UK Gambling License: Laws and Regulations in 2024
With the exception of small society lottery permits, the power to grant operating licences lies exclusively with the Commission. An operating licence is therefore required by any person who wishes to provide commercial ‘facilities for gambling’ in Great Britian. This Practice Note provides an overview of the gambling licensing regime in the UK. Premises licenses are issued by the licensing authority responsible for the area where the premises are located.
Premises Licenses relate to non-remote businesses and give permission for using facilities to operate as casinos (or for other gambling activity). Furthermore, the UK has specific regulations for remote gambling operators. An online casino must adhere to stringent gambling laws to obtain and keep its licence. A flat additional annual fee of £6,250 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting. A flat additional annual fee of £5,000 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting.
Some respondents stated that any transaction time should at least ensure a break from the machine that is equivalent to the time it takes to access additional funds from an ATM. Our aim throughout the development of this policy has been to replicate the experience of playing on a machine with cash and the deposit and committed payment limits play an important role in the current customer journey. The government will ensure that these regulations will apply to direct debit card payments when amending the secondary legislation. There was not a uniform view on what an alternative deposit limit should be, with responses ranging from £50 to £500.
Subsections (3) to (5) of section 172 of the Act make provision as to the number of gaming machines which may be made available for use in a casino by the holders of a licence issued under the 2005 Act. The UKGC gambling licence is seen as one of the most credible and strictest licences within the industry, with the proactive organisation responsible for providing licences to online casinos that only operate responsibly. The second stage of the process only applies where the number of applications which the licensing authority would provisionally grant under the stage one process exceeds the number of available casino premises licences. As a first step in licensing a casino, the licensing authority will have to invite applications for any casino premises licences that it may issue. Licence holders should consider whether, as a result of the changes and gambling facilities offered, an operating licence (OL) variation is required with regard to fee category and/or the licensed activities being offered (such as betting). The maximum number of gaming machines that may be made available for use on the premises remains unchanged at 80.
In other words, you do not need to go around blocking every online casino individually, nor do you need to muster the will to keep yourself from playing. As a reminder, online gambling should only be one aspect of your life, not an unhealthy obsession or a way to make money. However, for a small percentage of players, online gambling can turn problematic and addictive. Relax and unwind while playing online gambling, a fun, leisurely activity. If you’re looking for fast withdrawal casinos in the UK, try out Casumo, QuickBet, and WinWindsor Casino. As it’s the largest gambling market in the world, the United Kingdom makes sure that all casino sites adhere to its strict legislation.
Browse and search all companies holding UKGC gambling licences. The comprehensive directory of gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain. The comprehensive directory of Gambling Commission licensed casino operators. All commercial gambling operators must hold the appropriate licence before offering services. These licences authorise the holder to provide specific gambling services to customers in Great Britain.
Chapter 6: Complete list of consultation questions
(b)the converted casino premises licence is not varied under section 187 of the 2005 Act(4) so as to relate to premises to which it did not relate on that date. (3) Sub-paragraph (2) does not apply to premises in which the floor area of the gambling area of the casino was 1,500m² or greater on 12th May 2025 provided that, after that date— (5) No gambling is permitted in the table gaming area of the premises other than gambling by way of table gaming. “(1) This paragraph applies to all premises in respect of which a converted casino premises licence has effect.”;
We are often engaged in dealing with prosecutions for breach of licensing conditions and are also known for our work in reviews and in particularly contentious applications. As a full-service law firm, we offer licensing work as part of a service with other departments and disciplines such as commercial property or insolvency. Our team combines expertise in both licensing and business regulation. We offer a full-service licence application product in which we draft, collate and submit full applications.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published its gambling white paper in April 2023, which set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of the gambling sector. The public register allows you to see what type of activities gambling businesses can offer, and if we have ever taken any regulatory action against them. If the business has a Gambling Commission license, you will be protected by consumer and gambling protection rules in Great Britain. Before you gamble, check that the business has a Gambling Commission licence. Not affiliated with any gambling operator or the UK Gambling Commission. Independent UK gambling operator transparency database.
In England and Wales, the government sets a cap and licensing authorities have flexibility below that to set their fees. The maximum annual fee for an adult gaming centre (arcade) is £1,000 in England and Wales, and £700 in Scotland. For example, the maximum annual fee for a large casino is £10,000 in England and Wales, and £7,500 in Scotland. Licensing fees vary by premises type. Therefore, the proposals set out in this chapter will only apply to licensing authorities in England and Wales.
The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025
Venues would be required to comply with these requirements in order to increase their gaming machine allowance. Respondents from the land-based gambling industry were generally supportive of proposals which would remove restrictions on supply, pointing to the unrestricted availability of the same products online. The consultation proposed a number of measures with a view to modernising the regulation that applies to land-based casinos. This fee enables licensing authorities to fund their enforcement and administrative gambling duties on a cost recovery basis. We will increase the maximum premises licence fees which can be charged by local authorities by 15%. To ensure that this is enforced we will make it a criminal offence to invite, cause or permit someone under the age of 18 to use these machines.
The overarching principle is that specific areas in the casino should be separated for the purposes of table gaming. This will ensure that only distinct and sizeable table gaming areas can count towards the total, giving customers a genuine mix of products that are easily accessible in a casino. If a casino had 700sqm of gambling space, it would need to have at least 250sqm of non-gambling area.
As such, any change in the composition of gaming machines which results in a higher share of Category B machines will represent an uplift in GGY for operators. While we have no direct evidence on the rate of gambling harm for those participating on gaming machines in bingo and arcade venues specifically, we can use net expenditure and session length data to consider the possible risks of gambling harm. The rationale for considering this option is primarily to ensure that a truly balanced offer of gaming machines is available to customers following the loosening of restrictions from 80/20. We propose that an operator must notify the licensing authority of their intention to increase their number of gaming machines.
The third best UKGC casino in our books is Grosvenor Casino. There are over 2,500 games, ranging from slots to table, jackpot, and live casino games. From above-average deposit bonuses to ongoing promotions, this casino knows how to reward players. With such wins as “Best Online Casino Operator” and “Best Mobile Operator,” we see Casumo as a leading UKGC casino.
- Paragraph (3) of regulation 4 of these Regulations amends the mandatory conditions attaching to converted casino premises licences in Part 5 of Schedule 1 to the 2007 Regulations.
- In July 2026, the Gambling Commission faced backlash for newly announced affordability and responsible gambling checks, which critics described as “rushed, flawed and hugely problematic”.
- Required for online gambling operations serving British customers.
- First and foremost, gambling companies want to keep crime and money laundering out of the gambling industry and do not want their customers falling into financial difficulties.
- 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).
A logo is an image; it proves nothing about a live licence. Phrases like “licensed and regulated” with no named regulator, or a reference to being “licensed under international law”, are not the same as a Gambling Commission account number. Every operator licensed in Great Britain has to tell you so, clearly, on its website. A status that is anything other than active means the licence is not currently in force, even if the brand is still taking deposits somewhere. Against each business you can see the licence status, which may read as active, or as something less reassuring such as surrendered, lapsed, suspended or revoked.
New paragraph 3 of Part 5 of Schedule 1 to the 2007 Regulations attaches additional mandatory conditions to converted casino premises licences that apply only if the holder decides to exercise the extended entitlement. Paragraph (3) of regulation 4 of these Regulations amends the mandatory conditions attaching to converted casino premises licences in Part 5 of Schedule 1 to the 2007 Regulations. By paragraph (2) of regulation 4, the minimum size of the table gaming area in small casinos licensed under the Act is reduced from 500m² to 250m².
Casino operators vary considerably in which protection level they’ve adopted, and that information is publicly available on the UKGC register. That enforcement history is visible through Saferwager’s enforcement section, cross-referenced to the relevant operators. Casino operators found to have misrepresented bonus terms have faced both regulatory sanction and advertising bans.
CAP Code Section 16 specifically addresses gambling advertising, including promotional terms. Online casino promotions, including welcome bonuses and free spins, are subject to ASA/CAP code requirements on clarity and non-misleadingness. Several of the highest-value UKGC fines in recent years arose from casino-specific failures around customer interaction obligations and anti-money laundering processes. Enforcement actions in this category tend to be costly.
White-label casinos sharing a common platform tend to cluster at similar Domain Score levels, because they’re running on the same underlying infrastructure. Live dealer casinos stream real-time video of physical game tables, typically operated from studios in regulated jurisdictions. The UKGC requires that RNGs used in licensed casino products are tested and certified by an approved test house. A casino can operate within its licence in many respects while falling short on technical infrastructure or transparency. Each category sits within the same licence type but carries specific product obligations.
Casinos that have failed to comply face licence suspension or revocation — another reason why it is always worth checking how to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed before you play. Key changes include a £5 maximum stake limit on online slots, mandatory casino affordability checks UK operators must conduct at defined loss thresholds, a ban on autoplay features, and a 10x cap on bonus wagering requirements. The only reliable way to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed is to look up the operator’s licence number on the official UKGC register. Some rogue casinos display a UKGC-style logo without holding a genuine licence. Unlicensed casinos may withhold winnings or refuse withdrawals, leaving you with no legal recourse whatsoever. Knowing how to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed is the single most important step before you deposit at any online casino.
The majority of licensing authorities advocated for the maximum proposed premises fee increase of 30%. Following analysis, we propose to increase the maximum premises fees chargeable by licensing authorities by 15%. We received detailed evidence through the consultation process outlining the impacts which increased fees would have on both the ability of licensing authorities to undertake their duties, and the commercial pressures placed on operators. These fees are used on a cost recovery basis to enable licensing authorities to undertake their gambling enforcement and administrative duties. To ensure this, we outlined in the white paper our intention to increase the cap on the maximum chargeable premises fees which can be charged by licensing authorities. The government will make inviting, causing, or permitting under-18s to play ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines a criminal offence through a draft affirmative statutory instrument.
The arcade sector similarly reported that Option 1 and Option 3 would non gamestop casinos result in the removal of underused Category C and D machines, whilst Option 2 would have no impact or result in increased numbers of Category C and D gaming machines. This relates primarily to underused Category C and D gaming machines. For example, one large arcade operator projected a 20% increase in the number of Category B gaming machines under Option 1, which corresponded to a projected medium increase in GGY.
However, we recognise that a minority of customers do experience gambling-related harm and that it is necessary to have safeguards in place to protect customers. In April 2023, DCMS published its white paper on gambling setting out the government’s plans for bringing the regulation of the gambling sector into the digital age. Increasing the maximum cap that licensing authorities can charge – made negative statutory instrument. The majority of these respondents argued for measures which tended to be more restrictive of the gambling products available within the land-based sector.
The interaction design of slot machines and table games creates specific compliance obligations that don’t apply to betting or bingo products in the same way. The LCCP sets out licence conditions and social responsibility codes that all licensees must follow, but some provisions hit casino operators with particular force. Every UK online casino listed here holds a Remote Casino Operating Licence from the UKGC, but licensing is only the starting point. If you manufacture gambling software, but also provide facilities for gambling only in circumstances in which you host those facilities through other operators’ platforms, then you may be eligible to hold a host operating licence. Remote gambling and software technical standards do not apply to the software you provide for overseas operators who are not licensed by the Gambling Commission.
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