Casino Licensing in The UK

Some UK-licensed casinos, such as Mr Vegas, now host over 7,750 games. This is not only great for players, but it also gives our experts plenty of casino sites to compare, plus a wide variety of options with different strengths we can recommend to you. The UK’s online casino market is open and liberal compared to other countries. Our extensive database allows us to make fact-based decisions and to offer you the best options.

• The primary cost of this measure is the additional costs incurred by gambling operators resulting from the increased licensing fees.
• Any more restrictive changes could potentially exacerbate the impact on places like seaside arcade economies by making these machines inaccessible to adults accompanied by children.
• Option 2(a) had more varied views across bingo operators.
• Another key benefit is the increased GGY from Category B machines in bingo and arcade venues.
• Each license is tailored to specific business models and activities, whether online or land-based.

Free-to-play casino games with prizes are regulated as gaming and require a licence. The outcome of the Commission’s consultation on changes to financial key event reporting – which closed in March 2024 – is pending.Finally, in June 2025 the UK Government announced that it plans to introduce a “Voluntary Code” for prize draw operators whose offerings do not require a licence under the gambling framework because of the presence of a free entry route. 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.

KYC helps gambling operators prevent fraud, comply with AML regulations, and avoid hefty fines. Additionally, licensing is required even if a company’s online gambling operation is located in another country—so long as they provide services to gamblers in the UK. In cases when gambling providers operate both remotely and non-remotely, they need to hold both online and land-based licenses.

An application to vary a premises licence will be required where the licence holder wishes to take advantage of the new entitlements under the Regulations but there is already a condition attached to the premises licence by the licensing authority which prohibits the proposed change. If a non-gambling area is to become used for gambling, then that change would require a premises licence variation. The Gambling Act 2005 (Premises Licences and Provisional Statements) Regulations 2007 (opens in new tab) requires applications for a premises licence to include a scale plan, which shows the gambling and non-gambling areas. For other scenarios, and in deciding whether an application to vary a premises licence is necessary, licence holders and licensing authorities should have regard to the following.

The UK Gambling Commission reviews every application thoroughly to ensure operators are financially sound, technically secure, and committed to responsible gambling practices. A statutory levy is now applied to all licensed operators to non gamstop casino fund gambling research, education, and treatment services. Companies that supply gambling software or provide essential support services to licensed operators must comply with these requirements. Are you considering the launch of an online casino or sportsbook in the UK? Further information on these changes will be published as it becomes available on the Gambling Commission’s website and communicated to operators and licensing authorities.

We have selected the best UK licensed online casinos from hundreds of sites. All winnings from gambling in UK-regulated casinos are tax-free, while winnings from offshore sites carry the taxes of their origin country. We dig deeper into this subject on our safest online casinos page.

Operators who run betting shops, where staff alerts are already available, agreed that machines accepting cashless payments should also be required to have this feature. While we understand the different environments and the higher stakes and prizes available to customers on B1 machines, data received from industry shows that these limits should not impact the majority of players. In line with their responses to other questions, the pub sector did not want these limits to apply to Category D crane grab machines. Some respondents also stated that there should be a difference depending on the category of machine, with higher limits for B1 machines.

Step 2: Check the UKGC website

Sites with a history of licence breaches or unresolved player complaints are excluded. The site skews towards sports fans who also enjoy casino play, and the cross-promotion between the two products is done tastefully. The casino section offers hundreds of slots and table games alongside a live dealer suite powered primarily by Evolution. The platform hosts over 1,000 slots from top suppliers including Pragmatic Play and Evolution, alongside a strong live casino lobby with dedicated blackjack and roulette tables. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn a commission.

Gambling Commission data, from April to September 2019, indicates that across all land-based sectors, 1.8% of Category B sessions result in a loss of £200 or more. For instance, 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. For example, numbers provided by the Bingo Association show that the number of bingo premises that offer mainstage bingo declined from 335 at the end of 2018 to 272 in March 2023.

Pros and Cons of UKGC Casinos

456.Subsection (7) allows the Secretary of State to use her powers via regulation to control the non-gambling facilities provided in casinos by attaching licence conditions. 452.This section authorises the provision of facilities for “virtual” betting in casinos and on betting premises. This section contains the gaming machine entitlements which apply to the different types of premises licence issued under this Part. Such conditions will be specified in regulations, and must be included in all premises licences, or classes of premises licence, to which they apply.

Land-based gambling has a significantly larger workforce than online gambling. They are a significant part of land-based gambling, constituting 51% of non-remote Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in 2022. Some venues also operate a ticketing system, which allows customers to purchase a ticket with a debit card for use on a gaming machine. For example, some machines accept indirect payment from a debit card via mobile apps. The Gambling Act 2005 and the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice permit operators to innovate to some extent, and industry has introduced some cashless gambling. However, it is still the primary way to pay for machines in land-based venues.

As such, the consultation sought to understand if the regulatory framework could be strengthened to ensure that there is a consistent minimum offer of Category C and D gaming machines on cabinet devices in venues across the arcade and bingo sector. However, in recent years there has been a proliferation of space-saving in-fill and tablet gaming machines in arcade and bingo venues. How, if at all, would the approaches taken in Options 1, 2 and 3 impact the ability of business to meet customer demand for gaming machines?

In England & Wales this is the local authority, whilst in Scotland this is dealt with by licensing boards. A working knowledge of this document is essential for anyone who wishes to operate a casino in the UK. Depending on the number of persons who would hold certain positions within the applicant organisation, there may be an additional requirement for them to hold their own personal licence.

They must also participate in GAMSTOP self-exclusion and contribute to research, education and treatment of gambling harm. Search for the operator by name or licence number and confirm the licence status shows as ”Active”. Established under the Gambling Act 2005, it ensures gambling is conducted fairly, openly, and free from crime.

Should the operating and premises licence fees that apply to 2005 Act casinos also apply to 1968 Act casinos that increase their gaming machine entitlements? Operating and premises licence fees for 1968 Act casinos that increase their gaming machine entitlement should match the operating and premises licence fees charged for 2005 Act casinos. Do you agree with the proposal that casino operators will be required to notify licensing authorities and the Gambling Commission if they decide to take-up their entitlement to additional gaming machines under the new regime?

The next step is to note the licence number. If this information is missing or unclear, it is a big enough sign to opt for a different casino. Don’t see the licensing information in the footer? That’s why you should only play at licensed casino sites. They must adhere to strict regulations to protect British players.

By contrast, industry responses argued that Option 2 would be highly restrictive for many operators and would overall provide less commercial flexibility than is currently available under the 80/20 ratio. The only responses which challenged the risk of gambling-related harm under Option 3 came from respondents within the arcade and bingo sector. Therefore it is likely that increases in Category B machines will lead to slight increases in sessions with greater losses. By contrast, under Option 2, the same operator reported that it would be required to increase the number of Category C machines, resulting in increased costs.

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(a)the size of floor area of the gambling area is not increased, and (2) The floor area of the gambling area must be less than 1,500m². (4) Any separate area that comprises less than 12.5 per cent of the minimum required table gaming area is not to be taken into account in determining the table gaming area. (a)half the size of the floor area of the gambling area, (c)facilities for gambling must not be provided in the non-gambling area, and (b)lobby areas and toilet facilities may be taken into account in calculating the non-gambling area; but the non-gambling area must not consist exclusively of lobby areas and toilet facilities,

Under this option, for every device with higher maximum staking there would be a lower maximum staking machine of equivalent size and nature available to customers. The same rule would apply to all other gaming machine device types. This is in addition to a 9 percent increase in the overall number of B3 machines, representing approximately 900 machines across the total AGC estate.

Therefore, we are consulting on how best to allow casinos to move onto the new regime. What impact is permitting sports betting expected to have on revenue from non-gambling activities e.g. increased income from sports bars which allow customers to place a bet? If your casino already offers sports betting, what is the GGY from this activity? However, at this stage we do not know precisely what the GGY benefits will be, as we do not have any evidence on how casinos and players will respond to this proposal. If this proportion was representative across all casinos, then total casino sector GGY could increase by approximately £1.3 million.