Guidance to licensing authorities Part 17: Casinos
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. The draft Casinos Regulations form part of a package of interlinked statutory instruments which amend the regulatory framework for land-based casinos. Licensed gambling businesses must display that they are licensed and also provide a link to our public register. A company that runs four casino brands under one licence will non gamestop casinos have four separate site entries, each with its own Domain Score.
If we grant you a licence to run a gambling business, you will be able to download a copy of your licence from eServices. The following guidance is specific to casino games, and is relevant to those who hold a casino licence. An operating licence allows you to provide gambling activities to customers in Great Britain. You can read more about the legal definition of casinos in Part 1 section 7 of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab). The Codes also require that advertisements for gambling products or services do not mislead. In practice, this means that in many areas the Act sets a framework, with more detailed rules set out in regulations made under the Act.
Rules introduced by the Gambling Commission in 2021 for online slots games mandate the display of money and time spent during a session. Players could also benefit from objective statements about their gambling activity rather than purely internal budgeting during sessions. In your view, is there any specific safer gambling messaging that should be considered within cashless gambling? As previously discussed, an optimal strategy to combat disassociation when gambling combines breaks in play with safer gambling messaging.
(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
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Removal of unused Category C and D gaming machines
We think that the requirements of account verification, transaction limit, and deposit limits, alongside a minimum transaction time will provide appropriate safeguards for these lower stake machines. We do not propose that Category D machines are required to allow customers to set time and monetary thresholds in order to accept direct debit card payments. The pub sector argued that it would be disproportionate, cost-prohibitive and unlikely to be achievable on these types of machines.
Verify on Official Register
Bacta highlighted that pubs no longer give cashback and ATMs have all but disappeared from pubs, making it more difficult for customers to access cash to use on machines. This indicates that unless customers actively plan to bring cash to a pub for use on a gaming machine, they are unlikely to be able to use one. Evidence submitted by the British Beer and Pub Association shows a post-COVID decline in both the percentage of pubs with machines and machine weekly income. 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.
However, it should be noted that respondents were most likely to have spent their own money on types of gambling activity that are legal or do not feature age restricted products, such as penny pusher or claw grab arcade games. Bacta’s members make up approximately 70-80% of the market for family entertainment centres and adult gaming centres. In addition, we would like to receive any evidence or information on best practice in these venues that could then be disseminated among operators. Further details on machine types and permitted locations can be found at Figure 11. Net position would be defined as the total of all deposits and winnings minus the sum of all losses since the start of the session, and both these proposals would align to the changes made to online game design by the Gambling Commission in 2021.
- In contrast, most industry responses were concerned that customers may use this information to incorrectly determine that a machine is due a pay-out and therefore could lead to people spending more on a machine.
- 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.
- Regulations made by the Scottish Ministers dealing with the proceedings of licensing boards may make separate provision for the functions of the boards under the Licensing (Scotland) Act and under this Part.
- 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.
- For example, Bacta commented that ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines are substantially different from harder gambling slot machines, and are better described as fruit machines or amusement with prizes machines.
The UKGC register is the best way to not only confirm that the licence exists, but also that it’s currently active and valid. Here, you should also be able to locate the relevant licence number of the operator. These operators are being held to the highest standards and must adhere to a rock solid regulatory framework. Established under the Gambling Act 2005, the UKGC is the governing body that is responsible for regulating every type of gambling in the UK. 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. If you have a combination of different kinds of licence, you will get a discount on your annual fee.
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.
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. There is extensive gambling regulation in Great Britain, mostly imposed upon licensees by the various conditions and codes of practice attached to their gambling licences, which are colloquially referred to as the “Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice” or “LCCP”.
Licensing authorities are given the power to decide not to issue further casino premises licences in their area. 428.Applications for premises licences must be made to the licensing authority in whose area the premises are wholly or partly situated; and must be in the prescribed form and manner, accompanied by the prescribed fee. 409.This section describes, in subsection (1), the premises licences that may be issued by a licensing authority. 408.Part 10 contains provisions concerning gaming machines, and the categorisation of machines by the Secretary of State.
Non-UK sites have looser regulations and face less scrutiny if they operate maliciously. Non-UK gambling sites may be safe, but there is no real way of knowing beforehand. There, you will find licensing information and links to the UKGC website, where you can verify this information. Having a valid UKGC gambling license is a requirement for operating a gambling website that allows British players to join. The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the regulatory body responsible for overseeing all forms of gambling within the United Kingdom. It’s not just the secure and fair gameplay you get, but also the decision towards responsible gambling.
Every time you register at a new casino, make this two-minute check your first step. Third-party lists, affiliate sites, and casino footers can all be misleading. A UKGC licence guarantees player fund protection, fair games, dispute resolution rights, and access to GamStop self-exclusion. Every casino listed on UKVerifiedCasinos.uk has been manually checked against the UKGC Public Register by our editorial team.
UK online casinos are required by law to keep their responsible gambling resources easily accessible for its users. LicensedUK online casinoshave their own dedicated responsible gambling sections available. The ancillary licence does not authorise a remote link with gaming that takes place on another set of premises. With the exception of the previously stated restricted circumstances, any other provision of facilities for remote gambling will require a remote casino operating licence. It was created in 2001, and it oversees both land-based and online gambling operators licensed in Malta.
The only way to definitively check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed is to search the register yourself. The answer is always the same — the UKGC Public Register at gamblingcommission.gov.uk is the only authoritative source. Players often ask exactly where to go to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed. That is the complete process to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed — it is free, takes two minutes, and gives you the definitive answer directly from the regulator. The two-minute process to check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed is a small investment of time for the peace of mind of knowing your money is legally protected. We recommend you check if a UK casino is UKGC licensed every time you visit a new site — even if you discovered the casino through a recommendation.
Such permission may come from a licence, permit, or registration granted in accordance with the Act or from an exemption given by the Act. The primary legislation governing gambling in Great Britain is the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab). Where a licensing authority issues a provisional statement following a two-stage determination process, they may limit the period of time for which the statement has effect. There is no right of appeal against the grant or refusal at stage two although an applicant may seek judicial review of a licensing authority’s decision. Until any appeal has been determined, the licensing authority may not proceed to stage two. The provisional decision of the licensing authority at stage one may be appealed.
If No is selected What do you think the maximum committed payment limit should be for the following machine categories (£)? Shown if No is selected What do you think the maximum deposit limit should be for the following machine categories (£)? (Optional response)Sliding scale (Mandatory response)£20 / £50 / £100 / No Limit / Other / I don’t know The current maximum amount of cash that can be inserted into a machine at one time is £50 as this is the highest denomination of bank note. Regulation 7 ensures that there is a maximum value that players can deposit onto a machine in a single action.
Please outline any other proposals relating to machine allowances in arcades and bingo halls that you think that we should consider. Please explain why this is your preferred option. Please rank these options in order of preference, with 1 being your preferred option.
Some respondents also stated that there should be a difference depending on the category of machine, with higher limits for B1 machines. The majority of responses were in favour of mandatory limits being a required feature on machines accepting direct debit card payments. Vii) Category D machines (Optional response) While this situation appears extremely unlikely, we do not see any reason for it not applying to this type of machine as they still carry risks, even if smaller than other forms of gambling on different machines. As set out above, while chip and PIN could be used as a verification method, we would expect manufacturers and operators to adapt or make new machines that accept payments made by mobile devices which have some sort of biometric verification and meet the SCA standards.
Non-remote society lottery operating licence Remote casino game host operating licence Remote betting intermediary trading rooms licence
Regulation 9 also sets committed payment limits, money which cannot be refunded to the player once it is paid or transferred onto the machine’s credit or play meter. Regulation 7 of the Gaming Machine (Circumstances of Use) Regulations 2007 sets the financial (payment) limit on the amount a person can deposit on a machine in a single action. The need to future-proof the land-based gambling sector provides the rationale for change. Consumer preferences therefore indicate that cashless would need to complement, rather than replace, cash as a gambling payment method.
This free service is mandatory for all remote licensees. Look for a statement such as “Licensed by the Gambling Commission” with an accompanying licence number. Follow these steps to confirm an operator holds a valid UKGC licence Always verify an operator’s licence before depositing funds. Note that Northern Ireland has separate gambling legislation and is not within the Commission’s jurisdiction. See which bonus structures are compliant and how new regulations protect British players.