonus-only wagering requires 35 × £100 = £3,500. Always check which structure applies before assuming a wagering multiple tells the full story.

Free spins

Free spins are typically issued on a specific slot title, or a small selection of titles, rather than any game a player chooses. Each spin usually carries a fixed monetary value (for example, £0.10 or £0.20 per spin) set by the operator, and any winnings from free spins are commonly credited as bonus funds subject to their own wagering requirement rather than paid out directly. A package advertising "270 free spins" is therefore worth checking against the per-spin value and the wagering attached to any winnings, not just the headline number.

No-deposit bonuses

A no-deposit bonus offers a small amount of bonus funds or a limited number of free spins without requiring a deposit first. These are usually capped low and carry high wagering requirements relative to their size, plus a low maximum cashout limit — commonly £50 to £100 regardless of how much is technically won. No-deposit offers are best understood as a low-value trial rather than a meaningful bankroll boost.

Cashback bonuses

Cashback returns a percentage of a player's net losses over a set period, typically a week, rather than issuing a bonus tied to a deposit. Cashback is sometimes paid as real funds and sometimes as further bonus funds with their own wagering attached — the distinction matters because only the former is immediately withdrawable. Rivo's 25% cashback offer illustrates this category: readers should confirm whether that cashback carries any further wagering before treating it as instantly usable.

Loyalty rewards

Loyalty programmes reward ongoing play with points, tier upgrades or periodic bonus credits rather than a one-off welcome offer. These schemes vary enormously between operators and are rarely detailed enough in published terms to compare meaningfully across brands, which is a genuine limitation when trying to assess long-term value beyond the welcome stage.

Bonus expiry, maximum bets and cashout limits

Bonus expiry dates set a window — commonly seven to thirty days — to clear wagering before the bonus and any related winnings are forfeited. Maximum bonus bets restrict the stake size permitted while a wagering requirement is active; placing a single stake above that cap can void the entire bonus balance under many operators' terms. Bonus cashout limits separately cap the total amount that can be withdrawn from bonus-derived winnings, regardless of how much wagering has technically been cleared — a common cap sits around £500 to £1,000 on many offshore welcome packages, though this varies by operator and is not confirmed for every brand on this page.

Payment methods at non GamStop casinos

Deposit availability and withdrawal availability are not the same thing. A method accepted for depositing is not automatically offered for withdrawals, and a method being common in the UK generally does not confirm that a specific non GamStop casino supports it — this should be checked on the operator's own payments page rather than assumed.

Debit card payments

Debit cards remain the most familiar deposit route for UK players, but UK law prohibits gambling on credit cards, and many non GamStop casinos apply that same restriction to debit-linked credit products by default. Card withdrawals, where offered at all, are typically slower than e-wallet or crypto payouts.

Bank transfers

Direct bank transfers suit larger deposits and withdrawals and generally carry no additional fee from the casino side, though a player's own bank may apply charges for international transfers if the casino's banking partner sits outside the UK.

E-wallets

E-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are widely used across offshore casinos for both deposits and withdrawals, and tend to process withdrawals faster than card or bank transfer routes once an operator has approved the payout.

PayPal availability

PayPal availability at non GamStop casinos is limited. PayPal's own merchant policies have historically favoured UKGC-licensed operators, and none of the operators reviewed on this page has confirmed PayPal support in their published terms, so readers should not assume it is available.

Cryptocurrency payments

Cryptocurrency payments — typically Bitcoin, Ethereum or stablecoins — are increasingly common at offshore casinos, including CoinPoker, which is built around crypto play specifically. Crypto withdrawals are often the fastest option once approved, but the value received depends on exchange rates at the time of conversion, and volatility between deposit and withdrawal is a real practical risk with no operator-side protection.

Paysafe and prepaid vouchers

Paysafe casinos not on GamStop allow deposits using a prepaid voucher code without linking a bank account or card, which appeals to players who want to cap their spend to a fixed pre-purchased amount. Paysafe cannot be used for withdrawals, so an alternative method is always needed to receive winnings.

Currency conversion and GBP accounts

A genuine GBP account means deposits, balances and withdrawals are all held and processed in pounds sterling with no conversion step. Several offers on this page are quoted in euros or dollars (WinnerIsland, Smash Casino, Nightluck, Rivo, CoinPoker), which suggests those accounts may run in a non-GBP base currency; UK depositors should confirm this before assuming their sterling deposit avoids a conversion fee, since currency conversion charges — typically a percentage spread applied by the payment processor — can quietly erode a deposit's value.

Withdrawals, KYC and account restrictions

Casino approval and payment settlement are two separate stages, and confusing them is the most common source of frustration with withdrawal timing. Casino approval is the operator reviewing and authorising a withdrawal request internally; payment settlement is the time the chosen payment method then takes to actually move the funds. An operator quoting "24-hour withdrawals" is usually describing only the approval stage — the settlement time on top of that depends entirely on the method chosen.

KYC and identity verification — proof of identity, proof of address, and sometimes proof of payment method ownership — is standard practice at licensed offshore casinos just as it is at UKGC-licensed ones, and not on GamStop does not mean no verification. Source-of-funds checks, where a casino asks for evidence of where deposited money came from, are typically triggered by larger deposits or withdrawal requests and can add several days to a first payout if documents are not ready in advance.

Withdrawal limits are common and vary by operator: daily, weekly and monthly caps are typical, and some operators impose a lower cap on winnings derived from bonus funds specifically, separate from the general account limit. Bonus restrictions can also delay withdrawals directly — many operators require any active bonus to be forfeited or fully wagered before a withdrawal request is processed at all.

The most common causes of delay are incomplete verification documents, a withdrawal request made while a bonus is still active, and a mismatch between the deposit method and the requested withdrawal method (many operators require withdrawals to return via the original deposit route up to the deposited amount). Where a withdrawal dispute arises, escalation options depend heavily on the operator's licence: a Malta Gaming Authority licence carries a formal complaints unit, while a Curaçao-licensed operator's complaint route may be far less formal. Reading the terms and conditions for the named dispute process before depositing is the only reliable way to know what recourse exists if a payout is refused or delayed.

Games not on GamStop: slots, live dealer and table games

Slots not on GamStop

Slots not on GamStop cover the same broad range familiar from the UK market: classic three-reel titles, video slots with bonus features, and progressive jackpots where a percentage of every stake across linked casinos feeds a shared prize pool that grows until won. Popular slot types found across offshore libraries include branded and unbranded video slots from providers such as Pragmatic Play and NetEnt, high-volatility titles built on mechanics like Big Time Gaming's "Megaways" reel system, and lower-volatility classic-style slots aimed at longer, steadier sessions. Return to player (RTP) figures are specific to each individual game version — the same slot title can carry a different RTP depending on which studio's version or which regional build is installed — so a general provider reputation does not confirm the RTP of any specific game on a specific site. Slot volatility describes how winnings are distributed: high-volatility slots pay less often but with larger potential wins, while low-volatility slots pay more consistently in smaller amounts; free spins are often issued specifically on higher-volatility titles, which affects how far a spin allocation is likely to stretch.

Live dealer and table games

Live dealer games stream a real dealer via video to an online table, covering blackjack, roulette and baccarat as the three most widely offered formats, typically supplied by specialist live-casino studios. Table games in RNG (random number generator) format offer the same games without a live stream, running on software-determined outcomes instead. Game contribution to wagering requirements is usually much lower for table games than for slots — often 10% or occasionally 0% — meaning bets on blackjack, roulette or baccarat count for far less toward clearing a bonus's wagering requirement than an equivalent stake on a slot.

Mobile casino games on offshore sites generally run through a browser rather than a dedicated app, since offshore operators are less likely to have apps listed in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store; this page has not verified device-specific compatibility for each operator listed, so readers should check an individual casino's supported browsers and devices directly before assuming full mobile parity with desktop.

Game counts published by any casino, and the presence of a provider's logo on a site, are not proof of game quality or fairness on their own — they indicate breadth of catalogue and a commercial supply relationship, not an independent quality assessment.

Game providers behind non GamStop casino slots

The software studios behind a casino's game library shape what playing there actually feels like more than almost any other single factor. Pragmatic Play is one of the most widely distributed slot studios across offshore casinos, known for high-volatility video slots and a large live-casino product line. Evolution Gaming is the dominant name in live dealer games specifically, supplying blackjack, roulette and baccarat tables to a large share of the operators on this page. NetEnt and Microgaming are two of the longest-established slot studios, with extensive back catalogues spanning both classic and modern video slot formats. Playtech supplies both slots and a broader software backbone that some casinos use for account and payment infrastructure as well as games. Play'n GO is known for a large mobile-optimised slot catalogue. Big Time Gaming created the "Megaways" mechanic now licensed by many other studios, associated with high-volatility, high-variance slot experiences. Novomatic has a strong presence in European-style slot and table content and is common at Curaçao-licensed operators in particular.

A casino listing several of these providers signals a broad commercial supply agreement rather than a guarantee of quality across every individual title on the platform — the same provider can supply dozens of games of varying volatility and player experience, so the provider name alone should not be read as a quality shortcut.

Sports betting at non GamStop casinos

Not every casino not on GamStop offers sports betting, and it should never be assumed that a slots-focused welcome package implies a sportsbook exists alongside it. Where a combined casino and sportsbook account is offered, it typically runs on a shared wallet, meaning the same account balance is used across both products rather than requiring separate deposits.

Where sports betting is available, it typically covers pre-match and in-play betting across major sports, with singles, accumulators and, on more developed platforms, bet builders that let a player combine multiple selections from a single event into one bet. Cash-out — the option to settle a bet early for a reduced return before the event finishes — is offered by some but not all sportsbooks and is not something this page can confirm on a per-operator basis without direct evidence from each brand's sportsbook terms. Esports betting, covering competitive video-game tournaments, has become a standard addition at many modern sportsbooks alongside traditional sports.

Sports free bets differ from casino bonuses in structure: a free bet typically requires a qualifying real-money bet first, applies a minimum qualifying odds threshold (commonly 1.50 or higher in decimal odds), and — critically — the stake itself is usually not returned if the bet wins, only the net winnings. This is a different mechanic from a casino deposit bonus, which adds bonus funds directly to a balance. Expiry windows on sports free bets are often shorter than casino bonus expiry, commonly seven days. Because the offers featured on this page are described as casino welcome packages rather than sportsbook free bets, readers looking specifically for sports betting terms should check each operator's sportsbook section directly rather than assume the slots offer extends to sports markets.

Self-exclusion at casinos not on GamStop

Casinos not on GamStop are, by definition, outside the GAMSTOP scheme, so registering with GAMSTOP does not block access to them. Some offshore operators offer their own internal self-exclusion tools, deposit limits and loss limits, but these are set and enforced individually by each casino rather than through a shared national database — a player excluding from one non GamStop casino is not automatically excluded from another, and it is not confirmed whether internal exclusion tools at any operator on this page extend across linked sister brands or to an attached sportsbook product.

Nothing in this guide should be read as a way to work around a GAMSTOP exclusion. If a reader has self-excluded, that decision was made for a reason, and seeking out non-GamStop options specifically to continue playing during an exclusion period defeats the purpose of the scheme entirely. Gambling blocking software — such as GamBan or Gamstop-linked device blockers — can help reinforce a self-exclusion by blocking access to gambling sites at the device or network level, independent of whether a specific site is connected to GAMSTOP.

Independent support remains available regardless of which casino type a reader is considering: GamCare operates the National Gambling Helpline free of charge, and its services are not limited by which casino or licence type someone is dealing with.

Weighing up the evidence before you choose

The clearest differences between the ten operators reviewed here come down to wagering requirements, free spins allocation, minimum deposit and whether the offer is priced in sterling or another currency. A large headline percentage means little without checking the wagering multiple attached to it, and a sterling-denominated offer removes a currency-conversion question that euro or dollar offers raise for UK depositors. Licence type — Curaçao, Malta and the smaller jurisdictions covered above — shapes what recourse exists if a dispute arises, and that matters more than any bonus figure if something goes wrong. Where this page could not verify a detail independently, such as real-world payout speed or exact sportsbook terms, that gap has been flagged rather than filled with a guess.