When it comes to online gambling licensing and regulation, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) is known for having some of the best practices and most mature legal frameworks and policies in place to protect the customers and the operators, and everyone else involved in the iGaming industry.
If you have ever wondered what licenses UK online casino operators need to obtain before they can open an iGaming website offering real money gambling services, you’ve come to the right place.
Here is a closer look at the licensing requirements that all UK operators should obtain and some of the social responsibility codes they must comply with, as set out by the UKGC (Gambling Commission).
What are the main types of operating licenses in the United Kingdom?
A company looking to operate a real money gambling site, such as an online casino, sports betting site, bingo and lottery site or poker site, in the UK market must first apply for a UK license. The Gambling Commission issues operating and personal licenses, whereas local authorities issue premises licenses.
It’s not cheap to set up a new online casino here, and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission’s licence fee calculator can help you understand more accurately the fees you need to pay. Operators are put through rigorous vetting processes before being issued with licenses.
If successful, they must have robust systems and controls in place to prevent money laundering and other fraudulent activities, and they must actively promote responsible gambling to reduce the risk of problem gambling, as well as ensure fair play and prevent underage gambling from occurring.
The three main types of gambling operator licenses in the United Kingdom are the following:
- Remote – which enables the operator/licensee to legally offer casino games and other licensed gambling products to customers via any online service, accessible from mobile phones and other Wi-Fi/internet-connected desktop computers and mobile devices, and television
- Non-remote – which allows the operator/licensee to facilitate legally permitted gambling activities at land-based venues, such as racetracks/courses and betting shops
- Ancillary – which is for operators who wish to offer legally permitted gambling services via email and telephone
Therefore, depending on the type of business, some UK operators will need just one of these licenses, and others may need a combination of two or of these licenses.
Whether the operator’s headquarters/base of operations is in the UK or not, if they want to aim their business towards customers in the UK market, they must be licensed to operate in this jurisdiction by the UKGC.
Are UK-licensed online casinos the best in the world?
Yes. Online casinos licensed by the UKGC are considered by players, industry experts, and the wider iGaming community to be the best in the world. They have the highest levels of website and mobile app security.
The industry’s most notable operators control them. They have games from the world’s best providers and provide excellent services.
They have the best bonuses with the most realistic wagering requirements and rank among the highest-rated casino sites on multiple globally renowned iGaming review sites like casinos.com.
What are the best UK casino sites with the most lucrative bonuses in 2024?
If you’re looking for a popular UK online casino with thousands of games and plenty of bonuses, go to casinos.com to get the top bonus offers. This website is run by a dedicated team of professional researchers with many years of experience finding, reviewing, and ranking today’s best UK online casinos.
Each site featured on their website has been carefully handpicked before being expertly reviewed. Their suggested sites have everything a UK player could ever want from an online casino. They are free to sign up and welcome GBP (£) and a wide range of popular UK online payment solutions.
The best thing to do would be to read a few reviews and then compare those reviews to see which online casino would be the perfect fit for you.
You can then click or tap on any of the links available inside the review to be taken directly to that casino’s official online registration page, where new accounts can be opened in under a minute.
At the time of writing, their top five suggestions include the following trusted brands:
- Mr Vegas Casino
- Duelz Casino
- Spinyoo Casino
- PlayOJO Casino
- BetVictor Casino
Other trusted online casinos that specifically cater to UK players are Fun Casino, Pink Casino, Zet Bet Casino, Casimba Casino, and Dream Vegas Casino, to name a few.
Final thoughts
To comply with UK laws, anyone who signs up to a UK-licensed online casino must complete the account verification process (KYC – Know Your Customer).
To prepare for this, when you sign up to a site, you must have some form of ID and proof of address ready to send to the casino’s account verification department.
You will need scanned colour copies of valid ID documents (e.g., passport or driver’s license) and a copy of a proof of address that’s less than three months old (e.g., gas, mobile, or electricity bill).
The entire process of getting your account verified often takes less than ten minutes but may take up to an hour or more. As soon as it’s completed, any withdrawal restrictions that were placed on your account will now be lifted.
