Guidance to licensing authorities Part 17: Casinos
(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
Therefore, we cannot currently estimate the total increase in GGY for each option. We welcome further evidence on this in the consultation response. Energy costs per machine will be estimated in the final stage impact assessment using an energy calculator.
Substantial fines have been imposed, individuals have been sanctioned pursuant to their “personal management licences” and licences have been suspended. All gambling hosted by electronic means and available to persons in Great Britain must be licensed by the Gambling Commission. There is no restriction on the use of digital and virtual currencies as a payment method for gambling, though operators wishing to accept virtual currencies will need to demonstrate how any additional risks of them doing so are mitigated. Since 28 February 2025, remote operators have been required to undertake financial vulnerability checks once a customer’s net spend exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period.
454.A casino premises licence will also authorise the provision of facilities for betting, where the licensee or a person authorised in writing by the licensee holds a relevant betting operating licence. 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. 442.These sections provide the Secretary of State, Scottish Ministers and licensing authorities with powers to place conditions on premises licences.
Operators must meet a clear set of standards focused on fairness, transparency, and responsible gambling. Yes, gambling is legal in the UK and falls under the jurisdiction of the Gambling Commission of Great Britain. This article outlines the current rules, types of licenses, and responsibilities involved in holding a UK gambling license in 2025.
Pros and Cons of UKGC Casinos
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.
Guidance for complying with gaming machine technical standards. It also lists premises that are subject to an application to vary the licence (shown as ‘VARIATION’). Licesning authorities notify the Commission when they issue these licences and the Commission maintains a database of these notifications. The Gambling Commission licenses and regulates gambling operators in Great Britain. This dataset contains a list of the premises in Great Britain which can provide facilities for gambling. Licensing authorities are reminded that when considering such applications, they must be satisfied that, if granted, the premises in question meets the relevant mandatory and default conditions for the relevant premises licence.
If an online casino loses its UKGC license, the operator can lose the right to run and onboard players in the UK. The UKGC public register is free to use and displays important details about a casino’s licence status and validity. As of January 2026, operators licensed by the UKGC can’t offer bonuses with wagering requirements above 10x to players in the UK. Every licensed casino in the UK is required to display an approved ADR service for any disputes or complaints.
This means that the casino operates under guidelines for player safety, data protection, and player protection. The UKGC implemented this to prevent players from becoming addicted to gambling and spending more than they can afford. We may earn a commission if you click on one of our partner links and make a deposit at no extra cost to you.
Casino games
It’s one of the most tightly scoped licence types the UKGC issues. Call us or complete our online form You will be responsible for ensuring that the software you supply is capable of being deployed in a manner that complies with our Remote gambling and software technical standards. A Curacao licence is much lighter-touch than a UKGC one, with weaker player safeguards, no GAMSTOP and limited dispute resolution.
- In order to future proof the gaming machine industry and adapt to modern payment technologies, we are seeking views on a range of player protections that will ensure players can use modern payment methods whilst mitigating the risk of harm.
- Similarly to bingo halls, this would likely result in both energy savings and increased GGY for operators.
- The UK has one of the most heavily regulated casino markets in the world and the sheer variety of platforms might feel overwhelming for newcomers.
- Rules introduced by the Gambling Commission in 2021 for online slots games mandate the display of money and time spent during a session.
However, where a converted casino premises seeks to utilise the extended gaming machines entitlement, it will need to vary its premises licence to show the table gaming area on the plan, whether or not there are changes to any other part of the premises used for gambling or the non-gambling area. In addition, Small 2005 Act casinos which take advantage of the new machine to table ratio, and/or the reduced minimum table gaming area, will also need to apply to their local licensing authority to vary their premises licence, given the changes in non-gambling and gambling areas. The changes made enable the holder of a converted casino premises licence relating to premises in England and Wales to make up to 80 gaming machines (including Category B gaming machines) available for use, provided a number of specified conditions are satisfied (“the extended entitlement”). Regulation 3 of these Regulations amends section 172(5)(b)(i) of the Gambling Act 2005 (c. 19) (“the Act”) to change how to calculate the number of gaming machines that may be made available for use in small casinos licensed under the Act. Its remit covers arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines and lotteries, as well as remote gambling, but not spread betting which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
Respondents had differing views on the impact on other gambling products. Contrastingly, respondents from local government, campaign groups and academia were more cautious about any measures which could be seen as increasing the supply of gambling opportunities, due to links between rates of gambling participation and gambling-related harm. We will work with the relevant trade bodies and operators to understand the feasibility of this proposal and the frequency of any reporting to DCMS. This includes ensuring that appropriate safeguards against gambling-related harm are in place. In addition, operating costs have risen significantly over this period, especially as a result of rising energy costs, which have increased by over 225% for some operators.
By contrast, the largest estimated increase in annual GGY received from arcade operators was in the region of £10m. Bingo club responses ranged from no impact on GGY to small improvements in GGY, with the largest estimated increase in annual GGY being in the region of £4m. However, responses suggested that increases in GGY would be greater in the arcade sector than in the bingo club sector.
We received a small number of responses from local authorities. Under Option 2(a), the Bingo Association has advised that 2 substantial multi-site bingo club operators and several single site operators would be disadvantaged by comparison to the current regime. Option 2(a) had more varied views across bingo operators. However, while Option 1 was the most common secondary option for many of these respondents in the original consultation, the majority of respondents to the supplementary consultation were supportive of Option 2(b) above Option 1. Another operator stated that both options could, over time, potentially lead to a 20% to 25% increase in Category B cabinets and would likely lead to the reduction of tablets and in-fills to at most a nominal level. The reason provided for this preference is that Options 2(a) and 2(b) would provide greater commercial flexibility over the long-term – with Option 2(b) providing the greater flexibility of the 2 options.
For example, if a casino has 400sqm of gambling space, it would be required to have at least 200sqm of table gaming space. For casinos that are 500sqm or larger, the table gaming area must be equal to or greater than 250sqm. 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.
Where the ability to offer certain gambling activities has been expanded, the provision of these would not fall within the terms of Section 187 and would therefore not require an application to vary the premises licence solely for the addition of an authorised activity. For example, the new Regulations authorise converted casino premises to offer betting. Operators and licensing authorities should also have regard to Section 187 of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab) in respect of applications to vary a premises licence. To be clear, any premises licence applications made to access entitlements under the new Regulations are the same in nature as any other premises application and should be processed in the same way by licensing authorities. An existing non-remote 1968 Act casino licence holder does not wish to change their existing operation after the new Regulations come into effect.
A flat additional application fee of £2,100 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting. A flat additional application fee of £1,680 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting. casino not on gamstop The remote casino operating licence allows you to offer casino games to customers via a website, mobile phone, TV or other online service. The few minutes it takes to properly verify an online casino’s licence is crucial to ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for you. Some fraudulent operators have displayed legit licence numbers belonging to different casinos, so make sure the number matches the name displayed on the official register.
The demise of this site raised questions of the ability of the Commission to protect UK customers from rogue traders, although overall responsibility for UK online regulation was only given to the UKGC in November 2014. In 2014, the UK-regulated online bookmaker Canbet went into receivership, owing millions to customers. The Gambling Commission has come under fire for not preventing the spread of Fixed odds betting terminals on the high street. An investigation found that the companies failed to put in place effective safeguards to prevent consumers suffering gambling harm and against money laundering between November 2014 and October 2017.
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. If you have a dispute with a licensed operator, you can escalate unresolved complaints to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider free of charge. All UKGC operators must allow you to set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits.
Where a regulator publishes a validator, paste the licence number in and read what comes back. Look for a licence or seal that links through to the issuing authority’s own validation tool, not just a static badge. If a site relies on an offshore licence, you can still sanity-check the claim, and it often does not survive the test. An offshore licence does not bring GamStop, does not require UK affordability checks, and does not give you access to a UK dispute-resolution route. These are real licensing regimes, but they are far lighter than the UK system.
Sportsbooks are also a common expectation for international visitors, and permitting betting in 1968 Act casinos would bring Britain’s casino product offering in line with other jurisdictions. Betting is permitted in 2005 Act casinos, which represent seven of the 122 casino premises open across Britain’s casino estate. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) have provided detailed information on each casino, including floor space and the number of existing machines. As the Gambling Commission’s advice underlines, as a minimum, operators must be able to implement age verification and customer interaction, and maintain self-exclusion effectively regardless of the number of machines they are permitted to offer. Finally player protections are in place in casinos to mitigate increased risks of gambling harms.
The number of additional machines that a 1968 Act casino will be entitled to will be determined by the size of all three different areas that have been outlined above – the total gambling area, the table gaming area and the total non-gambling area. For 1968 Act casinos that access the new machine entitlements, we propose that the mandatory licence conditions remain aligned, so that only areas that comprise 12.5% of the minimum required table gaming area can be taken into account in determining the table gaming area. We will also amend the current inconsistency in the regulations which requires Small 2005 Act casinos to have a table gaming area of at least 500sqm (identical to their minimum overall gambling area) by reducing this requirement to 250sqm.
We look to deal with all aspects of gambling licensing both land-based and remote, acting for a number of the major international operators. To successfully operate in the betting and gaming industry you need to make sure that you have the correct licences in place. Next Steps When all the statutory instruments have been laid in the UK Parliament, the Commission will publish 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 amended Regulations and how this process should be administered by licensing authorities when applications are received. One effect of the amendments made by 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.
Reputable casinos often provide details about their license in the footer or a dedicated “About Us” or “Regulatory Information” section. You should be able to find the casino website’s name and information on whether the licence is active, inactive or white label. The UKGC maintains an up-to-date public register of all their licensed operators.