Government response to measures relating to the land-based gambling sector
Remote linked licences gaming machine technical Non-remote gaming machine technical – supplier licence Non-remote gaming machine technical – software operating licence
Premises licence
The stated aims of the Commission are to keep crime out of gambling, Ensure it is conducted in a fair and open manner and to protect the vulnerable. On receiving the application, we may make a representation to the local licensing authority about it. Details on the information that we require from licensing authorities.
The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £3,360. Subsequently, you’ll also see the status of their licence updated in the public register. There you can search up the operator, the licence number and the parent company. You can also make use of our page banners to find some of our favourite brands that have been licensed by the UKGC and are available to UK players. In this guide we’ve outlined how you can easily confirm an operator’s licence and a few extra steps you can take to make sure that you’re only ever playing at a duly regulated site.
Many large international betting and casino brands are based in Gibraltar due to its business-friendly environment and established regulatory framework. It was created when Gibraltar passed its Gambling Act 2005 (Gibraltar), and its purpose is to ensure that all licensed operators maintain high standards of fairness, integrity, and player protection. The Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner is the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing gambling operations licensed in Gibraltar. ADR stands for Alternative Dispute Resolution, and it is a process used to settle unresolved complaints between players and gambling operators without going to court. If you’re playing at a licensed UK casino, there are several important rules designed to keep things fair, transparent, and safe.
Offences cover the unlicensed offer of gambling, the unlicensed use of premises for gambling, the promotion or facilitation of a lottery and so on. In contrast with some jurisdictions, only casinos form part of the “regulated sector” for AML purposes, though all operators are required to conduct detailed risk assessments and implement AML policies, procedures and controls. Since 1 May 2025, operators have only been allowed to directly market to customers that have consented to marketing on a granular per product (i.e., casino, bingo, betting) and per channel (i.e., SMS, email) basis and, in January 2026, further rules will take effect on the offer of incentives.
These UK casino regulations allow larger venues to diversify offerings but require careful compliance to avoid penalties. These responsible gambling measures require operators to update systems and inform players, ensuring compliance by mid-2025. Gaming machine rules are also shifting, impacting casino operations.
Our online fees calculator can help you with understanding the amounts of your application, first annual and annual fees. The fees you need to pay depend on what you are applying for, and what your anticipated gross gambling yield (GGY) is. The Gambling Act 2005 defines a casino as an arrangement whereby people are given an opportunity to participate in one or more casino games.
Six guarantees you get at a licensed casino that you simply don’t at an unlicensed one. Use these focused guides when you want a specific payment, withdrawal, or safer gambling check before choosing a casino. Our editorial team checks every site listed here, but we always recommend you independently verify — always check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed before you play. Understanding how to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed protects your money, your rights, and your access to GamStop self-exclusion.
The Gambling Act 2005
- The British regulatory authorities have taken something of a global lead in the enforcement of regulation, particularly in relation to “source of wealth” and “proceeds of crime” omissions and also failures in social responsibility obligations owed by operators to players.
- With regard to venues currently operating with a gambling area of 1500sqm or more, the strongest preference from consultation respondents was for these venues to be made to reduce their gambling area below 1500sqm.
- Some industry responses also argued that members of staff in casinos already monitor players and interact where appropriate.
- There are a variety of ways that the Gambling Commission can deal with non-compliance by licensees, ranging from enhanced compliance procedures and regulatory settlements to licence reviews and formal enforcement action.
- Understandably, industry regulations are continuously updated to prevent criminal activity in this massive industry.
- There is extensive gambling regulation in Great Britain, mostly imposed upon licensees by the various conditions and codes of practice attached to their gambling licences, which are colloquially referred to as the “Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice” or “LCCP”.
Therefore, under Option 1, we believe there is significant potential for operators to offer predominantly Category B cabinets while meeting their Category C and D ratio through in-fills and tablets. This is a necessary objective to help mitigate against gambling-related harm. We are particularly concerned that Option 1 may encourage new operators to enter the market with the specific intention of maximising their Category B cabinet offer in this way. Therefore, some respondents argued that Option 3 would be the most sensible long-term approach for securing safer gambling functionality and messaging across these venues. However, overall almost half of respondents from the arcade and bingo sector acknowledged that Option 3 posed a risk of increasing gambling-related harm. There was a general consensus across respondents that Option 3 presented the greatest risk of increasing rates of gambling-related harm.
While heavily regulated, licensed online casinos still offer a whole lot of entertainment. We have selected the best UK licensed online casinos from hundreds of sites. Safety is the biggest factor for us, as licensed casinos are required to comply with the UKGC’s regulations. Yes, the UKGC licence covers all verticals of a casino’s operations including sports betting and live casinos too. It’s simple to check if a casino holds an online gambling licence UK, just scroll down to the bottom of any page and look for the distinctive logo of the UKGC, which should be displayed clearly and with a hyperlink to direct you to the casino’s licence lodged on the UKGC’s website. These licenses are necessary for land-based gambling businesses such as betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, and arcades.
Every time you register at a new casino, make this casino not on gamstop two-minute check your first step. Third-party lists, affiliate sites, and casino footers can all be misleading. A UKGC licence guarantees player fund protection, fair games, dispute resolution rights, and access to GamStop self-exclusion. Every casino listed on UKVerifiedCasinos.uk has been manually checked against the UKGC Public Register by our editorial team.
This would result in an overall decrease of over 900 cabinet machines across these venues, predominantly consisting of legacy Category C cabinets. Also, Category C and D gaming machine device types made available for use must be of similar size and scale to Category B. Significant increases in Category B machines may increase the amount of money staked by customers, and/or the risk of harm. While the intensiveness of energy expenditure will vary by machine device type and energy efficiency, the costs to industry of maintaining these machines can be significant.
This will take into consideration that there is likely to be diminishing returns, such that the more machines you have, the less GGY would be generated per machine. This will be used to model the estimated total increase in GGY for casinos in the final impact assessment. Combining this with the number of machines, this yields an average annual GGY of £57,500 per machine.
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.
Regulation 9 also sets committed payment limits, money which cannot be refunded to the player once it is paid or transferred onto the machine’s credit or play meter. Regulation 7 of the Gaming Machine (Circumstances of Use) Regulations 2007 sets the financial (payment) limit on the amount a person can deposit on a machine in a single action. The need to future-proof the land-based gambling sector provides the rationale for change. Consumer preferences therefore indicate that cashless would need to complement, rather than replace, cash as a gambling payment method.
Option (1) would provide fairness and consistency across all casinos that are able to site 80 machines. We are also consulting on whether the maximum size of a 1968 Act casino’s gambling area must – like that of a Small 2005 Act casino – be less than 1,500sqm, if it resolves to exercise its entitlement to more than 20 machines (including at least one Category B machine). The tables below outline current and proposed space requirements for 2005 Act casinos, and 1968 Act casinos which seek to increase their gaming machine entitlement above 20 (including at least one Category B machine). This would ensure that regardless of the size of venue, most casinos will be able to site the same proportion of machines to tables. This would mean the introduction of a machine-to-table ratio for 1968 Act casinos that seek to increase their Category B gaming machine entitlement above 20, and a change to the machine-to-table ratio currently in place for Small 2005 Act casinos. It was also noted from the call for evidence that where other jurisdictions apply a machine to table ratio, all currently permit a greater proportion of gaming machines in comparison to Great Britain.
Please share any evidence or information that is relevant to the proposed amendment to the definition of gaming tables since the government stated its intention to make this change in 2018. Neither partially automated nor wholly automated gaming tables, including products such as pinball roulette, will count as ‘gaming tables’ for these purposes. The customer demand for 40 gaming tables does not exist, which can mean that a number of tables are sited but never used. This clarifies that wholly automated gaming tables are not gaming tables for the purposes of section 172(3) to (5) of the Act. The Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Tables in Casinos) (Definitions) Regulations 2009 makes provision as to how references to “gaming tables” should be interpreted in this context. (Mandatory response)Large increase in demand / Small Increase in demand / No change in demand / Small decrease in demand / Large decrease in demand / I don’t know
Non-UK sites have looser regulations and face less scrutiny if they operate maliciously. Non-UK gambling sites may be safe, but there is no real way of knowing beforehand. There, you will find licensing information and links to the UKGC website, where you can verify this information. Having a valid UKGC gambling license is a requirement for operating a gambling website that allows British players to join. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the regulatory body responsible for overseeing all forms of gambling within the United Kingdom. It’s not just the secure and fair gameplay you get, but also the decision towards responsible gambling.
However, where a converted casino premises seeks to utilise the extended gaming machines entitlement, it will need to vary its premises licence to show the table gaming area on the plan, whether or not there are changes to any other part of the premises used for gambling or the non-gambling area. In addition, Small 2005 Act casinos which take advantage of the new machine to table ratio, and/or the reduced minimum table gaming area, will also need to apply to their local licensing authority to vary their premises licence, given the changes in non-gambling and gambling areas. The changes made enable the holder of a converted casino premises licence relating to premises in England and Wales to make up to 80 gaming machines (including Category B gaming machines) available for use, provided a number of specified conditions are satisfied (“the extended entitlement”). Regulation 3 of these Regulations amends section 172(5)(b)(i) of the Gambling Act 2005 (c. 19) (“the Act”) to change how to calculate the number of gaming machines that may be made available for use in small casinos licensed under the Act. Its remit covers arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines and lotteries, as well as remote gambling, but not spread betting which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
From selling personal data and identity theft to promoting gambling to vulnerable players, these safety regulations are important. You should play at licensed casino sites to have a secure, fair, and responsible experience. See how we rate the sites, how casino regulation works, how you can verify the licence yourself. He’s passionate about online gambling and committed to offering fair and thorough reviews.
The outcome of that consultation is not yet known.An “economic crime levy” is payable by entities that are regulated for anti-money laundering purposes (currently only casinos in the UK) and which generate more than £10.2 million in UK revenue. This process of formal review – Section 116 of the Gambling Act 2005 – can result in almost any sort of penalty from the regulator, including suspension and revocation of licences. The Gambling Commission also has powers to launch criminal investigations and bring criminal proceedings against companies and individuals (and, as at the time of writing, there is a live prosecution brought by the Commission against a company for providing unlicensed gambling facilities to consumers in Britain, illustrating the Gambling Commission’s willingness to exercise such power). Personal licences tend to have a five-year duration and must, however, be renewed. This distinction cannot be ignored, and the regulator has no power to grant a licence that authorises both remote and land-based activity.
We believe this is particularly important within the wider context of the modernising measures we are taking to support land-based gambling operators. Premises licence fees in Scotland are set under different regulations and are therefore a matter of consideration for the Scottish Government. We believe that on balance an increase to the maximum cap on premises licence fees by 15% is proportionate.
These laws ensure proper protection measures and responsible gambling practices from the operator’s part. These operators employ player protection measures like SSL encryption, secure payment portals, firewalls, and two-factor authentication to keep you and your data safe. By signing up on sites licensed by the UKGC, you can rest knowing that the games won’t be rigged. For instance, QuickBet, Funky Jackpot, and HotWins Casino will offer you top-notch mobile casino experience in the UK. Every casino operator optimises their sites for both desktop and mobile devices. With several debit card and e-wallet options available, your withdrawals will reach your account within a few hours after processing.
An existing licensed 1968 Act casino operator already holds an operating licence for remote betting and wishes to make use of the new Regulations to provide SSBT facilities in its casino. An existing licensed 1968 Act casino operator already holds an operating licence for non-remote betting and wishes to make use of the new Regulations to provide non-remote sports betting facilities in its casino (without providing any Self- Service Betting Terminal (SSBT) facilities). It will not be possible for a casino licensee to rely on an ancillary remote betting licence, even where SSBTs are available alongside a non-remote offering, as the ancillary remote betting licence is bound to a betting premises licence. To offer self-service betting terminals (SSBTs), casinos would be required to apply for a remote general betting (standard) (real events) licence. Licence holders should also consider whether, as a result of the changes and gambling facilities offered, an operating licence (OL) variation is required with regards to fee category and/or the licensed activities being offered (such as betting).