UK Gambling License: Complete Application Guide & UKGC Requirements 2025 GamingCompliance
We explain the legal position in detail in our guide to whether non-GamStop casinos are legal in the UK. Common examples are licences issued in Curacao, Anjouan or other offshore jurisdictions. The single most reliable check is the UK Gambling Commission’s public register, which lists every business licensed to offer gambling to people in Great Britain. If you are worried that a casino is not properly licensed, you can usually find out in a few minutes.
- The procedures vary, depending on whether representations have been made, and what the licensing authority proposes to do with regard to licence conditions.
- You may also search the UK Gambling Commission’s website for more information about a casino’s licence status.
- We will allow direct debit card payments to be made on gaming machines, subject to the player protection measures outlined within this government response.
- There are over 2,500 games, ranging from slots to table, jackpot, and live casino games.
Live Casinos
We intend to place some restrictions on the number of SSBTs to avoid a scenario in which the product offering becomes unbalanced and a large number of these machines are sited in a relatively small gambling area. Where a machine is made available to take bets on virtual races, it is classified as a gaming machine and would therefore count towards the maximum permitted number of such machines. The authorisations required may include a remote betting operating licence (required if customers are to be able to bet via Self-Service Betting Terminals), as well as a non-remote betting operating licence. In order to offer this, operators will be required to hold relevant operating licences from the Gambling Commission. The white paper proposed that all casinos should have the ability to offer betting, should they wish to do so.
You can also learn about what is RTP in slots and check our guide to the best PayPal casino UK sites for your verified casino shortlist. Understanding both the licence verification process and the affordability check rules gives you full visibility of your rights as a UK player. A Remote Betting Licence or Remote Bingo Licence does not authorise casino games like slots, roulette, or blackjack.
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.
Increased machine allowance to 80
Although the data on mixed sessions creates some uncertainty, we conclude that overall, Category B machines lead to higher losses than Category C or D machines. This suggests a higher risk of unaffordable spending on Category B machines. On the other hand, the data shows that a substantially higher proportion of sessions on Category B machines ended in a loss over £200, compared to Category C, Category D and mixed machines. This suggests a relatively similar level of binge gambling across both machine categories. Data on session duration shows that, in general, players spend a similar amount of time on Category B machines as Category C and D machines.
What is gambling software?
In 2024, the market generated over £15 non gamestop casino billion in gross gambling yield (GGY), with remote (online) gambling accounting for more than half. All casinos reviewed are UKGC licensed. All UKGC-licensed casinos must now prompt new customers to set deposit limits during the account registration process.
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.
Please provide any views or any other information on the adequacy of player protections for those using gaming machines in casinos. How do you expect the measures allowing more gaming machines in 1968 Act casinos to impact the provision of other product offerings within casinos e.g. table gaming? How do you expect the measures allowing more gaming machines in 1968 Act casinos that meet certain size requirements to affect the demand for gaming machines in casinos? For example, a casino with two premises licences that meets the size and physical separation requirements could site 160 machines – more than a Large 2005 Act casino.
To obtain a UK gambling license, you must pay initial fees, duties, and taxes. To obtain a gambling license in the UK, you must open a bank account in a UK-based bank. Obtaining this license allows its holder to conduct gambling business in the UK. The UK has several types of licenses related to operating a gambling business. Law & Trust offers professional assistance in obtaining a gambling license. UK legislation supports entrepreneurs engaged in the gambling sector.
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.
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.
In all these cases, UKGC rules require operators to act transparently and handle complaints by following published procedures. For example, a player may report unfair or confusing terms and conditions, such as very low betting limits or too many games being restricted. One of the most common reasons players complain is that a casino is claiming that the player has broken its terms or rules and is therefore withholding the player’s winnings. However, if that does not work, then players must provide documents such as a passport, driving licence, or utility bill.
We think that this 30 second transaction time, coupled with the other player protection measures that we are proposing, should ensure that the use of direct debit cards on a machine has a similar level of friction to playing with cash. Following 30 seconds, the player would be able to start depositing money onto the machine. We would suggest that the 30 second period should start from when the machine has read the card and approved the payment.
View licence details, trading names and authorised domains. Before allowing any wagering, operators must confirm a player’s identity. These apply to staff members who perform key roles within gambling organizations. Granted by local councils, these allow physical locations to be used for gambling. Issued by the Gambling Commission, these are mandatory for businesses offering gambling services in the UK. The Gambling Act 2005 is the central legal framework governing gambling.
(Mandatory response) Yes / No / I don’t know (Mandatory response)Yes / No / I don’t know / Not applicable (Optional response)Open text box (Mandatory response)Yes / No / I don’t know
Multi-staking category B cabinets provide customers with the choice of staking at different levels and therefore below the maximum stake permitted. However, over the longer term, some industry representatives have suggested that operators would likely further reduce their number of Category C and D cabinets in favour of multi-staking Category B cabinets. Unlike Option 1, it would be much more difficult for an operator to increase the number of B3 cabinets on their premises by increasing the number of Category C or D in-fills and tablets that they site. The equalising of these machine types may come at significant costs for some businesses.
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.
Unlicensed casinos offer no legal protection and may refuse payouts or misuse player data. By taking the time to understand how gambling regulation works and how to verify a casino’s license, you can be confident that you have a real chance of winning when gambling online. Paragraph 9.7 – Pre-2005 Act casinos with grandfather rights (converted casinos) are now permitted to offer betting, subject to The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025 (opens in new tab) which limit the maximum number of separate betting positions. Paragraph 7.4 – Converted casinos are now permitted to offer betting, subject to The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025 (opens in new tab) which limit the maximum number of separate betting positions. It is also recommended that, for clarity and to assist future inspections of the premises and administration of the licence, licensing authorities record in their decision the content of the application and particulars of what the authority has granted.
(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.”;
Domain Score’s WHOIS transparency component looks at whether a casino domain’s registered ownership is publicly visible. One that doesn’t can drag down the Domain Scores of multiple seemingly unrelated casino brands. A proprietary casino platform gives the operator direct control over the technology stack, including SSL configuration, DNS management, and the security infrastructure that Domain Score assesses. A casino can have fully certified RNGs and simultaneously carry a poor Domain Score driven by weak SSL configuration. The licence authorises games of chance, which includes slots, table games like blackjack and roulette, and live dealer products delivered via video stream.
The Gambling Act 2005 created a partnership between the Gambling Commission and 368 licensing authorities in England, Wales and Scotland for the regulation of land-based gambling. Licensing authorities have an important regulatory role alongside the Gambling Commission in licensing local premises. Please upload any further evidence or any other information that should be considered as part of this consultation relating to an age limit on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines. Should it be a criminal offence for a person to invite, cause or permit children or young persons to play on these machines? What measures, if any, do you think venues should adopt to ensure that no under-18s play on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines if the age limit is introduced? Should ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines be required to move to age-restricted areas in venues?