diff --git a/base-config.yaml b/base-config.yaml
index a63f3b6..a523deb 100644
--- a/base-config.yaml
+++ b/base-config.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ templates:
           mimetype: image/png
           size: 233763
 
+default_flags:
+- ignorecase
+
 rules:
   twim_cookies:
     rooms: ["!FPUfgzXYWTKgIrwKxW:matrix.org"]
diff --git a/reactbot.py b/reactbot.py
index 966936f..87472bc 100644
--- a/reactbot.py
+++ b/reactbot.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class Config(BaseProxyConfig):
     def do_update(self, helper: ConfigUpdateHelper) -> None:
         helper.copy("rules")
         helper.copy("templates")
+        helper.copy("default_flags")
 
 
 class ConfigError(Exception):
@@ -53,11 +54,15 @@ class SimplePattern:
     _ptm = BlankMatch()
 
     matcher: Callable[[str], bool]
+    ignorecase: bool
 
-    def __init__(self, matcher: Callable[[str], bool]) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, matcher: Callable[[str], bool], ignorecase: bool) -> None:
         self.matcher = matcher
+        self.ignorecase = ignorecase
 
-    def match(self, val: str) -> BlankMatch:
+    def search(self, val: str) -> BlankMatch:
+        if self.ignorecase:
+            val = val.lower()
         if self.matcher(val):
             return self._ptm
 
@@ -135,12 +140,20 @@ class Rule:
     type: Optional[EventType]
     variables: Dict[str, JinjaTemplate]
 
+    def _check_not_match(self, body: str) -> bool:
+        for pattern in self.not_matches:
+            if pattern.search(body):
+                return True
+        return False
+
     def match(self, evt: MessageEvent) -> Optional[Match]:
         if len(self.rooms) > 0 and evt.room_id not in self.rooms:
             return None
         for pattern in self.matches:
             match = pattern.search(evt.content.body)
             if match:
+                if self._check_not_match(evt.content.body):
+                    return None
                 return match
         return None
 
@@ -154,6 +167,7 @@ class Rule:
 class ReactBot(Plugin):
     rules: Dict[str, Rule]
     templates: Dict[str, Template]
+    default_flags: re.RegexFlag
 
     @classmethod
     def get_config_class(cls) -> Type[BaseProxyConfig]:
@@ -178,21 +192,52 @@ class ReactBot(Plugin):
         except Exception as e:
             raise ConfigError(f"Failed to load {name}") from e
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _compile(pattern: str) -> RPattern:
-        esc = re.escape(pattern)
-        if esc == pattern:
-            return SimplePattern(lambda val: pattern in val)
-        elif pattern[0] == '^' and esc == f"\\^{pattern}":
-            pattern = pattern[1:]
-            return SimplePattern(lambda val: val.startswith(pattern))
-        elif pattern[-1] == '$' and esc == f"{pattern}\\$":
-            pattern = pattern[:-1]
-            return SimplePattern(lambda val: val.endswith(pattern))
-        elif pattern[0] == '^' and pattern[-1] == '$' and esc == f"\\^{pattern}\\$":
-            pattern = pattern[1:-1]
-            return SimplePattern(lambda val: val == pattern)
-        return re.compile(pattern)
+    def _get_flags(self, flags: str) -> re.RegexFlag:
+        output = self.default_flags
+        for flag in flags:
+            flag = flag.lower()
+            if flag == "i" or flag == "ignorecase":
+                output |= re.IGNORECASE
+            elif flag == "s" or flag == "dotall":
+                output |= re.DOTALL
+            elif flag == "x" or flag == "verbose":
+                output |= re.VERBOSE
+            elif flag == "m" or flag == "multiline":
+                output |= re.MULTILINE
+            elif flag == "l" or flag == "locale":
+                output |= re.LOCALE
+            elif flag == "u" or flag == "unicode":
+                output |= re.UNICODE
+            elif flag == "a" or flag == "ascii":
+                output |= re.ASCII
+        return output
+
+    def _compile(self, pattern: str) -> RPattern:
+        flags = self.default_flags
+        raw = False
+        if isinstance(pattern, dict):
+            flags = self._get_flags(pattern.get("flags", ""))
+            pattern = pattern["pattern"]
+            raw = pattern.get("raw", False)
+        if not flags or flags == re.IGNORECASE:
+            ignorecase = flags == re.IGNORECASE
+            s_pattern = pattern.lower() if ignorecase else pattern
+            esc = ""
+            if not raw:
+                esc = re.escape(pattern)
+            first, last = pattern[0], pattern[-1]
+            if first == '^' and last == '$' and (raw or esc == f"\\^{pattern[1:-1]}\\$"):
+                s_pattern = s_pattern[1:-1]
+                return SimplePattern(lambda val: val == s_pattern, ignorecase=ignorecase)
+            elif first == '^' and (raw or esc == f"\\^{pattern[1:]}"):
+                s_pattern = s_pattern[1:]
+                return SimplePattern(lambda val: val.startswith(s_pattern), ignorecase=ignorecase)
+            elif last == '$' and (raw or esc == f"{pattern[:-1]}\\$"):
+                s_pattern = s_pattern[:-1]
+                return SimplePattern(lambda val: val.endswith(s_pattern), ignorecase=ignorecase)
+            elif raw or esc == pattern:
+                return SimplePattern(lambda val: s_pattern in val, ignorecase=ignorecase)
+        return re.compile(pattern, flags=flags)
 
     def _compile_all(self, patterns: List[str]) -> List[RPattern]:
         return [self._compile(pattern) for pattern in patterns]
@@ -211,6 +256,8 @@ class ReactBot(Plugin):
     def on_external_config_update(self) -> None:
         self.config.load_and_update()
         try:
+            self.default_flags = re.RegexFlag(0)
+            self.default_flags = self._get_flags(self.config["default_flags"])
             self.templates = {name: self._make_template(name, tpl)
                               for name, tpl in self.config["templates"].items()}
             self.rules = {name: self._make_rule(name, rule)