Legal Casinos United Kingdom

United Kingdom Gambling Commission

Legal Casinos UK — UKGC Licence Checker

Search the Gambling Commission's public register of licensed operators. Verify any casino, sportsbook, or bingo site operating in Great Britain.

Data sourced from the UKGC Public Register. Last updated: June 2026. Always verify at gamblingcommission.gov.uk for live status.

3,000+

Licensed operators

£14.1bn

Annual gross gambling yield

£80m+

Enforcement penalties (2018–2024)

7+m

GamStop registrations

UKGC Register

Top 10 UKGC-Licensed Casino Operators

Ranked by estimated GB market presence. All hold current remote casino operating licences issued by the Gambling Commission. Licence numbers reference the UKGC public register.

# Logo Operator Status
1 bet365 bet365 Active
2 William Hill William Hill Active
3 Sky Vegas Sky Vegas Active
4 Ladbrokes Casino Ladbrokes Casino Active
5 888casino 888casino Active
6 Betway Casino Betway Casino Active
7 LeoVegas LeoVegas Active
8 Casumo Casino Casumo Casino Active
9 Unibet Unibet Active
10 Mansion Casino Mansion Casino Active

What's Here

A Reference Portal for UK Gambling Regulation

Licence Verification

Search the full UKGC register by operator name, trading name, or licence number. Confirm active status before depositing.

Enforcement Database

Browse all Gambling Commission enforcement actions — financial penalties, licence revocations, and formal warnings from 2014 to present.

Licensing Guide

How UKGC licensing works, what remote casino conditions require, and how the Commission monitors compliance.

Responsible Gambling

UK support organisations, how to self-exclude via GamStop, treatment providers, and crisis support contacts.

UK Gambling Legislation

The Gambling Act 2005, the 2023 white paper, upcoming reforms, and how Great Britain's regulatory framework compares to other jurisdictions.

Operator Pages

Per-operator reference pages covering licence details, enforcement history, regulated brands, and consumer protections in place.

Gambling Commission

Recent Enforcement Actions

Full database →
Recent UKGC enforcement actions
Operator Outcome Penalty Date
William Hill Settlement £19.2m 2023-03-15
Entain Settlement £17m 2022-08-17
Betway Fine £11.6m 2021-07-13
888 UK Fine £9.4m 2022-09-28
In Touch Games Fine £6.1m 2022-03-29
Casumo Fine £6m 2023-06-12
Casumo (2019) Fine £5.85m 2019-07-16
Flutter / Paddy Power Settlement £4.98m 2024-03-07

Background

The UK Gambling Commission

The Gambling Commission is an independent non-departmental public body (NDPB) created under the Gambling Act 2005. It operates under the oversight of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and carries statutory responsibility for regulating all commercial gambling in Great Britain — both land-based and remote (online).

The Commission's three licensing objectives, as defined by the Act, are: keeping gambling crime-free, ensuring gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and protecting children and vulnerable people from gambling-related harm. Every operating licence issued includes conditions and codes of practice derived from these objectives.

All operators offering gambling to British consumers must hold a UKGC operating licence, regardless of where they are incorporated or domiciled. This includes operators licensed in Gibraltar, Malta, Alderney, the Isle of Man, or any other jurisdiction — remote gambling licences from those territories do not authorise activity in Great Britain.

The Commission maintains a public register of all current and historical licence holders. This register includes the operator's legal entity name, trading name(s), account number, licence number, licence type, issuance date, and current status. It is the definitive source for verifying whether a gambling business is authorised to accept British customers.

Beyond licensing, the UKGC monitors compliance through a programme of proactive reviews, thematic investigations, and consumer complaints. Where serious or systemic failings are identified, the Commission can impose financial penalties, formal warnings, licence conditions, suspensions, or revocations. Licence holders may also surrender their licence voluntarily.

Since 2020, the Commission has significantly intensified enforcement activity, particularly around anti-money laundering (AML) and social responsibility failures. Total financial penalties imposed between 2018 and 2024 exceeded £80 million, with several major operators receiving penalties in the range of £10–20 million.

Support

Responsible Gambling Organisations

View all →
GamStopGamStopGamCareGamCareBeGambleAwareBeGambleAwareGambling TherapyGambling TherapyGordon MoodyGordon MoodyCitizens AdviceCitizens AdviceGambanGambanNational Problem Gambling ClinicNational Problem Gambling ClinicYGAMYGAM

UKGC Licensing — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the UKGC and who does it regulate?
The Gambling Commission (UKGC) is the statutory body established under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain. It licenses and regulates operators providing gambling to consumers in England, Scotland, and Wales — covering online casinos, sports betting, bingo, arcades, and lottery services. The Northern Ireland market is separately regulated under devolved legislation.
How can I verify a casino has a valid UKGC licence?
Use the UKGC Licence Checker above to search by operator name, trading name, or licence number. All licensed operators are required to display their account number and licence number on their website. You can cross-reference these details against the public register. A licence number takes the format XXXXX-R-XXXXXX-XXX for remote operations.
What does a UKGC remote casino licence cover?
A remote casino licence permits the holder to provide casino games — such as roulette, blackjack, slots, and poker — to customers in Great Britain via remote means (internet, telephone, or television). Separate licence conditions apply to sports betting, bingo, and lottery products. B2B software suppliers hold a separate 'remote casino software' licence.
What happens when the UKGC takes enforcement action?
The UKGC may impose financial penalties, formal warnings, licence suspensions, or licence revocations following investigations into operator failures. Financial penalties typically relate to failures in social responsibility (protecting vulnerable customers) or anti-money laundering (AML) obligations. Settlement agreements are also used, whereby operators agree to voluntary payments and remedial action.
Are all casinos licensed in Gibraltar, Isle of Man, or Malta also legal in the UK?
No. Overseas licences do not grant permission to accept GB customers. Any operator providing gambling services to Great Britain customers — regardless of where it is headquartered or licensed — must hold a valid UKGC operating licence. Some operators hold licences from both the UKGC and another jurisdiction (Gibraltar, Malta, Alderney), but only the UKGC licence is relevant for GB consumers.
What is GamStop and is it mandatory for UKGC-licensed operators?
GamStop is the national online self-exclusion scheme for Great Britain. Since March 2020, all UKGC-licensed online gambling operators are required by licence condition to participate in GamStop. If a customer self-excludes via GamStop, every registered UKGC-licensed operator must prevent that customer from gambling on their platform for the duration of the exclusion (minimum 6 months).
What licence conditions do UK operators have to meet regarding problem gambling?
UKGC licence holders must implement formal policies covering customer interaction (identifying at-risk customers), self-exclusion facilitation (including GamStop integration), responsible gambling messaging (displaying safer gambling information), spending limits (allowing customers to set deposit and time limits), and cooling-off periods. These are codified in the UKGC's Social Responsibility Code provisions.
Can an operator have its licence revoked mid-operation?
Yes. The UKGC can suspend or revoke a licence at any time if it determines that the operator is no longer fit to hold one, or is in breach of licence conditions. Suspension is often used as an interim measure while investigations are ongoing. Revocation permanently removes the operator from the register, preventing it from accepting new GB customers.
How large are UKGC financial penalties?
Penalties vary significantly. Notable fines include William Hill (£19.2m, 2023), Entain (£17m, 2022), Betway (£11.6m, 2021), 888 UK Limited (£9.4m, 2022), and Casumo (£6m, 2023). The size reflects the scale of the operator, the duration of failings, and customer harm identified. The UKGC uses financial penalties as a deterrent rather than purely punitive measure.
What is the difference between a licence suspension and a licence surrender?
A suspension is imposed by the UKGC — it is a regulatory action, usually pending investigation or compliance review. A surrender is voluntary — the operator applies to hand back its licence, often when exiting the GB market. Both outcomes mean the operator cannot legally offer gambling to GB customers, but only suspension has active regulatory implications for the operator.
How does anti-money laundering compliance work in the UK casino sector?
UKGC-licensed operators are required under both gambling regulations and the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) to implement AML policies. These include customer due diligence (CDD), enhanced due diligence (EDD) for high-value customers, source of funds (SOF) checks above defined thresholds, transaction monitoring, and suspicious activity reporting (SARs) to the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Are responsible gambling tools like deposit limits legally required?
Yes. The UKGC requires all licensed operators to offer customers the ability to set deposit limits, time limits, and self-exclusion. Operators must also allow customers to 'take a break' (temporary exclusion). Since September 2023, direct-debit deposit limits and enhanced affordability checks were introduced under revised UKGC guidelines. Compliance is audited during regulatory reviews.
Is there a public database of all UKGC enforcement actions?
The Gambling Commission publishes enforcement decisions, regulatory settlements, and public statements on its website. This site aggregates that information into a searchable reference database. Each case is linked to the relevant operator's licence record where possible. The UKGC does not publish all case details — some settlements involve confidentiality provisions.
What is the current Gambling Act under review in the UK?
The Gambling Act 2005 was under review by the UK Government from 2020, resulting in a white paper published in April 2023. Key proposed reforms include statutory affordability checks, stake limits for online slots (up to £5), enhanced safer gambling requirements, and a statutory levy on operators to fund research, education, and treatment. Implementation is ongoing through secondary legislation.
Can I trust a casino that is 'licensed and regulated' but not on this list?
This site's data represents a snapshot of the UKGC public register at build time. The register is continuously updated as new licences are issued, surrendered, or modified. Always verify directly via the official Gambling Commission register at gamblingcommission.gov.uk for the most current status. The Licence Checker above queries data sourced from that register.
What should I do if I think a casino is operating without a UKGC licence?
You can report suspected unlicensed gambling operators directly to the Gambling Commission via its website. The UKGC investigates reports of unlicensed gambling and can pursue criminal prosecution. Do not deposit with an operator you cannot verify — unlicensed operators offer no consumer protection and deposits are not safeguarded in the event of the operator ceasing to trade.

Data accuracy notice

This site provides informational reference data drawn from the UKGC's public register and published enforcement records. Licence statuses and register data are captured at build time and may not reflect real-time changes. For authoritative, up-to-date information, consult the official Gambling Commission register at gamblingcommission.gov.uk. This site does not provide gambling services.