Remote casino game host operating licence
The consultation asked the following questions on ‘cash-out’ Category D slot-style machines. However, we will not mandate that these machines be moved into age-restricted areas as we do not believe that it is proportionate, considering the lower risk posed by these types of machines. However, there was some disagreement over some of the additional proposals that we set out in the consultation aimed at preventing those under 18 from using these machines. However, as set out in the white paper, there are concerns that ‘cash-out’ slot-style machines share similarities with higher stake machines, restricted for adults. Currently, both types of slot-style machines can legally be played by under-18s.
- You can learn more about this in our guide on how to protect your rights at an online casino.
- What impact is permitting sports betting expected to have on revenue from non-gambling activities e.g. increased income from sports bars which allow customers to place a bet?
- Introducing an age-limit on certain types of Category D gaming machines – draft affirmative statutory instrument.
- Substantial fines have been imposed, individuals have been sanctioned pursuant to their “personal management licences” and licences have been suspended.
- If gambling itself is causing difficulty, please see our responsible gambling page for free, confidential support.
- The consideration of representations should be the same as that for normal applications for premises licences, detailed in Part 7 of this guidance.
Premises licences
The government understands some of the arguments put forward by industry, particularly about the potential impact on player behaviour if net position and time was permanently on display on the machine. They also argued that it is an invasion of a customer’s privacy and that many people would not be comfortable with other players knowing how much they have spent and how long they have played on a machine for. This will ensure that the breaks designed to allow customers to make more informed or dispassionate decisions about their gambling are supplemented by safer gambling messaging and not used for any other purposes, such as promotional offers. This research recommended that the use of personalised messaging based on an individual’s own patterns of gambling may be more effective than generic messages. Others cited research which has been undertaken on safer gambling messaging, including from the Behavioural Insights Team and the Personal Finance Research Centre (University of Bristol). Some respondents from outside of industry stated that safer gambling messages should be designed independently of industry and that some of the existing industry-led safer gambling messages are ineffective.
Regulatory Authority
In August 2026, a survey conducted by GamblingNews.uk found that 68% of Brits believe bookmakers sometimes “use anti-money laundering and responsible gambling checks as pretexts to void winning bets or delay payouts”. Such checks include providing proof of income for large deposits, affordability checks and answering questionnaires about how gambling affects their daily life. To realize this, bookmakers are required to ensure that online wagering promotions are not aired to minors.
Do you perceive there to be any issue with allowing multiple casino licences in the same physical location if gaming machine entitlements are increased as proposed? 1968 Act casinos that are smaller than the configurations of a 2005 Act Small casino but have a gambling area equal to or greater than 280sqm will be able to increase their gaming machine allocations on a pro rata basis commensurate with gambling area. 1968 Act casinos that have a gambling area of at least 500sqm will be eligible for the same number of machines as permitted in a Small 2005 Act casino. 1968 Act casinos will be entitled to an enhanced gaming machine entitlement if their gambling area is at least 280sqm. The implications for operating and premises licence fees, bringing 1968 Act casino not on gamstop casinos in line with existing fee scales for 2005 Act casinos, are also discussed later in this chapter. 1968 Act casinos with a gambling area of at least 280sqm will be able to exercise the increased gaming machine entitlements shown in Figure 3.
We have selected the best UK licensed online casinos from hundreds of sites. All winnings from gambling in UK-regulated casinos are tax-free, while winnings from offshore sites carry the taxes of their origin country. We dig deeper into this subject on our safest online casinos page.
Non-remote general betting limited operating licence Non-remote general betting standard operating licence The ancillary licence does not authorise a remote link with gaming that takes place on another set of premises. If you are a local authority/ licensing board, how many premises licences were live in your licensing area in the 22/23 financial year?
In bingo premises, 1.6% of Category B gaming machine sessions result in losses of £200 or more, compared to 0.7% of combined Category C, Category D and mixed sessions. Responses from both the arcade and bingo sector show that Category B machines generate higher GGY on average than Category C and D machines, though responses indicated that the levels of GGY were higher in the arcade sector. This was consistent across bingo club operators, arcade operators and gaming machine manufacturers. This will ensure that Category C and D machines made available by operators have genuine customer appeal and/or are genuinely available for use, as opposed to being used as a means to increase the number of Category B cabinets a venue can site.
The flat additional annual fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £10,000. After this, fees are due every year before the anniversary of the day your licence was issued. Your first annual fee is due 30 days after your licence is issued and is reduced by 25 percent (ancillary and linked licence annual fees are not subject to this reduction). The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £4,200. The flat additional application fee payable for a licence that combines all three activities is £3,360.
So you must tell us the date you plan to start trading (this will be a condition of your licence, if granted). If your casino is not operational, then subsequent annual fees will be reduced by 50 percent. Subsequent annual fees are due every year before the anniversary of the day your licence was issued. You can offer any of the games listed in our types and rules of casino games at a large casino.
The majority of these respondents argued for measures which tended to be more restrictive of the gambling products available within the land-based sector. Industry responses frequently highlighted the commercial pressures placed on their businesses in recent years – as a result of COVID-19 inactivity and rising energy costs – as a central reason for necessitating greater commercial flexibility. The majority of these responses came from respondents who submitted evidence to the original consultation. We also received 16 additional responses to a supplementary consultation which was held specifically to gather further evidence on the reform of the 80/20 rule.
Similarly, a centrally co-ordinated self-exclusion database (“GAMSTOP”) also allows customers to self-exclude from remote gambling offered by operators licensed by the Gambling Commission. Suppliers of gambling machines made available for use in land-based environments similarly need to obtain their own licence. This so-called “point-of-supply” legislative scheme was reversed (in the case of remote gambling) by the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, which converted the British system into a so-called “point-of-consumption” regime, which criminalised any person in any jurisdiction who makes available facilities for gambling to British players on a remote basis without British licences. The Commission issues licences to gambling operators, can levy fines and revoke licences, and is tasked with investigating and prosecuting illegal gambling.
New or inexperienced individuals who are not familiar with the casino industry or the law would struggle considerably to obtain these licences without proper guidance and independent legal advice. The cost of seeking the correct licences for the first time can be very high and there are ongoing fees to be paid once a gambling licence is in place. The licensing of casinos is perhaps the most complex aspect of licensing law in the UK due to the rarity of application and unique legal and technical know-how that is required. However, licences can be suspended or revoked where material is brought to the attention of the Gambling Commission or the licensing authority. Once either an operating or premises licence is in force, there is an annual fee to pay.
The additional annual cost per premises is an average across all premises types and in reality, will differ depending on the type of licence held. The additional annual cost per premises and the total additional annual funding for licensing authorities has been estimated using existing premises numbers. We believe it is appropriate to increase these fees so that local authorities can cover the costs of their gambling licensing and enforcement activity, and increase activity where needed. They are therefore essential for ensuring that licensing authorities can properly regulate gambling in their areas.
The next step is to note the licence number. If this information is missing or unclear, it is a big enough sign to opt for a different casino. Don’t see the licensing information in the footer? That’s why you should only play at licensed casino sites. They must adhere to strict regulations to protect British players.
Always check both of these numbers when choosing a casino. The payout rate is basically how much of your wagered cash you’ll get back from a casino over time. The RTP (Return to Player) and payout rate can tell you a lot about how player-friendly a casino is. UK casino guidance built around practical checks, not headline hype.
There are currently only three Small 2005 Act casinos in operation from the eight licences available. This requirement was intended to ensure a balanced offer of gaming products in 2005 Act casinos, which had a significantly higher gaming machine entitlement than 1968 Act casinos. The government is proposing to operate two regimes for 1968 Act casinos whereby they can either operate under the existing rules with no increase to their gaming machine allowance or they can take up their new gaming machine entitlements under the new rules.
Some respondents stated that any transaction time should at least ensure a break from the machine that is equivalent to the time it takes to access additional funds from an ATM. Our aim throughout the development of this policy has been to replicate the experience of playing on a machine with cash and the deposit and committed payment limits play an important role in the current customer journey. The government will ensure that these regulations will apply to direct debit card payments when amending the secondary legislation.
Sites with a history of licence breaches or unresolved player complaints are excluded. The site skews towards sports fans who also enjoy casino play, and the cross-promotion between the two products is done tastefully. The casino section offers hundreds of slots and table games alongside a live dealer suite powered primarily by Evolution. The platform hosts over 1,000 slots from top suppliers including Pragmatic Play and Evolution, alongside a strong live casino lobby with dedicated blackjack and roulette tables. If you click links to other sites on this page, we will earn a commission.
While the gambling and table gaming area requirements would be enough for an entitlement of 80 machines, its non-gambling area is too small to qualify for this entitlement. We are also open to any other proposals for how table gaming areas should be calculated for 1968 Act casinos which trigger their enhanced gaming machine entitlements. We propose that the table gaming area for casinos that have less than 500sqm of gambling space must be equal to or greater than half the size of the gambling area. Option (2) would not require currently operating casinos to reduce their total gambling space.
If you have signed up to Gamstop and are still struggling with finding yourself playing on casinos not on Gamstop. In other words, you do not need to go around blocking every online casino individually, nor do you need to muster the will to keep yourself from playing. As a reminder, online gambling should only be one aspect of your life, not an unhealthy obsession or a way to make money.