Measures relating to the land-based gambling sector
In August 2026, a survey conducted by GamblingNews.uk found that 68% of Brits believe bookmakers sometimes “use anti-money laundering and responsible gambling checks as pretexts to void winning bets or delay payouts”. Such checks include providing proof of income for large deposits, affordability checks and answering questionnaires about how gambling affects their daily life. To realize this, bookmakers are required to ensure that online wagering promotions are not aired to minors.
This means that many FEC operators do not currently have age-controlled areas and would have to invest in creating such an area for what is a low stake product. This view was most strongly argued by licensing authorities. We will also work with the relevant trade bodies and operators to understand the feasibility of implementing voluntary test purchasing to help understand whether operators are abiding by this new restriction. This is an important measure to create a clear distinction between gambling products for adults and lower risk products accessible to children (such as crane grabbers or coin pushers) which have non-cash prizes or are entirely unlike adult gambling products. The majority of responses were in favour of an age restriction.
Operating licences are the primary authorisation required to provide gambling facilities in Great Britain. Apply to the Gambling Commission for a personal gambling licence or a gambling operating licence if you run or manage a gambling business. Guidance and information for complying with licence conditions and regulations for running a gambling business. Information and guidance about the licences we provide and the fees relating to gambling activities. You can apply online for a licence from us to provide casino activities. You will need to apply to the licensing authority the premises is located, to get a premises licence.
(b)the converted casino premises licence is not varied under section 187 of the 2005 Act(4) so as to relate to premises to which it did not relate on that date. (3) Sub-paragraph (2) does not apply to premises in which the floor area of the gambling area of the casino was 1,500m² or greater on 12th May 2025 provided that, after that date— (5) No gambling is permitted in the table gaming area of the premises other than gambling by way of table gaming.
Benefits of Holding a UK Gambling Licence
This indicates that an applicant poses a substantial risk to the licensing objectives; or there are significant concerns about an applicant’s suitability; or there is a risk of significant non-compliance with the requirements of the Act and the Commission’s LCCP. There is a positive obligation on applicants to show that they are able to satisfy the licensing objectives. In some circumstances the Commission may attach specific conditions to the licence, which may, for example, have the effect of restricting the activities that may be carried out in reliance on the licence. On considering an application for a licence the Commission is required to grant it, refuse it or grant it in respect of one or more of the specified activities and refuse it in respect of the others. However, the responsibility for taking the lead in developing and updating measures designed to protect the licensing objectives lies principally with an operator.
A range of responses were given to what the maximum transaction should be for direct cashless payments. These regulations apply in different circumstances, including when a payer initiates an electronic payment transaction. The government proposes that account verification should be required on each transaction, in line with the majority of responses to these questions.
Remote betting host real events licence Remote general betting standard virtual events licence Remote general betting standard real events licence We will consider your casino to have become operational twelve months before the planned opening date of the premises. This activity allows you to provide remote casino under specific circumstances. DCMS has commissioned a third party, Qualtrics, to collect your personal data on its behalf.
The UK Gambling Commission will not directly get involved with complaints, but they can review cases made against a casino to check if the operator fulfilled its licensing obligations. You may also search the UK Gambling Commission’s website for more information about a casino’s licence status. Check out our full portfolio of casinos, organised alphabetically for you to peruse.
The primary benefit of this measure is a reduction in energy and maintenance costs from unused machines. The Gambling Commission will conduct a future review of the gaming machine technical standards. A more detailed estimate of the impact for each option will be presented in the final stage impact assessment, once further data has been collected. The increase in Category B machines is expected to be even higher for Option 3, where no restrictions would be applied. This suggests a higher risk of unaffordable spending on Category B machines. This suggests a relatively similar level of binge gambling across both machine categories.
If a gambling company fails to comply with the regulations, it can face substantial fines from the Gambling Commission. Applicants are eligible to apply for the premises license only after applying or receiving an operating license. Ancillary licenses apply to operators that provide telephone and email betting.
Anecdotal industry evidence suggests that payment methods are a factor in this decline in machine usage, as pub goers now pay for food and drink by card but might have previously played a machine using spare change. While the existing framework has allowed for some innovation in cashless payments, gambling has largely remained cash-based. In addition to this, research commissioned by Bacta showed that in 2018, seaside arcades alone contributed £451m in UK GVA, and were responsible for employing around 19,000 people. Cash-only gambling was assumed to give players more control by providing natural interruptions in play to obtain more cash, helping players play within budget limits.
Bacta highlighted that pubs no longer give cashback and ATMs have all but disappeared from pubs, making it more difficult for customers to access cash to use on machines. This indicates that unless customers actively plan to bring cash to a pub for use on a gaming machine, they are unlikely to be able to use one. Evidence submitted by the British Beer and Pub Association shows a post-COVID decline in both the percentage of pubs with machines and machine weekly income.
You can offer any of the games listed in our types and rules of casino games at a small casino. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £9.375. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three of these activities is £7,500.
The draft Casinos Regulations form part of a package of interlinked statutory instruments which amend the regulatory framework for land-based casinos. Guidance for complying with gaming machine technical standards. The Secretary of State will, by order, determine the locations of the new casinos after consulting Scottish Ministers and the Welsh Assembly. 457.This section sets an initial limit of 1 regional casino, and 8 small and 8 large casinos. Part 10 of the Act contains provisions on when such equipment counts as a gaming machine. 451.These regulations can also specify when tables, which are linked together by electronic means for example, are to count as a single table for the purpose of machine entitlements under this section.
Let’s Compare the UKGC with Other Popular Licenses
The changes made enable the holder of a converted casino premises licence relating to premises in England and Wales to make up to 80 gaming machines (including Category B gaming machines) available for use, provided a number of specified conditions are satisfied (“the extended entitlement”). Its remit covers arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines and lotteries, as well as remote gambling, but not spread betting which is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Commission has become aware that in some instances, operators who hold a combined non-remote casino licence and betting operating licence, have looked into converting part of their casino premises to betting premises. These included provisions which entitle any AGC or bingo premises licences granted before 13 July 2011 to retain their existing entitlements of Category B gaming machines (four for AGC premises and eight for bingo premises) notwithstanding the new 80/20 rule.
- These generate 11% of all GGY generated from Category B machines.
- Hence, the typical remote gambling business will require three types of British licence to lawfully offer remote gambling to British residents – an “operating” licence, a software “operating” licence and a suite of personal licences for its main personnel.
- As outlined above, we think the player protection measures that these machines will be required to implement will be adequate to mitigate against the risk of gambling-related harm, considering the lower maximum stakes that they are subject to.
Personal Management Licence Holders
Projections on the impact of this proposal for the AGC sector suggest there will be a 10 percent reduction in the number of Category C machines and a 20 percent reduction in the number of Category D games, in-fills, and tablets. The increase in Category B machines will enable bingo halls to better meet customer demand and will likely result in greater GGY. This would result in an overall decrease of over 900 cabinet machines across these venues, predominantly consisting of legacy Category C cabinets. Significant increases in Category B machines may increase the amount of money staked by customers, and/or the risk of harm.
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.
Laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Explore casino KYC requirements, verification process… Besides imposing financial penalties, the Commission has also revoked several gambling licenses in recent years. The Gambling Commission is prioritizing the enforcement of AML regulations by investigating non-compliant companies.
On balance, we do not believe that it is proportionate to mandate that ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines be moved to age-restricted areas. The majority of these responses came from industry operators. Twenty-two per cent of respondents stated that these machines should not be placed in age-restricted areas. The rationale most commonly expressed for the movement of these machines into age-restricted areas was to increase the effectiveness of staff monitoring.
Over 70% of responses also agreed that card account verification should be required on each transaction. The Commission will consult further on minimum transaction times, limit setting functionality, staff alerts, safer gambling messaging and the display of session time and net position. The Commission’s published Advice to Government recognised this area as a potential example whereby it would be appropriate for requirements to be placed in the Commission’s regulatory framework rather than within the 2005 Act or in regulations. We believe these measures strike an appropriate balance between regulation applicable to modern payment methods, consumer benefits and protection of the licensing objectives.
You will be responsible for ensuring that the software you supply is capable of being deployed in a manner that complies with our Remote gambling and software technical standards. The firm’s Brussels office provides legal support and lobbies EU decision-makers on behalf of clients on a wide range of matters, including EU copyright, audio-visual regulation, data protection, competition policy, trade and e-commerce. The firm serves a diverse clientele, ranging from industry leaders in broadcast entertainment, music, sports and publishing to innovative platforms, content retailers, gaming and technology companies, as well as budding entrepreneurs. He is experienced in advising clients on regulatory compliance matters, licensing and product classification, seeking M&A regulatory approvals and cross-border jurisdictional risk. He advises many of the industry’s leading operators and suppliers, as well as start-up companies, investors and other leading law firms.
As outlined in the consultation, the fees payable for non gamstop casino 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.
The effect of this requirement is to limit the principal activity on the premises to the provision of facilities for a particular type of gambling activity. These regulations may, in particular, specify how conditions, including mandatory conditions specified by the Secretary of State, are to appear on the licence. The Secretary of State may make further regulations about the form and content of the licence. 411.Premises licences must include the information described in this section. Scottish Ministers will exercise a number of powers under this Part, prescribing procedures and fees for the premises licensing system in Scotland.
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. You can get bonuses on UK licensed casino sites with varying promotions. A non-licensed casino can’t legally accept UK players, and can not advertise their games to British players. All UK casino sites that operate legally in the UK are licensed.