Guidance to licensing authorities Primary legislation
Where an application is made in the form of a provisional statement it is to be treated in the same way as an application for a casino premises licence and included in any two-stage determination process that the authority is required to carry out. Where an authority invites applications, those applications may be in the form of an application for a provisional statement as well as in the form of an application for the grant of a full casino premises licence. Ministers are poised to crack down on unlicensed casinos sponsoring British sports teams amid criticism that a delay to the proposals has opened the door for offshore gambling firms to strike lucrative deals with Premier League clubs. This licence is for existing casinos which were originally licensed under the Gaming Act 1968 (opens in new tab). This licence allows you to manufacture, supply, install or adapt gambling software by means of remote communication. Clients trust Wiggin to navigate a broad range of legal matters, including obtaining and maintaining licences, international expansion, business acquisitions and sales, intellectual property protection, data security, dispute resolution and regulatory compliance.
The policy proposals set out in this government response are intended to modernise the land-based gambling sector and help it to thrive sustainably. In addition, operating costs have risen significantly over this period, especially as a result of rising energy costs, which have increased by over 225% for some operators. The land-based gambling sector, unlike the online gambling sector, has faced significant challenges in recent years as a result of business inactivity during periods of COVID-19 restrictions. In September 2019, the Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) generated by remote gambling overtook that of land-based gambling for the first time (excluding lotteries). The white paper acknowledged that the emergence of new technology and the availability of online gambling since the Gambling Act 2005 came into force has substantially altered the gambling landscape. Measures relating to casinos – one draft affirmative and one made negative statutory instrument.
Player Protection & Responsible Gambling
It’s not the same as a land-based casino, but with HD live streaming and real professional dealers, that’s the closest experience you can get. You also get to know how the casino improves your experience over time. The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £12,500.
No licence details in the footer; no entry on the UKGC public register; no GAMSTOP or safer-gambling tools; pressure to deposit quickly; vague or missing terms; and no clear company name or complaints process. For UK players, a UKGC licence is the line between a protected experience and a gamble on the casino itself. You may see offshore casinos advertised as «non-GamStop» or promising bigger bonuses with fewer checks. For more on how these rules shape bonuses and play, see our casino bonuses guide and our responsible gambling page.
By submitting your responses via email you are agreeing to the terms outlined in the privacy notice. (Mandatory responseYes / No / I don’t know Are you happy for government to attribute responses to your organisation in a published response to this consultation? (Gambling industry professional, gambling researcher/academic, gambling treatment provider, personally harmed by gambling, affected negatively by another person’s gambling, recreational gambler, government/regulatory professional, other, prefer not to say) Please upload any further evidence or any other information that should be considered in this consultation relating to licensing authority fees. Please provide any additional views or evidence on the potential impacts of raising licence fees here.
These applicants do not need to hold, or have applied for, an operating licence. The exception to this is an applicant for a premises licence that authorises a track to be used for accepting bets. Applicants must have an operating licence, or have made an application for one. Only people with a right to occupy premises are eligible to apply for a premises licence.
- The Commission licenses and regulates commercial gambling operators and ensures gambling is conducted fairly, openly and free from crime.
- 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.
- UKGC-licensed casinos are required to segregate player funds, offer responsible gambling tools, and adhere to strict fairness standards.
- The majority of responses were in favour of mandatory limits being a required feature on machines accepting direct debit card payments.
- The government will ensure that these regulations will apply to direct debit card payments when amending the secondary legislation.
The Gambling Commission regulates arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, gaming machine providers, gambling software providers, lottery operators, external lottery managers and remote gambling (online and by phone) that use British-based equipment. From data provided by industry, we understand that there are eight 1968 Act casinos that have a gambling area of 1500sqm or over, and a similar number that are close to 1500sqm and which could be expanded if they decide to site more gaming machines and tables. 1968 Act casinos will move to the new regime once they elect to increase their enhanced entitlement to gaming machines, becoming subject to the mandatory premises licence conditions and fee scales of a 2005 Act casino. Where a casino has two premises licences, an operator is able to site 40 gaming machines in the same building; and where an operator has three licences, 60 gaming machines. In this instance, a casino with 3 premises licences could theoretically site a maximum of 240 gaming machines, which would not be the policy intention.
Online Gambling Compliance and Regulatory Standards
Individuals working in land-based casinos who handle cash or can influence gambling outcomes (croupiers, dealers, cashiers) must hold a Personal Functional Licence (PFL). To hold a host licence, the business must also hold a gambling software operating licence. Operators providing multiple types of gambling under a single entity may hold a combined operating licence. Categories include casino (1968 Act and 2005 Act), bingo, betting, adult gaming centre, and family entertainment centre.
Where 1968 Act casinos are smaller than these requirements, we have proposed that they are able to benefit from an increased number of machines on a pro rata basis commensurate with their size and non-gambling area, and subject to the same ratio. The rules have also incentivised holders of multiple 1968 Act casino licences to operate them as separate entities in the same premises for the purpose of increasing machine numbers. As outlined in the white paper, it is our intention to bring greater coherence to the licence system casinos not on gamstop by allowing 1968 Act casinos of a certain size to have the same gaming machine allowance as Small 2005 Act casinos.
Are there any specific licensing or operational requirements for operators accepting digital currencies (including cryptocurrencies)? Multi-operator self-exclusion schemes are in place to allow consumers to self-exclude from multiple gambling premises in Great Britain. Since 28 February 2025, remote operators have been required to undertake financial vulnerability checks once a customer’s net spend exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period.Operators are expected to have in place measures to detect self-excluded persons who might wish to re-register using different details. The outcome of that consultation is not yet known.An “economic crime levy” is payable by entities that are regulated for anti-money laundering purposes (currently only casinos in the UK) and which generate more than £10.2 million in UK revenue.
1968 Act casinos to be subject to a limit on the number of self-service betting terminals depending on their total gambling space. We propose that the number of machines is limited, based on the overall gambling area of the casino. These terminals are not gaming machines if they are designed or adapted for use to bet on future real events. The authorisations required may include a remote betting operating licence (required if customers are to be able to bet via Self-Service Betting Terminals), as well as a non-remote betting operating licence. In order to offer this, operators will be required to hold relevant operating licences from the Gambling Commission. Moreover, this measure would bring greater consistency to the different licensing regimes and bring greater parity between the online and land-based casinos.
The Commission licenses and regulates commercial gambling operators and ensures gambling is conducted fairly, openly and free from crime. Required for businesses providing gambling software, hosting services or technical infrastructure to licensed operators. Required for land-based gambling premises throughout Great Britain. Required for online gambling operations serving British customers. The Gambling Commission issues different licence categories based on gambling activities and delivery methods Understand UKGC licence categories including Remote, Non-Remote and Ancillary licences.
This amendment will mean that 1968 Act casinos that meet the same size requirements of Small 2005 Act casinos (subject to our final position on maximum size of gambling space) will be entitled to 80 gaming machines. In order for a 1968 Act casino to be entitled to 80 gaming machines, we propose that it must have a gambling area of at least 500sqm, the same minimum requirement for Small 2005 Act casinos. While we anticipate that many casinos of a suitable size will take up the option to increase their gaming machine allowances under these proposals, we are aware that some casinos will not want to site more than 20 gaming machines. Under the increased gaming machine allowances that we propose, if a venue held multiple premises licences, it could theoretically gain access to 80 gaming machines per licence. In order to be entitled to an allowance of 80 gaming machines, 1968 Act casinos will need to comply with the same minimum requirements as a Small 2005 Act casino on gambling, table gaming and non-gambling area. A further 25 casinos have multiple licences within one premises, allowing them to supply 40 or 60 machines.
As outlined, the Gambling Commission has expressed concern regarding the adherence of operators to ‘available for use’ guidance. The increased flexibility will provide operators with more scope to make commercial decisions relating to energy consumption and customer demand. Under the scenario outlined in Option 1, it is expected that there will be a significant increase in commercial flexibility for operators across both bingo halls and AGCs.
The higher end takes into consideration that some local authorities may need additional funding to carry out the full extent of administration of their gambling duties and gambling enforcement, such as the development of policy statements. We do not currently have sufficient evidence to inform an appropriate percentage increase to the current cap on licensing fees. Any fee increase must be linked to the cost to that particular local authority of carrying out its gambling functions. We recognise that the maximum for licensing authority fees has not been updated since 2007, during which time inflation has inevitably reduced its value.
They also stated that individual gambling businesses should be allowed to decide if they would like to update their systems to provide direct debit card payments as it would be a significant cost to businesses to update all machines to have this functionality. We expect that operators will ensure that Category C and D machines made available to meet the ratio are available for use and have genuine customer appeal. We received some responses which suggested that Option 1 would be preferable to Option 2(a) for ensuring that a genuine offer of Category C and D machines are made available to customers. In respect of ensuring that customers receive a genuine offer of Category C and D machines, Option 2 is the only option which we believe would achieve this objective better than Option 2(a).
Therefore, this option would need to be accompanied by a requirement that Category B3 machines in these venues would have certain player safety controls, such as staff alerts where a player meets spend or time limits. Without any requirement in law for a balanced offer, it is possible that this option would result in Category B machines becoming the only product on offer. In addition, there would be limited opportunities for operators to meet customer demand for Category B machines and increase GGY. It is possible that operators could use inaccessible tablets and in-fill machines to increase the overall number of Category B3 machines in their venues, undermining the principle of a balanced offer of higher and lower stake machines giving genuine choice to the customer. However, we are aware of the possibility that some operators may attempt to maximise their number of Category B cabinets above and beyond that intended by the 50/50 proposal by siting tablets which are not genuinely accessible or in-fill machines in their venues.
We look to deal with all aspects of gambling licensing both land-based and remote, acting for a number of the major international operators. To successfully operate in the betting and gaming industry you need to make sure that you have the correct licences in place. You’ll see casinos advertising various licences, but for UK players only one guarantees full protection.