Compliance
He specialises in gambling regulation and intellectual property law. To discuss trialling these LexisNexis services please email customer service via our online form. It also covers licence conditions, variation and termination of each licence together with reforms introduced by the Commission. Search by name, licence or account number Our experts will be happy to help you navigate the complexities of obtaining a UK gambling license, determine which licenses you need, and avoid unnecessary costs.
In the financial year to 2022, the average GGY per Category B machine (across all licenced land-based venues) was £30,360, compared to £2,030 per Category C machine and £1,350 per Category D machine. Another key benefit is the increased GGY from Category B machines in bingo and arcade venues. The proposed measure will allow venues to remove unused Category C and D machines and save on the costs of maintaining and powering them. The primary benefit of this measure is a reduction in energy and maintenance costs from unused machines. The Gambling Commission will conduct a future review of the gaming machine technical standards. The increase in Category B machines is expected to be even higher for Option 3, where no restrictions would be applied.
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.
For example, if a casino had 300sqm of gambling space, its non-gambling area would need to be at least 150sqm. We are mindful of ensuring fairness between 1968 Act and 2005 Act casinos but also to those casinos that are currently operating. Option (3) would not impact any 1968 Act casinos and would give these casinos greater flexibility in the layout of their venues. 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.
413.The general position for premises licensing is that premises may only be subject to one premises licence at a time. 410.Under Part 1 of the Act, the Secretary of State will make regulations defining classes of casinos. A provisional statement may be obtained from a licensing authority, in advance of a premises licence, where premises are to be constructed or altered, or where someone has yet to acquire the right to occupy premises. 405.Premises licences, unlike operating licences, are transferable between occupiers (who hold operating licences), on application to the licensing authority. 404.Applicants for premises licences are required to hold a relevant operating licence before being granted a premises licence under this Part, except in the case of tracks, where an operating licence need not be held in all cases.
- A genuine UK-licensed brand will be on the register under the exact domain it trades from.
- This measure will apply on a device type basis, meaning that the ratio applies across the 3 different types of device on which gaming machines content is currently offered in arcades and bingo halls, namely cabinets, in-fills and tablets.
- Some gambling software businesses provide facilities for remote gambling by making their games or betting content available to customers of other operators.
- The equalising of these machine types may come at significant costs for some businesses.
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.
For non-remote betting facilities, this would be a non-remote general betting (standard) operating licence. The effect of the amendments made by Regulation 2 (of the 2025 Regulations) is to make it clear that only gaming tables controlled or operated by casino staff can qualify as a gaming table for the purposes of calculating gaming machine allowances. These Regulations extend to England, Wales and Scotland and apply to all gaming tables in casinos from 22 July 2025.
Phase 1: Account Setup and Submission (Week 1-
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. Eligibility for a British gambling licence depends upon the Gambling Commission’s assessment of a variety of factors, primarily the integrity and probity of the applicant and the applicant’s ability to conduct gambling in a solvent and responsible manner in compliance with law and regulation.
The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £12,500. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £10,000. After this, fees are due every year before the anniversary of the day your licence was issued. Your first annual fee is due 30 days after your licence is issued and is reduced by 25 percent (ancillary and linked licence annual fees are not subject to this reduction). The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £4,200.
Sumsub explains how gambling businesses can stay compliant and avoid fines in the UK. Moving into the iGaming industry was a natural progression for Heath, initially focusing on sports betting content for major brands. In the most serious cases, a licence can be suspended or revoked. Gambling operators that breach these conditions can face fines, compliance audits, and regulatory monitoring. It sets standards to keep gambling non gamestop casinos fair and open, crime-free, and to protect consumers from harm. Online gambling is strictly regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
In any case, gambling remains a tax-free activity when it’s only treated as entertainment. Whether it’s a big or small problem depends on perspective, but the UKGC tackles it with highly effective regulations. Reports suggest that an estimated 2.5% of adults in the UK have experienced problem gambling. Your peace of mind matters, and we’re here to help you make informed choices for a secure and enjoyable gaming journey. We’ve done the legwork to ensure that your gaming experience is not only entertaining but also risk-free. So, the fastest options you can choose are e-wallets like PayPal, Skrill, and Neteller, which allow same-day withdrawals.
Under the increased gaming machine allowances that we propose, if a venue held multiple premises licences, it could theoretically gain access to 80 gaming machines per licence. In order to be entitled to an allowance of 80 gaming machines, 1968 Act casinos will need to comply with the same minimum requirements as a Small 2005 Act casino on gambling, table gaming and non-gambling area. A further 25 casinos have multiple licences within one premises, allowing them to supply 40 or 60 machines. Only 4 of the 8 Small casino licences have been developed, one has since closed, and none offer the maximum allowance of 80 gaming machines as it would be impractical to site the necessary tables. Depending on the type of casino licence an operator holds, they are able to site a different number of gaming machines, and may be bound by other restrictions including a maximum machine-to-table ratio and limitations on their size and non-gambling area. In cases where providers perform several types of gambling activities (e.g., casinos + gaming machines), they need to apply for separate licenses.
Running an online casino for UK consumers requires a Remote Casino Operating Licence under the Gambling Act 2005. For example, it will allow you to supply gambling software via methods of secure file transmission or to make gambling software available for download by operators from your server. A UKGC licence is authorisation from the UK Gambling Commission for a company to offer gambling to players in Great Britain.
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.
This would require a premises licence variation application to the relevant licensing authority given the changes to the gambling and non-gambling areas. This guidance provides information on the overall intent of the statutory instruments, what the changes mean for operators of casino premises that intend to make use of the regulatory changes and how this process should be administered by licensing authorities when applications are received. Other converted casino premises where the gambling area is less than 280m² will be limited to a maximum of 16 separate betting positions. It cannot be enforced against non-extended casinos, but when calculating the number of machines against the maximum of 80, all machines in every connected converted casino will be counted, whether or not they have decided to exercise the extended entitlement. You can even get started right now if you wish, as this page contains links to some of the best and licensedonline casinos that you can use in the UK.
Services you can use
1968 Act casinos that have a gambling area of at least 500sqm will be eligible for the same number of machines as permitted in a Small 2005 Act casino. 1968 Act casinos will be entitled to an enhanced gaming machine entitlement if their gambling area is at least 280sqm. 1968 Act casinos with a gambling area of at least 280sqm will be able to exercise the increased gaming machine entitlements shown in Figure 3. Where 1968 Act casinos are smaller than these requirements, we have proposed that they are able to benefit from an increased number of machines on a pro rata basis commensurate with their size and non-gambling area, and subject to the same ratio. The rules have also incentivised holders of multiple 1968 Act casino licences to operate them as separate entities in the same premises for the purpose of increasing machine numbers. As outlined in the white paper, it is our intention to bring greater coherence to the licence system by allowing 1968 Act casinos of a certain size to have the same gaming machine allowance as Small 2005 Act casinos.
Chapter 5 ‘Review of licensing authority fees’ outlines proposed changes to premises licence fees for Small 2005 Act casinos, which 1968 Act casinos that elect to move onto the new regime will also be subject to. In order to include SSBTs as part of a sportsbook offering, casinos would be required to apply for a remote general betting standard real events licence. As referenced in our response to the ‘Gaming machine allowance for 1968 Act casinos’ section, we acknowledge concerns from stakeholders about the necessity of a table gaming area requirement given the sliding scale includes a specified number of tables.
More information is available in the consultation response on proposals for changes to Gambling Commission fees (opens in new tab). By checking license details and only playing at trusted sites, such as those we recommend, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing the casino is properly regulated and your rights as a player are protected at all times. The UK Gambling Commission demands extremely high standards of fairness, responsible gaming measures, and player protection. We suggest that you choose from our list here at TopRatedBingoSites, as we are careful to only recommend sites that are properly regulated and compliant with all UK gambling laws. Clicking this link should take you directly to the casino’s profile on the UKGC Official Register, where you can verify the license number, trading names, and any conditions or sanctions in place.
Online slots stake limit guidance
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.
The UK gambling industry is evolving, and 2025 has brought some of the most significant regulatory reforms in over a decade. Each license is tailored to specific business models and activities, whether online or land-based. Before applying, it is crucial to understand the different categories of gambling licenses offered by the UK Gambling Commission. The UK Gambling Commission regulates gambling under the Gambling Act 2005. But beyond legality, it signals trustworthiness and responsible gambling standards to players, investors, and other regulators. The UK remains one of the most competitive and tightly regulated gambling markets in the world.
