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4. August 2026Non-remote 2005 Act casino operating licence
You are required to tell us about certain things that happen in your business, these are dependent on the licences and activities you hold. If we grant you a licence to run a gambling business, you will be able to download a copy of your licence from eServices. The following guidance is specific to casino games, and is relevant to those who hold a casino licence. The LCCP outlines the requirements that all operating and personal licence holders must follow. The following legislation and policies are also applicable to operating licence holders. You can read more about the legal definition of casinos in Part 1 section 7 of the Gambling Act 2005 (opens in new tab).

License for online gambling business on the Isle of Man.
As a result, these venues will be entitled to choose between adopting any revised entitlement set down in legislation following this consultation or retaining the four Category B machine allowance for AGC premises and eight Category B machine allowance for bingo premises. The proposals outlined in this consultation to reform the 80/20 rule will again permit AGC and bingo premises to retain these legacy rights where the relevant premises licence was granted before 13 July 2011. Further information about premises licence fees are outlined in Chapter 5. The Gambling Commission will also need to be notified of an operator’s projected annual licence fee category based on GGY for the forthcoming licence period, so that the correct fees can be paid.

It is based on your gross gambling yield. The statutory levy is a mandatory payment that funds research, education, and treatment related to gambling harm. For small operators, fees start at £4,224, with higher annual fees for bigger operators.
In July 2026, UK ministers began a crackdown on unlicensed casinos sponsoring sports teams. Under the second stage of the process the authority has to decide between the competing applications and grant any available licences to those applications which in their opinion will result in the greatest benefit to its area. This process will result in one or more provisional decisions to grant a premises licence, which will be disclosed to the applicant and any party that made representations.
The size of Britain’s land-based casino sector has remained relatively flat in recent years, in contrast to an expanding online market. Restrictions on supply were originally viewed as an important protection in the 2005 Act, but in the light of the availability of remote gambling the characteristics of products and quality of monitoring have assumed greater importance. Navigating the complex web of UK casino laws is essential for new operators aiming to succeed. These UK casino regulations allow larger venues to diversify offerings but require careful compliance to avoid penalties. These responsible gambling measures require operators to update systems and inform players, ensuring compliance by mid-2025. Gaming machine rules are also shifting, impacting casino operations.
This will take into consideration that there is likely to be diminishing returns, such that the more machines you have, the less GGY would be generated per machine. This will be used to model the estimated total increase in GGY for casinos in the final impact assessment. Combining this with the number of machines, this yields an average annual GGY of £57,500 per machine. These generate 11% of all GGY generated from Category B machines. On the other hand, in 62% of all sessions from April to September 2019, the player either won money on the machines or lost an amount up to £20. This data was collected by the Gambling Commission from over 80% of the land-based casino sector.

We do not propose that these machines should be required to be moved to an age-restricted area. We propose to move the voluntary commitment into legislation, introducing a legal age limit of 18 on Category D ‘cash-out’ slot-style machines. casinos not on gamstop In order to future proof the gaming machine industry and adapt to modern payment technologies, we are seeking views on a range of player protections that will ensure players can use modern payment methods whilst mitigating the risk of harm. Without intervention, there is a risk that machines could become obsolete as we move towards a “cashless” society. The white paper proposed to reform the 80/20 rule in response to evidence that the current rule does not allow operators to adequately meet consumer demand, while still providing a balanced product offer to customers.
What a licence number tells you
Similarly to bingo halls, this would likely result in both energy savings and increased GGY for operators. The removal of energy intensive legacy Category C cabinets will likely reduce the overall energy consumption of these operators. If it appears evident that the ‘available for use’ guidance is not working as intended following changes to the current regulatory framework, we will consider bringing forward secondary legislation to more directly deliver the intended machine mix. To ensure a proportionate and evidence-based balance is satisfied, we are seeking views from a range of interested stakeholders to inform the strengths and risks of each option. The impact of each option will vary in how these objectives are balanced.
Stake was at the centre of multiple controversies before it finally left the UK last year when its “white label” partner, TGP Europe, gave up its licence to operate. Stake.com is one of the largest gambling companies in the world and there is no suggestion that David was referring to the company, or that it has committed any wrongdoing. Days later, the Gambling Commission put sports teams on notice that they and their executives could be liable for prosecution if they were found to have promoted unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with British consumers. Stake effectively surrendered its licence to operate in Britain last year, amid a regulatory review of practices, including apparent promotion of the brand by the porn actor Bonnie Blue. “We face the prospect of our prime minister wearing an Everton shirt and becoming a billboard for a crypto casino, which would be outrageous. “Burnham became stridently anti-gambling when he became mayor of Manchester, but his own football club is taking money from an unregulated gambling company,” said the source.

455.Subsection (6) allows the Secretary of State to make regulations that impose mandatory conditions on casino premises licences in relation to equipment used for playing automated games of chance. Large and regional casino premises licences also authorise the provision of facilities for bingo, again, provided there is a valid bingo operating licence held by the person providing the activity. 454.A casino premises licence will also authorise the provision of facilities for betting, where the licensee or a person authorised in writing by the licensee holds a relevant betting operating licence. 453.Casino premises licences will be available for “small”, “large” and “regional” casinos and will authorise the playing of casino games and equal chance games on the premises. 423.Under this section, licensing authorities must maintain a register of premises licences they have granted in their area, together with such other information as may be prescribed in regulations made by the Secretary of State. 5.—(1) The condition specified in this regulation is attached to each remote casino operating licence, including remote casino operating licences issued before this regulation comes into force.

From selling personal data and identity theft to promoting gambling to vulnerable players, these safety regulations are important. Safety is the biggest factor for us, as licensed casinos are required to comply with the UKGC’s regulations. To help us maintain accurate records, we find it useful if licensing authorities also inform us if they revoke a premises licence (for example, due to non-payment of the annual fee). To obtain a premises licence, a person or business must first hold an operating licence from us authorising them to carry out the activity in respect of which the premises licence is applied for. Obtaining a gambling license for an offline casino in the UK is impossible without permission to own and operate dedicated gambling premises. The United Kingdom is one of the most developed countries in the gambling industry, where casinos and other forms of gambling are officially permitted.

447.Part 10 of the Act defines a gaming machine, and gives the Secretary of State power to make rules about their categorisation and use or manufacture and supply. These conditions are ones which apply to a licence unless the licensing authority decides to exclude them (in which case the authority can impose alternative conditions relating to the same matter). Where the licensing authority rejects an application for a licence, the applicant may appeal. Where the licence is refused, the licensing authority must give reasons for their decision.
(Mandatory response)£20 / £50 / £100 / No Limit / Other / I don’t know The current maximum amount of cash that can be inserted into a machine at one time is £50 as this is the highest denomination of bank note. Regulation 7 ensures that there is a maximum value that players can deposit onto a machine in a single action. Regulation 9 also sets committed payment limits, money which cannot be refunded to the player once it is paid or transferred onto the machine’s credit or play meter.
- As highlighted in Chapter 2 of the land-based gambling consultation, we are aware that Category B gaming machines on average result in greater customer losses per session than Category C and D gaming machines.
- He advises many of the industry’s leading operators and suppliers, as well as start-up companies, investors and other leading law firms.
- The primary cost of this measure is the additional costs incurred by gambling operators resulting from the increased licensing fees.
- In situations where additional investigation is required, the licence can be revoked.citation needed
- The sectors which pay these fees are casinos, bingo halls and bingo-licensed arcades, adult gaming centres, family entertainment centres and betting shops.
Opening a casino in the UK is a venture steeped in opportunity but bound by stringent regulations. Information for existing or prospective gambling businesses including what types of licence you may need, how much they cost and the licence conditions and codes of practice that apply to your licence. Therefore, venues such as pubs and members’ clubs will not be impacted by any increases to premises licence fees.
Note that the different fees currently charged for large and small casinos may be subject to review and harmonisation following the consultation outlined in Chapter 1. The fees payable for gaming machine notifications and gaming machine permits are not in scope of this review. The Gambling Act 2005 created a partnership between the Gambling Commission and 368 licensing authorities in England, Wales and Scotland for the regulation of land-based gambling.
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What do you think are the potential impacts of raising licence fees on gambling companies? What do you think are the potential impacts of raising licence fees on licensing authorities? How much funding do you estimate is needed for administration and the enforcement of licences annually? We also require a better understanding of how licensing authorities will amend their fees in response to an increase in the maximum fee cap.
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.
However, due to the lack of substantive research or evidence clearly identifying harms resulting from general Category D machines, we do not support a ban on children accessing other Category D machines, such as those that pay out in tickets, crane grabbers or coin pushers. Bacta reports that this typically includes locating the machines close to a supervisor’s booth or other more visible locations, and they state that it works well in ensuring under-18s do not access the machines. As set out in the white paper, Bacta did not include Category D ‘ticket-out’ slot-style machines within this ban. ‘Cash-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 10p and a maximum prize of £5, while ‘ticket-out’ slot-style machines have a maximum stake of 30p and an equivalent of a prize worth up to £8. There are two types of Category D slot-style machines, one that pays out a small amount of cash, and one that pays out tickets which can be exchanged for a small prize, toy or sweet.
Open a review for the detailed test results, or head straight to the casino site. The experts at Online-Casinos.com have tested over 120 casino sites to find perks like fair bonuses, high payout rates, and diverse games. The UKGC implemented this to prevent players from becoming addicted to gambling and spending more than they can afford.
These operators employ player protection measures like SSL encryption, secure payment portals, firewalls, and two-factor authentication to keep you and your data safe. Whatever your answer is, you should always choose British gambling sites running under a valid licence from the UKGC. Almost all UK casinos offer top-notch desktop sites you can access through your browser. If you prefer playing on a desktop, choosing any of the popular UK casinos will be good for you.
In practice, venues which include sportsbooks as part of their product offering do not utilise a maximum of 40 — the largest casino by gambling area currently sites 12 terminals. The white paper set out the intention for all casinos to be able to include a sportsbook as part of their product offering. A further advantage would be allowing operators to create an experience which competes with international gaming jurisdictions, and elevates the reputation of Britain as a gaming destination for international gaming tourists. For example, it may lead to increased popularity/GGY of casinos which could have knock-on benefits to surrounding businesses or other sectors which are closely interlinked with it, for example the food and beverage or advertising sectors.