How UK Gambling Commission licensing works

What the Gambling Commission does

The Gambling Commission is the regulator for gambling in Great Britain. Under the Gambling Act 2005, any business offering online gambling to people in Great Britain needs a remote operating licence from the Commission, even if the company itself is based elsewhere.

A licence comes with conditions. Operators must verify your age and identity before you gamble, tell you how customer funds are protected, offer safer gambling tools, take part in GAMSTOP, treat complaints fairly and follow advertising and bonus rules, including the 10x cap on casino bonus wagering. Breaking them can lead to fines, licence conditions or losing the licence.

Operator licences and white labels

Many UK casino brands do not hold a licence of their own. They are white labels: a brand name and website run on a licensed operator's platform, cashier and compliance systems. The operator remains responsible for everything the site does.

The sites on our list come from a small number of licence holders:

Our four featured brands are white labels of ProgressPlay Limited under a Gambling Commission remote licence.

How to check a site on the register

1. Scroll to the site footer and note the operator name and account number.
2. Open the Gambling Commission public register and search for the name or number.
3. Confirm the status is active. A suspended, surrendered or revoked licence is a clear no.
4. Open the list of domains on the licence and find the address in your browser. It may be marked as the operator's own domain or as a white label.
5. If the domain is not listed, do not deposit, however convincing the site looks.

What a licence does not do

A licence does not make any game less random or any bonus better value. It does not mean the Commission approves a particular offer, and it cannot recover money you have lost fairly. What it gives you is a set of enforceable rules on fairness, age checks, safer gambling tools and complaint handling.

If you have a complaint, raise it with the operator first. Licensed operators must name an independent alternative dispute resolution provider in their terms, which you can use if the complaint is not settled. For how bonuses are regulated, see the wagering guide.

A note on Northern Ireland

The Gambling Act 2005 applies in Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate gambling law, and GAMSTOP accepts registrations from anywhere in the UK. If you live in Northern Ireland, check an operator's terms to see whether it accepts customers there.

Keep reading: every BetNook guide for UK players, or compare sites on the full UK ranking.