Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice

If you contract with any of the participants who use your gambling facilities (that is if any of those participants are your own customers) then you will need this licence instead of the casino (game host) operating licence. This licence allows you to offer casino games to customers via a website, mobile phone, TV or other online service. The UKGC has banned credit card deposits in UK licensed casinos since 2020. Since April 2020, it’s been a rule that UKGC licensed casinos can’t accept credit card deposits. It’s worth noting that for some casinos, one operator can run a number of different brands under the same licence, these are often called white label sister sites.

These organisations offer free, confidential support for anyone affected by gambling. Search by company name or licence number While not yet mandatory, most major operators are complying voluntarily. License holders can be fined, have conditions imposed, or lose their licence entirely for violations.

Originally the Gambling Act 2005 applied only to those persons who had a physical connection with Great Britain; for example, land-based gambling businesses located in Great Britain or items of remote gambling equipment located in Great Britain. GamingCasino gaming (including slots and casino table games such as roulette & blackjack)The Gambling Commission of Great Britain (“Gambling Commission”).The Gambling Commission (for Operating Licences). If your equipment is based in the UK or if you offer gambling to UK residents, you need a UK Gambling Commission licence. In addition, where the business is based at premises, you will require a premises licence. He leads the firm’s cross-departmental alcohol and gaming licensing teams.

Licensed operators must keep player funds separate from operating money and disclose the level of protection, so your balance is safeguarded. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the independent regulator for gambling in Great Britain, set up under the Gambling Act 2005. This guide explains exactly what a UKGC licence means, how to verify one in under a minute, and how to spot a site that doesn’t have one.

Operators with a gambling license are required to display the UKGC badge or their license number, often alongside a link to the UKGC official register. Spelinspektionen also manages Sweden’s national self-exclusion system, Spelpaus, and monitors advertising standards to ensure gambling is not promoted to vulnerable audiences. It was established to ensure the safety, legality, and transparency of the Swedish casinos not on gamstop gambling market. The Swedish Gambling Authority, or Spelinspektionen, is the government body responsible for regulating and supervising all gambling activities in Sweden. The CGA now enforces higher standards, including requirements for local presence, responsible gambling measures, and financial stability. However, many international operators apply for one as it serves as additional proof of their trustworthiness.

License applications

A gambling business may ask you for a selfie if they think there may be fraudulent activity on your account. A customer cannot place a bet until they have been verified, so gambling businesses will verify customers as quickly as possible so that they can start gambling. If a gambling business can verify you electronically the process may be instant. We don’t say which types of information gambling businesses should ask for.

Responsible Authorities

The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) is a respected EU regulator — many good operators hold both — but on its own it doesn’t provide UK-specific protections like GAMSTOP. If gambling itself is causing difficulty, please see our responsible gambling page for free, confidential support. UK licensing conditions have tightened significantly, making Britain one of the most protective markets in the world. Each of our reviews lists the operator and licence number, verified on the public register. Casinos must verify you’re 18+ and confirm your identity (KYC), which protects against under-age gambling and fraud, and keeps your account secure.

432.Additional procedures apply in the case of applications for a casino licence. The exception to this is an applicant for a premises licence that authorises a track to be used for accepting bets. A premises licence will not be issued until to an applicant until he holds an operating licence. Only people with a right to occupy premises are eligible to apply for a premises licence.

We would like to understand whether these types of protections are already available on these machines, or whether it would require investment in new machines or software. In addition, while customers could stake lower than the maximum on a multi-stake Category B machine, evidence suggests that on average players tend to stake more on Category B machines than Category C and D machines. These machines can also offer customers Category C or D content on the same device. For example, a customer could stake 50p on these machines which is also below the maximum stake permitted on Category C machines. Industry trade bodies have provided evidence which suggests that the removal of the 80/20 rule would result in a large-scale reduction of tablets and in-fill machines, although the extent to which tablets will be removed will vary by operator.

You’ll also find lots of responsible gambling tools and support options, which are often inadequate at offshore casinos. Due to its strict regulations, operators need to acquire different types of licences for different types of products they offer. Our dedicated page is your gateway to finding the most secure and reputable online casinos in the UK, all fully licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC). Let’s find out more about online casino banking, gambling regulations, and responsible gambling in the UK. As a result of such regulations, UK casinos are popular for providing safe environments for all players online. These are safe and trustworthy casino sites with proper licensing and player protection measures.Safe UK casinos also allow you to file formal complaints to the operators.

Such casinos may operate as card clubs without offering casino games. Most of these casinos fall below the size thresholds of the other two categories. This activity allows you to provide remote casino under specific circumstances. However, unlike Gamstop, Gamban is not licensed by the UK Gambling Commission and is instead a third-party service that blocks access to gambling-related sites. If you have signed up to Gamstop and are still struggling with finding yourself playing on casinos not on Gamstop.

It is anticipated that under the Crime and Policing Bill, which was introduced to Parliament in February 2025, the Commission will be granted yet further powers to more quickly and effectively take action against illegal gambling websites. The usual pattern of regulatory enforcement is for the regulator to instigate a review of the operating licence in question, with the consequences described above. Have fines, licence revocations or other sanctions been enforced in your jurisdiction? Alternatively, there are exceptions in the legislation for low-level or private gambling. Operators are increasingly expected to understand the affordability of the gambling undertaken by their players, particularly where players are high spenders.

In 2024, the new government reviewed the proposals in relation to modernising the rules for casinos and decided to implement the changes as outlined in the previous government’s consultation on this matter. The regulator has set clear rules that operators must follow, including responsible gambling, anti-money laundering, data protection, and fair game standards. Aside from issuing licenses to operators who want to offer gambling services to residents, it also helps to regulate their activities to ensure player protection and fair play across the country. That’s why operators who plan to offer their services internationally opt for licensing authorities that are less stringent than the UKGC. It’s crucial to cover all the basics to ensure a smooth application process and help reduce the time needed for UK online casino license approval. Non-remote external lottery manager operating licence

Therefore, we would welcome any responses which highlight concerns about this approach and how non-gambling areas could be calculated using a different method. However, we want to avoid any regulation that would allow table gaming areas to be placed in obscure or less accessible areas for customers so that a genuinely mixed offering of products remains in the casino. We appreciate that for commercial reasons and for a better customer experience, tables are already grouped together in casinos, often in one large area.

Figure 12: Premises Licence Fees in England and Wales

Not all casino sites display all the data in their footer. Open the casino website and check that the data listed by the UKGC matches. Click the link and see if the licence status is “active”. In the search bar, enter the short version of the licence number. For this, you can search the licence number on the business register.

• As such, Option 2(a) has the added benefit of ensuring that all venues make a genuine offer of Category C and D gaming machines available to customers on device types which have genuine customer appeal.
• The Regulations enable the licensee to show (as required) the location and extent of any part of the premises which will be a table gaming area (previous regulations did not require the plan for a converted casino premises licence to include a table gaming area).
• Currently, the Gambling Commission’s guidance to licensing authorities states that an application for a variation of a premises licence will only be required where there are material changes to the layout of the premises.
• GAMSTOP is the UK’s national self-exclusion scheme, which is designed to help players take control of their gambling.

“larger converted casino premises” means premises in respect of which a converted casino premises licence has effect, and which— In fact, being part of the GamStop self-exclusion scheme is mandatory for all UK-licensed online operators. Rawa Kaftan is a regulatory lawyer in Wiggin’s Betting & Gaming team and advises key stakeholders in the gambling industry, including many of the world’s largest online B2C operators, software suppliers, payment service providers and investors. Finally, in June 2025 the UK Government announced that it plans to introduce a “Voluntary Code” for prize draw operators whose offerings do not require a licence under the gambling framework because of the presence of a free entry route.

James verifies the licence of every casino CasinoReg reviews on the UK Gambling Commission public register. It takes under a minute and it’s the surest way to know a casino is genuinely licensed. No licence details in the footer; no entry on the UKGC public register; no GAMSTOP or safer-gambling tools; pressure to deposit quickly; vague or missing terms; and no clear company name or complaints process.

The majority of responses stated that there should be the ability for customers to set voluntary limits on gaming machines accepting direct cashless payments. The vast majority of responses to the consultation agreed that card account verification should be required if direct debit card payments are permitted on gaming machines. We propose to align the lifting of the prohibition on direct debit card payments on gaming machines and the introduction of player protections within regulations with the Gambling Commission’s review of the Gaming Machine Technical Standards.

However, as set out in the white paper, there are concerns that ‘cash-out’ slot-style machines share similarities with higher stake machines, restricted for adults. Currently, both types of slot-style machines can legally be played by under-18s. ‘Cash-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 10p and a maximum prize of £5, while ‘ticket-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 30p and an equivalent of a prize worth up to £8. There are two types of Category D slot-style machines, one that pays out a small amount of cash, and one that pays out tickets which can be exchanged for a small prize, toy or sweet.

Casinos would not have the option of reverting back to their legacy rights under the existing regime, once they decide to increase their machine allowance in this way. As at present, a 1968 Act casino with a gambling area of at least 200sqm would also need to provide a non-gambling area equivalent to at least 10% of its total gambling area. This relates to ensuring that casinos which share the same building, or adjoin or are adjacent to another casino, are wholly distinct and separate from one another.

Safe online casinos in the UK always display licensing info in the site’s footer. Whether you’re a new or a regular online gambler, always make sure that you play on casinos with a UKGC licence. Under strict regulations from the authority, online casinos are bound to offer you fair outcomes on every spin or hand.Legal UK casinos also offer you better safety and security. Though offshore casinos aren’t explicitly illegal, they must have a licence from the Gambling Commission to accept players from the UK.You’ll also find complaints online about fixed or rigged games on casino sites. Currently, there are more than 175 online casinos licensed by the UKGC.

As noted in the Gambling Commission’s remote customer interaction consultation, 54% of people in Great Britain had a monthly disposable income below £250. This data was collected by the Gambling Commission from over 80% of the land-based casino sector. We can also analyse average loss and session length data to consider the possible risks of gambling harm for those customers who increase their gambling participation as a result of these measures.

A plain, step-by-step way to confirm whether a casino is licensed in Great Britain, using the UK Gambling Commission public register and a sceptical read of the footer. The Secretary of State will, by order, determine the locations of the new casinos after consulting Scottish Ministers and the Welsh Assembly. 457.This section sets an initial limit of 1 regional casino, and 8 small and 8 large casinos.

These are subject to separate regulations, involving a two-stage application process, detailed below. The Gambling Commission’s guidance for licensing authorities. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £9.375. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £7,500. The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £3,140. The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £2,512.

Our team of experts have compiled this guide to help you further understand The UK Gambling Commission and how it benefits your casino experience. Casinos licensed by the UKGC (Gambling Commission) are known for their strict adherence to high-quality regulatory standards. It is based on your gross gambling yield. The statutory levy is a mandatory payment that funds research, education, and treatment related to gambling harm. For small operators, fees start at £4,224, with higher annual fees for bigger operators.

Under the increased gaming machine allowances that we propose, if a venue held multiple premises licences, it could theoretically gain access to 80 gaming machines per licence. In order to be entitled to an allowance of 80 gaming machines, 1968 Act casinos will need to comply with the same minimum requirements as a Small 2005 Act casino on gambling, table gaming and non-gambling area. A further 25 casinos have multiple licences within one premises, allowing them to supply 40 or 60 machines. Only 4 of the 8 Small casino licences have been developed, one has since closed, and none offer the maximum allowance of 80 gaming machines as it would be impractical to site the necessary tables. Depending on the type of casino licence an operator holds, they are able to site a different number of gaming machines, and may be bound by other restrictions including a maximum machine-to-table ratio and limitations on their size and non-gambling area. In cases where providers perform several types of gambling activities (e.g., casinos + gaming machines), they need to apply for separate licenses.