Compliance
The Gambling Commission will also undertake a review of gaming machine technical standards, to include assessment of the role of session limits across Category B and C machines and the role of safer gambling tools. While online operators are able to track play precisely and apply more tailored player protections, land-based casinos have adopted a range of measures in recent years that have enhanced player protections and tracking. Licensing authorities (local authorities in England and Wales and licensing boards in Scotland) are responsible for licensing gambling premises, in parallel with the Gambling Commission licensing of operators. There have been substantial changes to how consumers make payments in society since the ban on direct debit card use on gaming machines. Measures that we are seeking views on are intended to address inconsistencies between the different types of casino licence, as well as levelling the playing field to an extent between land-based and online operators.
Approval Timeline
This free service is mandatory for all remote licensees. Look for a statement such as „Licensed by the Gambling Commission” with an accompanying licence number. Follow these steps to confirm an operator holds a valid UKGC licence Always verify an operator’s licence before depositing funds. Note that Northern Ireland has separate gambling legislation and is not within the Commission’s jurisdiction. See which bonus structures are compliant and how new regulations protect British players.
Step 3: Open the Official Website of the UK Gambling Commission
- As gaming machine allowances and machine to table ratios for 1968 Act casinos and Small 2005 Act casinos converge, more consistent size requirements should apply across the two types of licence to ensure a degree of fairness and consistency.
- For this, you can search the licence number on the business register.
- One of the UKGC’s main objectives is to protect and help vulnerable casino players and the organisation sets out very strict guidelines for casinos in the UK to adhere to, which include gaming limits, time out periods and self exclusions for players.
- Both policy options are variations of Option 2, meaning that they focus on addressing the practice of operators siting increased numbers of Category B cabinet gaming machines by making lower staking Category C and D content available on in-fill and tablet gaming machines.
- Should there be a minimum transaction time for customers making a cashless transaction on a gaming machine?
For operators seeking to access the UK market, the UKGC licence is a prerequisite. The Gambling License Register also tracks UKGC-licensed operators and provides direct links to the Commission’s public register entries where available. The Gambling Commission maintains a public register of all current operating licences and personal licences. The levy is calculated at a rate ranging from 0.1% to 1.1% of gross gambling yield (depending on the licensed product), based on the amount reported in the operator’s regulatory returns for the previous 12-month period. The Commission’s preferred option would see an average 30% increase in annual operating licence fees.
But there’s more, we go above and beyond merely listing new online casinos in the UK. You’ll often find that players are more drawn to new British casinos and the sites that offer a better live gaming experience. Welcome to online.casino UK, your online casino comparison guide for playing at online casinos in the UK.
All UKGC-licensed operators are legally required to work with GAMSTOP, which means you’ll be blocked across every regulated gambling site in the UK. It legalised online gambling and introduced a framework that requires any operator offering services to British players to obtain a casino license from the UK Gambling Commission. The UKGC issues several types of licenses, covering activities such as sports betting, bingo, and casino gaming. The Commission requires all licensed operators to support responsible gaming practices. The Commission is responsible for issuing and enforcing gambling licenses for both online and land-based operators. UKGC-licensed casinos must provide clear complaints procedures and access to independent dispute resolution.
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.
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.
If we grant you a licence to run a gambling business, you will be able to download a copy of your licence from eServices. The following guidance is specific to casino games, and is relevant to those who hold a casino licence. An operating licence allows you to provide gambling activities to customers in Great Britain. You can read more about the legal definition of casinos in Part 1 section 7 of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab). The Codes also require that advertisements for gambling products or services do not mislead. In practice, this means that in many areas the Act sets a framework, with more detailed rules set out in regulations made under the Act.
(Optional response) Open text box (Optional response)i) Monetary thresholds ii) Time thresholds Sliding scale However, the government believes that there could be benefits to harmonising these measures as part of direct cashless gambling. Breaks in play are designed to stop dissociation/disconnection from the world around them, with research suggesting that best practice is to combine breaks in play with responsible gambling messaging. (Optional response) Sliding scale
However, it should be noted that respondents were most likely to have spent their own money on types of gambling activity that are legal or do not feature age restricted products, such as penny pusher or claw grab arcade games. Bacta’s members make up approximately 70-80% of the market for family entertainment centres and adult gaming centres. In addition, we would like to receive any evidence or information on best practice in these venues that could then be disseminated among operators. Further details on machine types and permitted locations can be found at Figure 11. Net position would be defined as the total of all deposits and winnings minus the sum of all losses since the start of the session, and both these proposals would align to the changes made to online game design by the Gambling Commission in 2021.
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.
(a)the non-gambling area may consist of one or more areas within the premises, In this Part, where premises are required to contain a non-gambling area— In this Part, in determining the floor area of the gambling area of premises, all areas in which facilities for gambling are provided on the premises must be taken into account. Licensed casinos must follow the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) guidelines and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) code. Every game featured by a UK-licensed casino must meet strict standards of fairness.
Between 2019 and 2021, there was a decrease in the percentage of Landlord & Tenant pubs with gaming machines (from 60% to just over 40%), as well as a decrease in the percentage of Managed pubs with gaming machines (from 80% to around 65%). There has also been a decline in gaming machine usage in alcohol licensed premises. Some licensed betting offices also use a cross-channel digital wallet that can be topped up at cash desks as well as on the operator’s website and used on machines. As they are an extension of card payment, the direct use of contactless mobile systems such as Google Pay or Apple Pay on gaming machines is also prohibited. The Gaming Machine (Circumstances of Use) Regulations 2007 prohibit the use of debit cards for direct payments to gaming machines, and prohibit any use of credit cards.
The period of time within which representations must be made will be prescribed in regulations. 430.Responsible authorities and interested parties may make representations in writing to a licensing authority about a particular application. These applicants do not need to hold, or have applied for, an operating licence. Applicants must have an operating licence, or have made an application for one. The notes relating to prize gaming permits under Part 14 expand upon the meaning of “occupy” for these purposes. Regulations made under this section may also excuse licensing authorities from part or all of their duties to maintain a register and provide access to it.
The government proposes that a new regime will apply to 1968 Act casinos that seek to increase their gaming machine entitlement. There were mixed views on casinos’ ability to hold multiple licences at the same physical location. It was proposed that the requirements would form part of a new regime that operators would have the option of moving onto, taking up a new gaming machine entitlement under the new rules.
UK online casinos are required by law to keep their responsible gambling resources easily accessible for its users. LicensedUK online casinoshave their own dedicated responsible gambling sections available. The ancillary licence does not authorise a remote link with gaming that takes place on another set of premises. With the exception of the previously stated restricted circumstances, any other provision of facilities for remote gambling will require a remote casino operating licence. It was created in 2001, and it oversees non gamestop casinos both land-based and online gambling operators licensed in Malta.
This means that many FEC operators do not currently have age-controlled areas and would have to invest in creating such an area for what is a low stake product. Secondly, it would be costly as most family entertainment centres (FECs) are unlicensed and do not offer Category C products. This view was most strongly argued by licensing authorities. We will also work with the relevant trade bodies and operators to understand the feasibility of implementing voluntary test purchasing to help understand whether operators are abiding by this new restriction.
Check out our full portfolio of casinos, organised alphabetically for you to peruse. From September 2025, online slots will have a maximum stake of £5 per spin to reduce gambling harm. For operators seeking long-term growth, these benefits make the licensing process well worth the investment. Even experienced gambling operators can make errors during the license application process or after approval. The UK Gambling Commission actively monitors licensed operators to ensure they meet strict legal, technical, and social responsibility obligations. The UK Gambling Commission reviews every application thoroughly to ensure operators are financially sound, technically secure, and committed to responsible gambling practices.
Non-remote betting intermediary licence Non-remote general betting limited operating licence Non-remote general betting standard operating licence These are the types of gambling licences you will need to run your gambling business. By consulting the UKGC and legal experts, operators can build compliant, player-focused casinos that thrive in 2025 and beyond.
The policy proposals set out in this government response are intended to modernise the land-based gambling sector and help it to thrive sustainably. The land-based gambling sector, unlike the online gambling sector, has faced significant challenges in recent years as a result of business inactivity during periods of COVID-19 restrictions. In September 2019, the Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) generated by remote gambling overtook that of land-based gambling for the first time (excluding lotteries). The white paper acknowledged that the emergence of new technology and the availability of online gambling since the Gambling Act 2005 came into force has substantially altered the gambling landscape. Measures relating to casinos – one draft affirmative and one made negative statutory instrument. By contrast, licensing authorities and respondents from the third sector tended to highlight the risk of increased gambling-related harm as a result of increasing commercial flexibility for businesses.
We propose that the default limits for B1 machines are aligned to those machines in arcades, bingo halls and betting premises. The government proposes that mandatory limits must be included on gaming machines accepting cashless forms of payments. The government proposes that gaming machines accepting direct debit payments must allow customers to set time and monetary thresholds. The government proposes that the current deposit and committed payment limits should apply to direct cashless payments on gaming machines.
This is because under Section 7 of the Act, partially or wholly automated versions of casino games are still casino games. Applicants are responsible for notifying responsible authorities of applications relating to premises under Regulation 12 of the Gambling Act 2005 (premises licenses and provision statements) Regulations 2007. If the previous details are not provided, this may result in consideration of the application being delayed or even the application being rejected, although licensing authorities are reminded of good practice in seeking to remedy defects rather than rejecting applications outright. It is recommended that applicants make clear what changes are to be made to the layout and content of the gambling offer. If those changes are made in the future, then operators would be able to access these provisions after they come into effect. Regulation 3 of the Gambling Act 2005 (Mandatory and Default Conditions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (opens in new tab) requires the layout of the premises to be maintained in accordance with the plan.
Rules introduced by the Gambling Commission in 2021 for online slots games mandate the display of money and time spent during a session. Players could also benefit from objective statements about their gambling activity rather than purely internal budgeting during sessions. In your view, is there any specific safer gambling messaging that should be considered within cashless gambling? As previously discussed, an optimal strategy to combat disassociation when gambling combines breaks in play with safer gambling messaging.
