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UKGC Licensing Explained Check a Casino Is Safe
The UK gambling landscape is evolving, with UK gambling laws 2025 introducing stricter measures. Adhering to UK casino employer laws fosters a fair and secure workplace. Health and safety rules also apply, requiring safe premises with proper lighting, ventilation, and emergency protocols.
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.
Some UK-licensed casinos, such as Mr Vegas, now host over 7,750 games. This is not only great for players, but it also gives our experts plenty of casino sites to compare, plus a wide variety of options with different strengths we can recommend to you. The UK’s online casino market is open and liberal compared to other countries. Our extensive database allows us to make fact-based decisions and to offer you the best options.
456.Subsection (7) allows the Secretary of State to use her powers via regulation to control the non-gambling facilities provided in casinos by attaching licence conditions. 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.
General guidance on who may be considered relevant is available on the Commission’s website and in regulations4. In considering an application the Commission has regard to the licensing objectives and whether they are likely to be compromised, and the suitability of an applicant to carry out the licensed activities. Guidance on the type of information required is included on our website and online application services. Those seeking a licence are required to submit an application form with the prescribed fee and supporting documentation.
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.
- However, we want to avoid any regulation that would allow table gaming areas to be placed in obscure or less accessible areas for customers so that a genuinely mixed offering of products remains in the casino.
- ‘Cash-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 1 pence and a maximum prize of £5, while ‘ticket-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 30 pence and an equivalent of a prize worth up to £8.
- Some of the same size requirements for Small 2005 Act casinos will apply for 1968 Act casinos, should they increase their entitlement to gaming machines to more than 20 (including one or more Category B machines).
- 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.
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Remote casino game host operating licence Remote betting intermediary operating licence Non-remote betting intermediary licence
In line with our approach to voluntary limit setting, we do not propose that Category D non gamstop casinos machines will be required to have mandatory limits for time and monetary thresholds. We would also like machines that use the BGC’s Anonymous Player Awareness System (APAS) to implement these limits and for APAS not to act as a substitute for these thresholds. Furthermore, the average stake size on B1 machines is similar to the stake size on B3 machines and therefore we do not think that the mandatory limits should be different between the different categories. The proposed thresholds differ from the current industry standard in casinos where it is £250 deposited and 60 minutes of play.
There are currently only three Small 2005 Act casinos in operation from the eight licences available. This requirement was intended to ensure a balanced offer of gaming products in 2005 Act casinos, which had a significantly higher gaming machine entitlement than 1968 Act casinos. The government is proposing to operate two regimes for 1968 Act casinos whereby they can either operate under the existing rules with no increase to their gaming machine allowance or they can take up their new gaming machine entitlements under the new rules.
Staff learn to identify problem gambling behaviors, conduct KYC checks, and verify ages. The UKGC’s License Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) mandate training on responsible gambling, AML, and customer interactions. Running a casino involves managing staff under strict UK casino employer laws. Casino advertising is tightly regulated to protect consumers, with casino advertising rules enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). Robust AML casino laws safeguard the industry’s integrity. Staff must be trained to spot these signs, and operators face fines or license loss for failing to report.
Chapter 1: Casino measures
An application is lodged to the licensing authority along with details of the layout of the premises and so on. For obvious reasons, if the business intention is to provide facilities non-remotely then a premises will need to be secured. Once an operating licence is granted, it can be varied by application, to very the terms of a condition. Underlying the operation of a casino licence is a document known as the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice. Any operating licence will be granted subject to a considerable number of conditions.
As such, the consultation sought to understand if the regulatory framework could be strengthened to ensure that there is a consistent minimum offer of Category C and D gaming machines on cabinet devices in venues across the arcade and bingo sector. However, in recent years there has been a proliferation of space-saving in-fill and tablet gaming machines in arcade and bingo venues. How, if at all, would the approaches taken in Options 1, 2 and 3 impact the ability of business to meet customer demand for gaming machines?
The overall evaluation is judged on a case by case basis having regard to the importance of the matters to which it relates and risk to the licensing objectives. The fact that one or more elements are ‘just adequate’ or less does not always mean that the licence will be refused. The Commission may consider relevant offences which would otherwise be considered ‘spent’ under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (opens in new tab) when considering an application for a licence.7 More information on the treatment of criminal convictions is as follows.
This may include increasing staff numbers, with one licensing authority stating that it would consider dedicating one full-time resource to the enforcement of licensed premises. The majority of licensing authorities advocated for the maximum proposed premises fee increase of 30%. Following analysis, we propose to increase the maximum premises fees chargeable by licensing authorities by 15%.
Our experts test and review casino, betting, and bingo sites so you don’t play in a bodged-up joint that’s all mouth and no trousers. Bojoko is your home for all online gambling in the United Kingdom. The UKGC is a strict licensor and regulator, meaning that licensed casinos must be provably safe. You can tell if a casino has a UK licence by checking the bottom of the casino website. You can find UK licensed casinos by using reputable sources, such as Bojoko, which has casino experts who review and verify each casino personally. Having a valid UKGC gambling license is a requirement for operating a gambling website that allows British players to join.
The UK Gambling Commission reviews every application thoroughly to ensure operators are financially sound, technically secure, and committed to responsible gambling practices. A statutory levy is now applied to all licensed operators to fund gambling research, education, and treatment services. Companies that supply gambling software or provide essential support services to licensed operators must comply with these requirements. Are you considering the launch of an online casino or sportsbook in the UK? 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.
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. We believe this is particularly important within the wider context of the modernising measures we are taking to support land-based gambling operators.
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. Option (2) would not require currently operating casinos to reduce their total gambling space.
If we required ‘cash-out’ slot-style Category D machines to be moved to age-restricted areas in licensed FECs, it is likely that operators would no longer site these machines. Unlicensed FECs are entitled to make only Category D machines available, once they have successfully applied for a permit from the licensing authority (local authority in England and Wales, licensing board in Scotland). However, Category C machines must be in a segregated part of the premises that is supervised to prevent children and young people accessing those machines. Licensed operators are required to place Category B and C machines in age-restricted areas to ensure that under-18s do not have access to them. This change will not only strengthen the existing voluntary commitment from industry, by making it an offence to allow under-18s to play this type of gaming machine, it will also level the field between operators who are signed up to the voluntary code and those who are not.
Only 4 of the 8 Small casino licences have been developed, one has since closed, and none offer the maximum allowance of 80 gaming machines as it would be impractical to site the necessary tables. Depending on the type of casino licence an operator holds, they are able to site a different number of gaming machines, and may be bound by other restrictions including a maximum machine-to-table ratio and limitations on their size and non-gambling area. We do not see this as being an issue for operators or manufacturers as it is already widely available on Category B gaming machines within all land-based gambling premises.
Player protections can be used to mitigate increases in the risk of gambling harm. Therefore, the risk of increased gambling harm is assumed to be higher for Options 1 and 3 than Option 2. This increase is expected to be higher under Option 1 than Option 2, as operators will not be restricted by device constraints. Data on net expenditure per session shows that from April to September 2019, the vast majority of sessions across all machine categories ended in the player either winning money or losing up to £20.