How Casino Licensing Works
What a UK Gambling Commission licence means, how to check one on the public register, and why it matters for your money.
A casino licence is the foundation of everything that keeps you safe online, so it is worth understanding what one actually means. In Great Britain, every legal gambling site must hold a licence from the UK Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator.
What licensing requires of a casino
To hold and keep a licence, a casino must protect customer funds, submit its games for independent fairness testing, verify the identity and age of every player, advertise responsibly, and provide safer-gambling tools such as deposit limits and self-exclusion. Breaching these rules can cost an operator its licence, so they are taken seriously.
How to check a licence yourself
Find the licence number in the casino's footer and search for it on the Commission's public register. The register shows the licensed company, its status and trading names. If the casino is not listed, or the details do not match, treat that as a serious warning. It takes thirty seconds and is the most important check you can make.
Keep learning
This guide is part of our wider library. To go deeper, read how to choose a casino, is a casino safe and payouts explained. Every term you meet is defined in our casino glossary, and you can put it all to work on our best online casinos ranking or the full comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this guide specific to UK players?
Yes. Everything here reflects UK Gambling Commission rules as they stand in 2026, including the 2025–2026 changes to stake limits, affordability checks and player protection. We only cover UKGC-licensed casinos.
How do I choose a good online casino?
Check it holds a current UKGC licence, look at the game range, payout reliability and support quality, then pick the safe, well-run site that fits how you play. Our full guide walks through the checklist.
How can I tell if a casino is safe?
Find its UK Gambling Commission licence number, usually in the footer, and confirm it on the public register. Avoid any site with no visible licence, one that skips verification, or one that pressures you to deposit. See is a casino safe.
Are online casino games fair?
At UK-licensed casinos, yes — games run on independently tested random number generators that cannot be altered. They carry a house edge, so they are fair but still favour the casino over time. See are casinos rigged.
What does RTP mean?
RTP (return to player) is the share of stakes a game pays back over the long run. A 96% RTP slot returns £96 per £100 staked on average; the rest is the house edge. Higher RTP is fairer. See RTP explained.
How fast should a casino pay out?
The best UK casinos process withdrawals within 24 hours once you are verified. Speed also depends on your method — e-wallets are usually quicker than cards. See our fastest payout casinos and payouts guide.
Do I have to verify my identity?
Yes — every UK casino must confirm your age and identity before paying out. With accurate details that match your ID it is usually quick. See verification explained.
Which payment methods are best?
Debit cards work everywhere; PayPal adds privacy and quick withdrawals; Apple Pay and Google Pay are fast on mobile; Pay by Mobile needs no card. Credit cards are banned for gambling. See our payment methods guide.
Did UK casino rules change recently?
Yes — slot stake limits (£5/£2 a spin), a statutory levy, and light affordability checks above a £150 monthly net loss all arrived across 2025–2026. Our 2026 rules guide explains them.
What should I do if I have a problem with a casino?
Raise it with the casino first; if it is not resolved, you can escalate free to an approved adjudicator such as IBAS. See our complaints guide.
How do I stay in control?
Set a deposit limit, treat gambling as entertainment rather than income, and never chase losses. Free help is available from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. See responsible gambling.
How do you stay independent?
We earn affiliate commission on sign-ups, but it never affects our rankings, which follow the published method in our methodology. We only list licensed casinos and publish every correction we receive.