How to check a UK casino licence

Any casino that offers gambling to people in Great Britain must hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission. You can verify that yourself in a few minutes. This is the method we use on every review.

Step 1: find the licence statement

UK-facing sites must say who the licensee is and show its account number. The Commission’s required wording is: “(Licensee) is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number (number)”. The account number should link to the public register. Look in the footer or the terms page.

Step 2: search the public register

Open the Gambling Commission public register of businesses and search by account number or company name. The account number is the more reliable key because company names are similar.

Step 3: check the licence is active

On the licence summary, look for a remote casino activity (it appears as “Casino (Remote)” or “Remote casino”) with the status Active and no end date. A surrendered, suspended or revoked licence is not a licence to operate.

Step 4: find the site in the domain list

Open the licensee’s domain names tab and look for the exact site. Each domain has a status:

• Active: the licensee operates the domain.
• White Label: the brand runs under the licensee’s licence through a partner. See white-label casinos explained.
• Inactive: no longer in use.

If the site you are on is not listed for that licensee, do not deposit. Ask the operator to explain.

Step 5: read the regulatory actions

The regulatory actions tab lists sanctions and settlements, normally for the last three years. An entry is not a verdict on the brand’s safety today, but it tells you what the regulator found. Our guide to reading sanctions and settlements explains the terms.

Red flags

• A licence logo without an account number, or an account number that does not match the register.
• A footer that mentions only an overseas regulator while the site accepts UK players.
• A domain that is not in the licensee’s domain list.
• A licence statement that names a different company from the one in the terms.

What we do on GamCasual

We repeat these steps for every brand, record the date and show the results on each review and on our licence checks page. If you find something that no longer matches, tell us through the contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Gambling Commission logo on a site proof of a licence?

No. Anyone can copy a logo. The proof is the licensee's account number and the matching entry on the Gambling Commission public register.

What if the brand name is not on the register?

Search the licensee's name or account number instead. A brand can run under a licensee's licence, so the register may list it as a domain or trading name of another company.

Does a licence mean the casino is a good choice?

It means the operator is licensed and regulated in Great Britain. Offer terms, payment speed and support still vary, and some licensees have regulatory actions on record.