Gambling Commission
Offshore licences, such as Curacao or Anjouan, are far lighter than a UK Gambling Commission licence. Search the UK Gambling Commission public register at gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register. Finding out, after the fact, that a site was never UK-licensed can be a sickening moment, especially if you had self-excluded or were gambling far beyond your means.
Default limits for machines in betting shops are £150 being inserted as credit since session start or 20 minutes of machine play (both leading to a 30 second cooling-off period when triggered). As part of the process of allowing players to make debit card transactions by turning away from the gaming table at casinos, the sector committed to an approach of 30 seconds of visual separation in ensuring a break in play before accessing additional funds. (Optional response) i) Category B1 machinesii) Category B2 machines? While it is important to future-proof gaming machine payment methods, there must be a balance between this and any elevated risk of harm that could emerge from allowing direct cashless payment methods to be used for gambling. Gaming machines are currently permitted in a variety of locations and divided into various categories based on factors such as maximum stake and prize available, as well as the premises where they may be used.
This response forms part of the government’s smarter regulation programme of regulatory reform measures that began in May 2023 with the publication of Smarter regulation to grow the economy. Information provided in response to this consultation (not including personal information) may be shared with other government departments and arm’s length bodies, such as the Department for Health and Social Care and the Gambling Commission. This means we have asked Qualtrics to collect your information via an online survey platform, which we will review as part of the consultation process. DCMS has commissioned a third party, Qualtrics, to collect your personal data on its behalf. All questions requesting an individuals personal information offer a ‘prefer not to say’ option.
This instrument brought the British system into line with various of the European so-called “regulated markets”, where the requirement to obtain a licence for that market and account for gambling duty extends to remote providers of gambling outside the jurisdiction. If you run a gambling business for profit without the relevant licences, you could be committing an offence and you could be prosecuted. We act for businesses throughout the world in applications for UK Gambling Commission Operator’s Licences and UKGC and local authority premises licences. Those licensees who want to utilise the new entitlements will have to apply to the relevant licensing authority to vary the premises licence, so the premises layout plan reflects changes in operation.
Typically, the casino will match your deposit by a certain percentage up to a set amount. These are some of the best casino bonuses in the UK for their size. You can claim deposit bonuses on sign-up or when you reload your casino account. In the subsequent sections, you’ll learn about the common bonus types available at casino platforms. Whichever casino you choose to play at, you’ll definitely find games from top developers like Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Big Time Gaming. It’s not the same as a land-based casino, but with HD live streaming and real professional dealers, that’s the closest experience you can get.
Non-remote licence activities
An existing licensed 1968 Act casino operator already holds an operating licence for remote betting and wishes to make use of the new Regulations to provide SSBT facilities in its casino. An existing licensed 1968 Act casino operator already holds an operating licence for non-remote betting and wishes to make use of the new Regulations to provide non-remote sports betting facilities in its casino (without providing any Self- Service Betting Terminal (SSBT) facilities). It will not be possible for a casino licensee to rely on an ancillary remote betting licence, even where SSBTs are available alongside a non-remote offering, as the ancillary remote betting licence is bound to a betting premises licence. To offer self-service betting terminals (SSBTs), casinos would be required to apply for a remote general betting (standard) (real events) licence. Licence holders should also consider whether, as a result of the changes and gambling facilities offered, an operating licence (OL) variation is required with regards to fee category and/or the licensed activities being offered (such as betting).
However, these rates are lower than the majority of other gambling products, although remain above the at-risk and problem gambling rates for ‘any gambling activity’. Please explain your answer, including an alternative solution for how to calculate non-gambling areas where applicable. Failing to meet the size requirement in any of these three areas will result in a lower machine entitlement. Industry has raised some concerns about how areas like bars would be categorised if sports betting terminals were placed in them. If its gambling area is 500sqm or more, its non-gambling area must be equal to or greater than 250sqm. It could also mean that the same gambling facilities are compressed into a smaller gambling area, with potentially a worse customer experience and no player protection benefits.
The period of time within which representations must be made will be prescribed in regulations. 430.Responsible authorities and interested parties may make representations in writing to a licensing authority about a particular application. These applicants do not need to hold, or have applied for, an operating licence. Applicants must have an operating licence, or have made an application for one. The notes relating to prize gaming permits under Part 14 expand upon the meaning of “occupy” for these purposes. Regulations made under this section may also excuse licensing authorities from part or all of their duties to maintain a register and provide access to it.
Gambling payment processing trends
Under the sliding scale proposal (Fig 3), this casino would only be entitled to 70 machines due to the size of its non-gambling area in this instance. While the gambling and table gaming area requirements would be enough for an entitlement of 80 machines, its non-gambling area is too small to qualify for this entitlement. We are also open to any other proposals for how table gaming areas should be calculated for 1968 Act casinos which trigger their enhanced gaming machine entitlements. We propose that the table gaming area for casinos that have less than 500sqm of gambling space must be equal to or greater than half the size of the gambling area.
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.
We believe it is appropriate to increase these fees so that local authorities can cover the costs of their gambling licensing and enforcement activity, and increase activity where needed. They are therefore essential for ensuring that licensing authorities can properly regulate gambling in their areas. Note that the different fees currently charged for large and small casinos may be subject to review and harmonisation following the consultation outlined in Chapter 1. Therefore, venues such as pubs and members’ clubs will not be impacted by any increases to premises licence fees. The fees payable for gaming machine notifications and gaming machine permits are not in scope of this review.
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.
Should the government introduce an age limit on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines to 18 and over? This does not distinguish between ‘cash-out’ and ‘ticket-out’ machines. The survey found that in the last 12 months, 3% of respondents had spent their own money on fruit or slot machines and a total of 6% had experience of playing on fruit or slot machines. While under-18s may make up a small proportion of total players, there is evidence that they do play on these machines. We expect this measure to restrict the play of under-18s on machines in scope.
Industry responses were opposed to increasing the maximum chargeable fees beyond 10% for 2 main reasons. Responses from industry advocated for either no increase in the maximum chargeable premises fees or a small increase of 10%. Licensing authorities highlighted numerous benefits which would be achieved by increasing the maximum chargeable premises fees by 30%. However, a number of these responses stated that this would still be below the amount necessary to undertake their duties to the fullest extent. The majority of licensing authorities advocated for a 30% increase. The consultation asked the questions below on whether licensing authority fees should be increased, and if so, by how much.
- 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.
- We received some responses which suggested that Option 1 would be preferable to Option 2(a) for ensuring that a genuine offer of Category C and D machines are made available to customers.
- It is possible that there will be wider costs if the increase in fees means that existing premises are unable to afford their total fees and close down as a result, or if new premises decide not to open due to the higher fees.
- A Remote Betting Licence or Remote Bingo Licence does not authorise casino games like slots, roulette, or blackjack.
- Many online casinos have multiple licences.
The government will introduce regulations through a draft affirmative statutory instrument to ensure that, for every 2 Category B gaming machines sited in AGC or bingo premises, at least one Category C or D gaming machine of a similar size is also sited on the premises. Both policy options are variations of Option 2, meaning that they focus on addressing the practice of operators siting increased numbers of Category B cabinet gaming machines by making lower staking Category C and D content available on in-fill and tablet gaming machines. A substantial number of responses drew upon the higher levels of customer spend which is evidenced on Category B gaming machines by comparison to Category C and D gaming machines, particularly as this relates to potential indicators of gambling-related harm.
We believe this is particularly important within the wider context of the modernising measures we are taking to support land-based gambling operators. Premises licence fees in Scotland are set under different regulations and are therefore a matter of consideration for the Scottish Government. We believe that on balance an increase to the maximum cap on premises licence fees by 15% is proportionate.
These UK casino regulations allow larger venues to diversify offerings but require careful compliance to avoid penalties. These responsible gambling measures require operators to update systems and inform players, ensuring compliance by mid-2025. Gaming machine rules are also shifting, impacting casino operations.
The stated aims of the Commission are to keep crime out of gambling, Ensure it is conducted in a fair and open manner and to protect the vulnerable. On receiving the application, we may make a representation to the local licensing authority about it. Details on the information that we require from licensing authorities.
Together with valuable information about latest online casino offers and much more, our mission is to always provide you with the best online casino choice, based on your own criteria’s. As outlined in the consultation, the fees payable for gaming machine notifications and gaming machine permits are not in scope of this review. We will keep the 15% increase in fees under review to ensure that its impact is proportionate both to the funding requirements of licensing authorities and the financial pressures placed on operators.
The Gambling Commission will also undertake a review of gaming machine technical standards, to include assessment of the role of session limits across Category B and C machines and the role of safer gambling tools. While online operators are able to track play precisely and apply more tailored player protections, land-based casinos have adopted a range of measures in recent years that have enhanced player protections and tracking. Licensing authorities (local authorities in England and Wales and licensing boards in Scotland) are responsible for licensing gambling premises, in parallel with the Gambling Commission licensing of operators. There have been substantial changes to how consumers make payments in society since the ban on direct debit card use on gaming machines. Measures that we are seeking views on are intended to address inconsistencies between the different types of casino licence, as well as levelling the playing field to an extent between land-based and online operators.
The Remote Casino Operating Licence and what it covers
Non-remote gaming machine technical – full licence Non-remote linked licences gambling software The UKGC issues licenses for both physical (non-remote) and online (remote) casinos, each tailored to specific operations. This includes online gambling and high street casinos, as well as game developers and casino software makers. With fair gaming guaranteed, it’s obvious why players favour them over non-licensed casinos.
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.
Allowing direct use of debit cards on gaming machines – made negative statutory instrument. This response provides non-remote gambling operators with clear notice of our intention to introduce the measures set out within this government response. This licence is for existing casinos which were originally licensed under the Gaming Act 1968 (opens in new tab).
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.
For every gaming table used in the casino, the effect of the amendment is to increase from two to five the number of gaming machines that may also be made available for use. Its role is to oversee all gambling activity in the country, including that at online casinos, in betting shops, arcades, lotteries, and bingo halls. Otherwise, payment processing per se is not licensable under British gambling law and the main restrictions are that land-based bingo and casinos may not offer credit for wagers and remote gambling operators may not accept credit card payments (including through money services providers). As well as an operating licence, an operator wishing to make gambling facilities available in a land-based environment (e.g., casino, betting shop, bingo hall or arcade centre) will also need to apply for a premises licence authorising that activity from the relevant local authority. Other than that, different types of gambling activity conducted by the same media can be combined – for example, a “remote” gambling operating licence might well have betting, gaming and software operation endorsed upon it. As far as remote gaming and betting is concerned, licences are readily available to suitable applicants.
Check out our full portfolio of casinos, organised alphabetically for you to peruse. From September 2025, online slots will have a maximum stake of £5 per spin to reduce gambling harm. For operators seeking long-term growth, these benefits make the licensing process well worth the investment. Even experienced gambling operators can make errors during the license application process or after approval. The UK Gambling Commission actively monitors licensed operators to ensure they meet strict legal, technical, and social responsibility obligations. The UK Gambling Commission reviews every application thoroughly to ensure operators are financially sound, technically secure, and committed to responsible gambling practices.
This measure will also bring greater consistency to the different licensing regimes and greater parity between online and land-based casinos. These products do not count as gaming machines, casinos not on gamstop but neither do they provide any of the benefits of a multiplayer table in contributing to a balanced mix or affording opportunities for social interaction. However, it is our intention to apply a fixed maximum of 80 gaming machines per physical location.