One of the strictest gambling licences anywhere: ID checks before you play, GAMSTOP, no credit cards, a 10x bonus wagering cap and a free dispute service.
What a UK Gambling Commission licence means for players
The UK Gambling Commission is one of the strictest online gambling regulators anywhere. Any casino that takes players in Great Britain needs its licence, wherever the company is based, and the licence comes with detailed conditions that the Commission enforces with public fines that run into millions of pounds.
At a UK-licensed casino:
Your age and identity are checked before you can deposit or play, and the casino should not hold up a withdrawal to ask for documents it could have asked for earlier.
Every online casino must be part of GAMSTOP, the free national self-exclusion scheme that blocks you from all UK-licensed gambling sites at once.
Credit cards are banned for gambling, including credit cards loaded into e-wallets.
Bonus wagering is capped at 10 times the bonus, and one bonus cannot require you to play across different products such as sports and casino.
Online slots are limited to £5 a spin, or £2 for players aged 18 to 24.
Player money must be kept in a separate bank account, and the casino must tell you how well your balance is protected if it goes bust: not protected, medium or high.
There are limits. The Commission does not look into individual complaints or recover money for players, and your balance is not guaranteed by the government the way a bank deposit is. The licence also covers Great Britain only: a UK-licensed brand may run its international site under a different licence.
Complaints and disputes
Complain to the casino first, using its complaints process. It has eight weeks to resolve the complaint. If it does not, or it sends you a final response earlier, you can take the complaint to the independent dispute service the casino names, such as IBAS or eCOGRA. The service is free for you, and you cannot skip the casino's own process.
Dispute services do not handle customer service issues or a casino's refusal to accept a bet. If you are still unhappy after the dispute service rules, you can take the casino to the small claims court. To report a casino breaking its licence conditions, rather than to settle a dispute, use the Commission's confidential reporting form.
Who runs the UK Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission is a public body sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and based in Birmingham. It was set up by the Gambling Act 2005 and has regulated gambling in Great Britain under that Act since 1 September 2007. Since November 2014 any company offering gambling to players in Great Britain needs its licence, even if the company and its servers are abroad.
Regler
Gambling Commission
Umschläge
Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales
Law
Glücksspielgesetz 2005
Licensed businesses
2,634 on the public register (Sep 2026)
Takes up player complaints
Nein
Independent dispute service
Required and free to you
How to check a UK Gambling Commission licence
A UK-licensed casino shows its licence and account number, usually in the website footer, often with a link to the Commission's register.
Find the Gambling Commission account number or the company name in the casino's footer.
Search the Commission's public register of businesses by account number, company name, trading name or web address.
Check that the licence status is Active and that the activities include Casino with Remote.
Open the Domain names tab and make sure the exact web address you are using is listed as Active. Many brands run a .co.uk site under their UK licence and a .com site under another one.
Open the Regulatory actions tab to see any fines or warnings the business has received.
The register takes trading and domain names from the businesses themselves, so an exact match on the web address is the most useful check.
A short history of the UKGC licence
2005
The Gambling Act 2005 creates the Gambling Commission, which takes over from the Gaming Board for Great Britain on 1 October 2005.
2007
The Act comes fully into force on 1 September, and the Commission starts regulating under it.
2014
From 1 November, every company serving players in Great Britain needs a Commission licence, wherever it is based.
2020
GAMSTOP becomes compulsory for online operators on 31 March, and gambling on credit cards is banned from 14 April.
2023
William Hill's businesses pay a record £19.2 million for regulatory failures.
2025
Online slots stake limits arrive: £5 a spin from 9 April and £2 for 18 to 24 year olds from 21 May. In October, Platinum Gaming, the licence holder behind Unibet and 32Red, is fined £10 million.
2026
Bonus wagering is capped at 10 times from 19 January. From 6 April, dispute services are accredited under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 instead of by the Commission.
UKGC licence FAQ
How do I check that a casino is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission?
Search the Commission’s public register by company name, trading name, web address or account number. Check that the licence is Active, that the activities include Casino (Remote), and that the exact web address you are using appears under Domain names.
Will the Gambling Commission sort out my complaint or get my money back?
No. The Commission does not decide complaints about gambling transactions and cannot see inside your account. Complain to the casino first; if it is not resolved within eight weeks, or you get a final response letter, take it to the free independent dispute service the casino names.
What are the bonus rules at UK-licensed casinos?
Since 19 January 2026, wagering requirements cannot be more than 10 times the bonus, and one bonus cannot require you to play more than one type of product, such as betting and slots. Bonus terms must be clear, transparent and fair.
Do the UK stake limits apply to table games?
No. The limits of £5 a spin, and £2 for 18 to 24 year olds, apply only to online slots. The Commission states they do not apply to other casino games such as roulette or blackjack.
Can I deposit with a credit card at a UK-licensed casino?
No. Licensed operators have been banned from accepting credit card payments for gambling since 14 April 2020, and the ban also covers credit cards loaded into e-wallets.
Is my balance protected if a UK-licensed casino goes bust?
Not necessarily. Online casinos must keep customer money in a separate bank account, but each one rates its protection as not protected, medium or high, and must tell you which applies. Casinos rated not protected have to remind you of that every six months.
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