Guidance to licensing authorities Casino premises
Checking a casino’s current licence status is a simple way to confirm it is meeting those standards right now. Not all casino sites display all the data in their footer. Open the casino website and check that the data listed by the UKGC matches. You can learn more about this in our guide on how to protect your rights at an online casino. You could also find licence details listed in the about us section, the help pages, or the responsible gambling page. You may see the licensing authority’s logo or written details about the licence issuer and number.
When granting applications to vary a premises licence, the licensing authority is reminded to ensure that all the appropriate licences and notices are issued with any updated information in respect of changes made by the Regulations, for example in relation to mandatory and default conditions. This would require a premises licence variation application to the relevant licensing authority given the changes to the gambling and non-gambling areas. For non-remote betting facilities, this would be a non-remote general betting (standard) operating licence. This guidance provides information on the overall intent of the statutory instruments, what the changes mean for operators of casino premises that intend to make use of the regulatory changes and how this process should be administered by licensing authorities when applications are received. Other converted casino premises where the gambling area is less than 280m² will be limited to a maximum of 16 separate betting positions. It cannot be enforced against non-extended casinos, but when calculating the number of machines against the maximum of 80, all machines in every connected converted casino will be counted, whether or not they have decided to exercise the extended entitlement.
Category D machines are typically played by families and children and are usually found in seaside arcades, family entertainment centres (FECs) and unlicensed FECs. Category D machines include a range of low stake machines, such as coin push, crane grabs and slot-style fruit machines. However, the intended objective is to allow customers to pay by the means they prefer and preserve the viability of the gaming machine sector which is at risk of being eroded by the move to a “cashless” society. Should net position be visible at all times to the customer on machines accepting direct cashless payments? Should session time be visible at all times to the customer on machines accepting direct cashless payments? In order to help customers make informed decisions and keep track of spending, the government considers that the display of session time and session net position (£) should be mandatory on machines that accept direct cashless payments.
- A series of key proposals specifically relating to the land-based gambling sector were outlined in the white paper, including measures to adjust outdated regulatory restrictions applying to the sector.
- All of the legal UK casino sites we recommend hold a valid UKGC licence and meet these requirements.
- The increased flexibility will provide operators with more scope to make commercial decisions relating to energy consumption and customer demand.
- Therefore, the risk of increased gambling harm is assumed to be higher for Options 1 and 3 than Option 2.
- To hold a host licence, the business must also hold a gambling software operating licence.
Change of government in 2024
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. Small 2005 Act casinos will also experience a reduction in their required minimum table gaming area, from 500sqm to 250sqm.
The way different casino sites do this varies from one brand to the next, which is why it’s smart to first understand the offer types. The latter is a good sign of trust, and if there is a UKGC licence in there as well, the site is especially good. These are aimed at making sure all gambling is safe and fair, with the UK Gambling Commission overseeing casinos not on gamstop all gambling activities within the UK.
These casinos must follow strict regulations regarding player security, from financial information to the fairness of games. With fair gaming guaranteed, it’s obvious why players favour them over non-licensed casinos. While heavily regulated, licensed online casinos still offer a whole lot of entertainment. The gambling authority upholds some of the strictest standards in the world, from the quality of UK casinos to player protection. While UK-regulated casinos have strict regulations, the range of games they can offer is extensive. This makes sure that new online casinos in the UK generally maintain high standards.
Should the minimum table gaming area for Small 2005 Act casinos be reduced to 250sqm? To be allowed 80 machines, its non-gambling area would have to be at least 250sqm. For example, a casino could have a gambling area of 500sqm, a table gaming area of 250sqm and a non-gambling area of 230sqm. However, 2005 Act casinos are currently allowed to offer betting and we are not aware of any issues that this has created. We intend on keeping the same requirements for calculating non-gambling areas for both 2005 Act and 1968 Act casinos.
Please rank these options in order of preference, with 1 being your preferred option. The consultation asked the following questions on licence fees. We would expect operators to inform the Commission that they are intending to move onto the expanded regime as these changes will have a material impact on an operator’s business. Operators moving onto the new regime would almost certainly result in a material change to the layout of the premises. There were 39 responses to this section of the consultation. This would mean 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.
See our top UK casinos or full reviews for casinos we’ve already checked. Licensed operators must keep player funds separate from operating money and disclose the level of protection, so your balance is safeguarded. That accountability is exactly why we only ever feature UKGC-licensed casinos on CasinoReg. All casinos reviewed are UKGC licensed.
Non-remote licence activities
The effect of the amendments made by Regulation 2 (of the 2025 Regulations) is to make it clear that only gaming tables controlled or operated by casino staff can qualify as a gaming table for the purposes of calculating gaming machine allowances. These Regulations extend to England, Wales and Scotland and apply to all gaming tables in casinos from 22 July 2025. Secondly, it reduces the minimum table gaming area requirement from 500m² to 250m² for those casinos. The Act (as amended) has implications for remote operators and does not impact the powers or authority of licensing authorities.
Annual fees from 1 October 2026
If you run a gambling business for profit without the relevant licences, you could be committing an offence and you could be prosecuted. We act for businesses throughout the world in applications for UK Gambling Commission Operator’s Licences and UKGC and local authority premises licences. Independent, hands-on reviews of UK Gambling Commission–licensed online casinos.
We are also proposing that this minimum transaction time applies to all machines. The vast majority of respondents agreed that there should be a minimum transaction time for customers making a cashless transaction on a gaming machine. Category D machines do not have a committed payment limit. The committed payment limits are £10 for Category B1, B2, B3 and B3A machines, and £5 for Category B4 and C machines. The deposit limits are currently set at £20 for Category B and C machines, and £2 for Category D machines. This could include looking at how customers interact with machines that accept cashless payments, how much they spend and the impact of different protections.
Rawa Kaftan is a regulatory lawyer in Wiggin’s Betting & Gaming team and advises key stakeholders in the gambling industry, including many of the world’s largest online B2C operators, software suppliers, payment service providers and investors. Finally, in June 2025 the UK Government announced that it plans to introduce a “Voluntary Code” for prize draw operators whose offerings do not require a licence under the gambling framework because of the presence of a free entry route. The Gambling Commission’s Notice essentially makes clear that those B2B operators have a role in assisting the Gambling Commission in tackling unlicensed gambling in the British market and that such B2Bs place their own licence at risk by not taking sufficient steps to ensure that its content is only made available to British consumers via licensed B2C websites. The regulator has indicated that it may be less inclined to “settle” regulatory enforcement actions, particularly where operators have been made the subject of prior regulatory enforcement action, leaning towards the imposition of sanctions and penalties or, in more serious cases, suspensions and revocations of licences. For instance, since 28 February 2025, online gambling operators have been required to undertake a financial vulnerability check where a customer’s net spend exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period and, following the passing of secondary legislation, since May 2025 maximum stake limits per spin for online slot games are in place (£2 for those aged 18–24; £5 for those aged 25 and over). The main legislation governing gambling in the three forms identified in English law (gaming, betting and participating in a lottery) is the Gambling Act 2005.
“extended converted casino premises” means premises in which gaming machines are made available for use in accordance with the extended gaming machine entitlement; The remote casino operating licence will be required (instead of an ancillary licence), in addition to a non-remote casino operating licence if you intend to link terminals located in one casino premises to gaming that takes place in another set of premises (for example, touch-bet roulette terminals in one casino linked to a roulette wheel in another casino). As well as an operating licence, an operator wishing to make gambling facilities available in a land-based environment (e.g., casino, betting shop, bingo hall or arcade centre) will also need to apply for a premises licence authorising that activity from the relevant local authority. Other than that, different types of gambling activity conducted by the same media can be combined – for example, a “remote” gambling operating licence might well have betting, gaming and software operation endorsed upon it. This is to enable trackside betting operators (also known as on-course bookmakers) with operating licences to benefit from the track premises licence held by the occupier of the track.
Industry has raised some concerns about how areas like bars would be categorised if sports betting terminals were placed in them. If its gambling area is 500sqm or more, its non-gambling area must be equal to or greater than 250sqm. It could also mean that the same gambling facilities are compressed into a smaller gambling area, with potentially a worse customer experience and no player protection benefits.
Remote casino game host operating licence Remote betting intermediary operating licence Non-remote betting intermediary licence
Increased fees will enable licensing authorities to undertake more enforcement and engagement activities with licensed premises. 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. A low number of premises visits may also be indicative of the lack of funding received by licensing authorities to fully undertake duties, such as inspections, alongside other administrative and enforcement functions. However, premises visits are only one aspect of a licensing authorities regulatory work. A number of these responses acknowledged the financial pressures placed on licensing authorities, which was reflected by the substantial number of industry responses that advocated for a 10% increase.
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.
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.
For example, 88% of casino customers also bet online on sports at least once a month. However, at this stage we do not know precisely what these costs will be, as we do not have any evidence on how casinos will respond to this. The policy could also encourage casinos to invest in broadcasting sport, both in broadcast rights and venue enhancement, which will have additional costs.
Please share any evidence or information that is relevant to the proposed amendment to the definition of gaming tables since the government stated its intention to make this change in 2018. Neither partially automated nor wholly automated gaming tables, including products such as pinball roulette, will count as ‘gaming tables’ for these purposes. The customer demand for 40 gaming tables does not exist, which can mean that a number of tables are sited but never used. This clarifies that wholly automated gaming tables are not gaming tables for the purposes of section 172(3) to (5) of the Act. The Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Tables in Casinos) (Definitions) Regulations 2009 makes provision as to how references to “gaming tables” should be interpreted in this context. (Mandatory response)Large increase in demand / Small Increase in demand / No change in demand / Small decrease in demand / Large decrease in demand / I don’t know
From 6 April 2025, a new mandatory statutory levy replaced the previous voluntary system of contributions to research, education, and treatment (RET) of gambling harms. Subsequent annual fees are due on each anniversary of the licence issue date. The first annual fee is due 30 days after the licence is issued and is reduced by 25%. In 2024–25, 3,491 personal licence applications were submitted, with 95% processed within eight weeks. Personal licence applications require identity documentation, address history, employment history, a police report, a credit report, and (in some circumstances) a statement of assets and liabilities.
In order to obtain a casino premises licence, you must first be the holder of a casino operating licence. There is a high-level cap on the number of casino licences available throughout the UK, which is set down in regulations under the Gambling Act 2005. A casino operating licence allows the holder to provide casino gambling facilities. Some of these conditions apply to casino licences only, but some apply to all types of operating licence. Nigel Farage has made a safe gambling message for online-casinos.co.uk players. New casino premises licences issued under the Act will fall into one of two categories namely large casino premises licence or small casino premises licence.