How to Get a UK Gambling Licence: Complete 2025 Guide for Online Gaming Operators
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? Should the government introduce an age limit on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines to 18 and over?
The lack of direct cashless payment methods on gaming machines contrasts with the cashless options that consumers have within the wider retail economy. 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. We will use the responses to this consultation as well as wider engagement with the sector to gather data to estimate the likely uptake of additional machines and removal of existing machines under each option. 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. As some of the differences between 1968 Act and Small 2005 Act casinos are brought in line, operating and premises licence fees and mandatory licence conditions should be harmonised accordingly. We propose that an operator must notify the licensing authority of their intention to increase their number of gaming machines.
For example, as previously highlighted, evidence provided by Bacta shows that the average stake placed on a Category B3 game is between £1.20 – £1.30, compared to 40p – 60p for a Category C machine. Under such circumstances, and given the relatively higher stakes and losses set out in the rationale for change, there is the potential for gambling-related harm to increase. 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.
- 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.
- In August 2026, a survey conducted by GamblingNews.uk found that 68% of Brits believe bookmakers sometimes “use anti-money laundering and responsible gambling checks as pretexts to void winning bets or delay payouts”.
- However, the law does not prevent unlicensed casinos such as Stake – and a host of other brands that chiefly target football viewers in east Asia – from sponsoring British clubs.
- A flat additional application fee of £1,570 is payable for a licence that combines two of game host (casino), game host (bingo) and betting host (virtual events only).
- They must also participate in GAMSTOP self-exclusion and contribute to research, education and treatment of gambling harm.
Since April 2020, the UKGC has banned the use of credit cards for online gambling. Every casino in this list holds a current UKGC licence. Most UKGC-licensed casinos support a broad range of payment methods. These tips apply whether you are new to online casino play or have been doing it for years. Getting the most from your online casino experience is as much about good habits and informed choices non gamstop casinos as it is about luck.
Six guarantees you get at a licensed casino that you simply don’t at an unlicensed one. 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. We may earn commissions from operator sign-ups, at no cost to you. We may earn affiliate commissions when you click through links on this site.
The process for issuing casino premises licences
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. It should be noted that in April 2025 HM Treasury opened a consultation (which closed on 21 July 2025) on a proposal to introduce a single remote gambling duty that would apply to all remote gambling activities targeting the UK. 15% of the commission charges charged by betting exchanges to users who are UK citizens Operating licences are generally indefinite, subject to paying annual fees.
Figure 11: Category D Gaming machine types including stakes, prizes and speed of play
This is a dedicated UK casino comparison page, built to help you evaluate legal, UKGC-licensed online casinos based on key features like UKGC License, UK specific bonuses and more. Here you will find all UKGC licensed online casinos currently available in the UK. Welcome to online.casino UK, your online casino comparison guide for playing at online casinos in the UK. This licence allows you to offer casino games to customers via a website, mobile phone, TV or other online service.
We think that this will create greater equity between 1968 Act and Small 2005 Act casinos and should not have an effect on gambling-related harm as customers will still be offered a mixture of gambling and other non-gambling leisure activities. For 1968 Act casinos that meet the same size thresholds as Small 2005 Act casinos, we have proposed introducing a 250sqm table gaming area requirement. We are mindful of ensuring fairness between 1968 Act and 2005 Act casinos but also to those casinos that are currently operating. However, those casinos that would be allowed to keep their current gambling space would have more flexibility in terms of the layout of their venue compared to Small 2005 Act casinos, which may be deemed unfair by casinos without this advantage.
The Gambling License Register also tracks UKGC-licensed operators and provides direct links to the Commission’s public register entries where available. The Commission has repeatedly warned operators that AML failures will result in enforcement action. The Commission expects operators to maintain robust AML policies, procedures, and controls, and to conduct customer due diligence (CDD) and enhanced due diligence (EDD) where required. Licensed operators are subject to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017. 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.
Remote casino game host operating licence Remote betting intermediary operating licence Non-remote betting intermediary licence
The draft Casinos Regulations form part of a package of interlinked statutory instruments which amend the regulatory framework for land-based casinos. Guidance for complying with gaming machine technical standards. 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. Part 10 of the Act contains provisions on when such equipment counts as a gaming machine. 451.These regulations can also specify when tables, which are linked together by electronic means for example, are to count as a single table for the purpose of machine entitlements under this section.
Staff learn to identify problem gambling behaviors, conduct KYC checks, and verify ages. The UKGC’s License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) mandate training on responsible gambling, AML, and customer interactions. Running a casino involves managing staff under strict UK casino employer laws. Casino advertising is tightly regulated to protect consumers, with casino advertising rules enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Robust AML casino laws safeguard the industry’s integrity. Staff must be trained to spot these signs, and operators face fines or license loss for failing to report.
These laws ensure proper protection measures and responsible gambling practices from the operator’s part. However, apps can significantly boost speed, performance, and launch times, as they can cache data on your smartphone. For instance, QuickBet, Funky Jackpot, and HotWins Casino will offer you top-notch mobile casino experience in the UK.
This change will be made in respect of licensing authorities in England and Wales. The second concern was the lack of transparency regarding the way in which fees are used by local authorities and a perception that local authority activities, such as premises visits, do not appear to be reflected by the level of fees currently paid. Industry responses were opposed to increasing the maximum chargeable fees beyond 10% for 2 main reasons.
“extended converted casino premises” means premises in which gaming machines are made available for use in accordance with the extended gaming machine entitlement; The remote casino operating licence will be required (instead of an ancillary licence), in addition to a non-remote casino operating licence if you intend to link terminals located in one casino premises to gaming that takes place in another set of premises (for example, touch-bet roulette terminals in one casino linked to a roulette wheel in another casino). As well as an operating licence, an operator wishing to make gambling facilities available in a land-based environment (e.g., casino, betting shop, bingo hall or arcade centre) will also need to apply for a premises licence authorising that activity from the relevant local authority. Other than that, different types of gambling activity conducted by the same media can be combined – for example, a “remote” gambling operating licence might well have betting, gaming and software operation endorsed upon it. This is to enable trackside betting operators (also known as on-course bookmakers) with operating licences to benefit from the track premises licence held by the occupier of the track.
Remote licences are, in fact, a legal requirement for any business, wherever located, to offer facilities for gambling to British residents. Points to note are that land-based casino licences are not freely available and the rollout of major casino resorts envisaged when the legislation was passed has generally not occurred. The Gambling Act 2005 provides for a range of licences to be granted to both non-remote (i.e., land-based) as well as remote businesses.
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. 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. This is an important measure to create a clear distinction between gambling products for adults and lower risk products accessible to children (such as crane grabbers or coin pushers) which have non-cash prizes or are entirely unlike adult gambling products. The majority of responses were in favour of an age restriction.
A ‘mixed session’ is a single session that takes place on games of different machine categories. These rates are lower than the majority of other gambling products, although remain above the at-risk and problem gambling rates for ‘any gambling activity’. These represent transition costs which are expected to be incurred in the first few years of implementation, with exact timescales depending on the option taken forward.
We are unable to easily increase the maximum size of Small 2005 Act casinos as the legislation requires that Small and Large casinos are classified distinctly, so an overlap between the two categories would be problematic. However, as outlined in our proposals below, there are some difficulties in mirroring the exact restrictions that apply to Small 2005 Act casinos for 1968 Act casinos. Only tables for multi-player live gaming, operated by a casino dealer, will qualify for the purposes of this ratio.
The objective of providing customers with a genuine choice of higher and lower stake machines is understood in terms of providing a safeguard against increased gambling harm. Gaming machines account for a significant proportion of energy costs, a substantial number of which are sited by operators purely to meet the 80/20 rule. The Gambling Commission raised concerns that arcade and bingo venues have sought to maximise their number of Category B machines under the current rules by providing Category C and D gaming on tablets and in-fill machines. As outlined in the white paper, we strongly encourage operators to continue to improve player safety controls on Category B3 machines. Premises licence fees are collected by licensing authorities for applications and annual renewals to cover the cost of administration of their gambling duties and gambling enforcement. Currently, annual fees for 1968 Act casinos are between 65% and 90% of the annual fees that 2005 Act casinos in the equivalent fee category are required to pay.