Measures relating to the land-based gambling sector
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.
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.
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.
Licences and permits
The data used in this section reflects activity from April to September 2019 and relates to a single session on a particular machine. 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’. These represent transition costs which are expected to be incurred in the first few years of implementation, with exact timescales depending on the option taken forward. For example, as previously highlighted, 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. Under such circumstances, and given the relatively higher stakes and losses set out in the rationale for change, there is the potential for gambling-related harm to increase.
Licensing guidance for operators and local licensing authorities
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.
The sliding scale will also ensure that there remains a link between gambling space and betting terminals so that the electronic offering in a casino does not overwhelm the live table offering. Respondents in favour of sports betting pointed to evidence of casino customers placing sports bets via mobile devices while in casinos, with casinos being an environment in which people habitually watch sport. It was also suggested that customers who do not normally engage in sports betting online may be encouraged to do so via availability in a casino. Those opposed to sports betting in casinos suggested that a broader range of products makes it easier for gamblers to move from activity to activity, upscaling losses and potential harms. An identical proportion of respondents thought sports betting should be permitted as shouldn’t be permitted in land-based casinos, with a small number selecting ‘I don’t know’. This is viewed as a more proportionate table gaming area compared to other floor space requirements, and will ensure parity with 1968 Act casinos.
You can also use the search feature on the UKGC site to see the licence status of any online casino. Among these, there are over 250 online casinos available for British players. There are over 2,400 gambling operators with UK licenses, according to the commission’s annual report. The benefits of playing at UKGC casinos include a high level of player protection, fair and responsible gaming, and quality bonuses and games. You can find UK licensed casinos by using reputable sources, such as Bojoko, which has casino experts who review and verify each casino personally. Online casinos are regulated in the UK by the UK Gambling Commission, which enforces the regulations and protects players.
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. The procedures that apply to the proceedings of licensing boards in the exercise of their functions under that Act apply to the proceedings of those boards in relation to their functions under this Part. 422.In Scotland, licensing authorities are licensing boards established under section 1 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976.
The impact of each option will vary in how these objectives are balanced. 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.
In considering gambling-related harm we were attuned to the various perspectives provided by respondents. Bacta estimates that the removal of each Category C and D machine could save on average up to £21 per week, or £1,092 per annum, depending on trading hours. Many responses, particularly those from the bingo club sector, highlighted that their desired outcome for the reform of 80/20 is to reduce energy costs, rather than achieving substantial gains in GGY. We have received estimates from the bingo club sector which show that the average weekly GGY produced per tablet machine is c.£3.80. In the bingo sector, for the equivalent machine we received estimated weekly GGY per machine to be c.£500.
- For customers who are aged 25 and older, the maximum they can stake per game cycle for online slots is £5.
- 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.
- Details on the information that we require from licensing authorities.
- If you are looking for a casino with a safe and fair gaming environment, these casinos are the choice for you as player safety and game fairness are never jeopardised.
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.
The application fees are assessed pursuant to a somewhat complex online calculation engine on the regulator’s website. There are numerous charitable lottery operators that operate under certain regulatory constraints. On 1 February 2024, the Gambling Commission granted Allwyn Entertainment Ltd a 10-year licence to operate the National Lottery, replacing the previous licensee Camelot. Persons wishing to enter the British land-based casino market have typically purchased existing businesses. There are no tender or bidding processes, other than in the occasional case of land-based casino franchises being proposed.
In 2019, members of the Bacta trade association decided to take voluntary action to ban under-16s from playing ‘cash-out’ slot-style machines while unaccompanied by an adult on their premises. Category D machines are typically played by families and children and are usually found in seaside arcades, family entertainment centres (FECs) and unlicensed FECs. Whilst there are some forms of indirect cashless payment methods under the current framework, as well as ATMs near some gambling locations, the lack of future-proofing for payment methods does risk a real decline in gaming machine GGY. This will include assessing the role of session limits across Category B and C machines alongside safer gambling tools.
From selling personal data and identity theft to promoting gambling to vulnerable players, these safety regulations are important. You should play at licensed casino sites to have a secure, fair, and responsible experience. See how we rate the sites, how casino regulation works, how you can verify the licence yourself. He’s passionate about online gambling and committed to offering fair and thorough reviews.
Industry responses stated that in addition to the ability to increase GGY, a central component of increased commercial flexibility for many operators is the ability to remove underused gaming machines. “… for the purpose of calculating the Category B machine entitlement in gambling premises, gaming machines should only be counted if they can be played simultaneously by different players without physical hindrance.” (Gambling Commission, 2019 Of those who didn’t answer ‘I don’t know’, 80% of respondents favoured operating and premises licence fees being the same for Small 2005 Act casinos and 1968 Act casinos that elect to increase their gaming machine entitlement. For casinos moving onto the new regime, section 187 of the Gambling Act 2005 should require operators to apply to the licensing authority to vary their premises licence. We agree that operators should be required to notify licensing authorities and the Gambling Commission if they decide to take-up the entitlement to additional gaming machines under the new regime. The majority of respondents (93%) agreed that operators should be required to notify licensing authorities and the Gambling Commission if they decide to take-up the entitlement to additional gaming machines under the new regime.
But as long as the licence number remains consistent across both the casino platform and the official register, you’ll be safe to sign up. There are some fraudulent sites that have been found to use the licence number of known operators and display them as their own. After you’ve located the correct licence for your chosen operator on the UKGC register, compare the details against what appears on the casino site. Any licensed operators that legally serve UK players are required to display the UKGC logo on their homepage, usually in the footer of the site.
For instance, the Commission has demonstrated a willingness to initially engage with those that operate (without a licence) offerings that have hints of licensable products before requesting that such entity either apply for and obtain a licence or prevent consumers in Great Britain from accessing such offering, whilst making clear that to continue doing so may amount to an offence under the Gambling Act 2005. The British regulatory authorities have taken something of a global lead in the enforcement of regulation, particularly in relation to “source of wealth” and “proceeds of crime” omissions and also failures in social responsibility obligations owed by operators to players. That said, non-gambling services are generally carved out of this wide net – payment processing, marketing affiliates and other ancillary services such as fraud prevention and age verification are per se not regarded as “gambling”.
Be cautious of affiliate websites that claim to identify the “best” casinos. We do not rate, rank, review or recommend any gambling operators. All UKGC licensed operators must comply with the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). A Kahnawake casino licence is a Canadian Mohawk-territory permit, not a UK one. It means the site is not licensed to offer gambling in Great Britain, so UK safer-gambling rules, GamStop and the UK complaints route do not apply to it. Our guide on whether non-GamStop casinos are legal in the UK explains the difference.
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 non gamstop casino 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.
Option (1) would provide fairness and consistency across all casinos that are able to site 80 machines. We are also consulting on whether the maximum size of a 1968 Act casino’s gambling area must – like that of a Small 2005 Act casino – be less than 1,500sqm, if it resolves to exercise its entitlement to more than 20 machines (including at least one Category B machine). The tables below outline current and proposed space requirements for 2005 Act casinos, and 1968 Act casinos which seek to increase their gaming machine entitlement above 20 (including at least one Category B machine). This would ensure that regardless of the size of venue, most casinos will be able to site the same proportion of machines to tables. This would mean the introduction of a machine-to-table ratio for 1968 Act casinos that seek to increase their Category B gaming machine entitlement above 20, and a change to the machine-to-table ratio currently in place for Small 2005 Act casinos. It was also noted from the call for evidence that where other jurisdictions apply a machine to table ratio, all currently permit a greater proportion of gaming machines in comparison to Great Britain.
Wiggin serves as the leading advisor to the global gambling industry’s top players, setting itself apart by understanding both national and international laws and regulations like no other firm. He is a commercial and regulatory lawyer and specialises in all aspects of online and land-based gambling. It is also worth noting that, in recent months, the Gambling Commission issued an “Industry Warning Notice” to those B2B operators that it has licensed after observing that certain games developed by such licensees appear accessible to British consumers on B2C websites that are not licensed by the Commission. More generally, the Commission is known to issue cease and desist letters, carry out test purchasing, take steps to disrupt payment flows and engaging with search engines to prevent URLs belonging to unlicensed operators appearing in search results.
Small 2005 Act casinos will also experience a reduction in their required minimum table gaming area, from 500sqm to 250sqm. Despite respondents indicating a preference for venues to be made to reduce their gambling area, we think this is a fair exemption for the small number of casinos that it will apply to. The exemption for these casinos will apply from 16 May 2024 (the date on which the consultation response was published) and take account of any already submitted expansion plans. With regard to casinos that currently operate with a gambling area of 1500sqm or more, these casinos will be permitted to remain open with their current gambling area. When asked about the reduction in minimum table gaming area in Small 2005 Act casinos from 500sqm to 250sqm, more respondents were in favour of this being applied than opposed. A fairly even number of respondents were for and against the 12.5% rule applying for 1968 Act casinos, whereby any table gaming area would only count towards the minimum table gaming area if it constitutes 12.5% or more of the total table gaming area in the venue.
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.
While heavily regulated, licensed online casinos still offer a whole lot of entertainment. We have selected the best UK licensed online casinos from hundreds of sites. Safety is the biggest factor for us, as licensed casinos are required to comply with the UKGC’s regulations. Yes, the UKGC licence covers all verticals of a casino’s operations including sports betting and live casinos too. It’s simple to check if a casino holds an online gambling licence UK, just scroll down to the bottom of any page and look for the distinctive logo of the UKGC, which should be displayed clearly and with a hyperlink to direct you to the casino’s licence lodged on the UKGC’s website. These licenses are necessary for land-based gambling businesses such as betting shops, bingo halls, casinos, and arcades.