Government response to measures relating to the land-based gambling sector
If this proportion was representative across all casinos, then total casino sector GGY could increase by approximately £1.3 million. For example, 88% of casino customers also bet online on sports at least once a month. However, at this stage we do not know precisely what these costs will be, as we do not have any evidence on how casinos will respond to this. The policy could also encourage casinos to invest in broadcasting sport, both in broadcast rights and venue enhancement, which will have additional costs.
By contrast, the largest estimated increase in annual GGY received from arcade operators was in the region of £10m. Bingo club responses ranged from no impact on GGY to small improvements in GGY, with the largest estimated increase in annual GGY being in the region of £4m. However, responses suggested that increases in GGY would be greater in the arcade sector than in the bingo club sector.
Remote linked licences gaming machine technical Non-remote gaming machine technical – supplier licence Non-remote gaming machine technical – software operating licence
The white paper set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of the gambling sector.
The regulator has indicated that it may be less inclined to “settle” regulatory enforcement actions, particularly where operators have been made the subject of prior regulatory enforcement action, leaning towards the imposition of sanctions and penalties or, in more serious cases, suspensions and revocations of licences. For instance, since 28 February 2025, online gambling operators have been required to undertake a financial vulnerability check where a customer’s net spend exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period and, following the passing of secondary legislation, since May 2025 maximum stake limits per spin for online slot games are in place (£2 for those aged 18–24; £5 for those aged 25 and over). The main legislation governing gambling in the three forms identified in English law (gaming, betting and participating in a lottery) is the Gambling Act 2005. Free-to-play casino games with prizes are regulated as gaming and require a licence. The outcome of the Commission’s consultation on changes to financial key event reporting – which closed in March 2024 – is pending.Finally, in June 2025 the UK Government announced that it plans to introduce a “Voluntary Code” for prize draw operators whose offerings do not require a licence under the gambling framework because of the presence of a free entry route.
Amendments to the Gambling Act 2005 (Mandatory and Default Conditions) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007
A flat additional application fee of £2,100 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting. A flat additional application fee of £1,680 is payable for a licence that combines two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting. The remote casino operating licence allows you to offer casino games to customers via a website, mobile phone, TV or other online service. The few minutes it takes to properly verify an online casino’s licence is crucial to ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming experience for you. Some fraudulent operators have displayed legit licence numbers belonging to different casinos, so make sure the number matches the name displayed on the official register.
They must also participate in GAMSTOP self-exclusion and contribute to research, education and treatment of gambling harm. Search for the operator by name or licence number and confirm the licence status shows as “Active”. Established under the Gambling Act 2005, it ensures gambling is conducted fairly, openly, and free from crime. If you have a dispute with a licensed operator, you can escalate unresolved complaints to an approved Alternative Dispute Resolution provider free of charge. All UKGC operators must allow you to set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits.
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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. Therefore, we are consulting on how casino not on gamstop best to allow casinos to move onto the new regime.
How Are Online Casinos Regulated in the United Kingdom
The policy proposals set out in this government response are intended to modernise the land-based gambling sector and help it to thrive sustainably. 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. By contrast, licensing authorities and respondents from the third sector tended to highlight the risk of increased gambling-related harm as a result of increasing commercial flexibility for businesses.
Operators need to implement robust responsible gambling measures, such as deposit limits, time-outs, self-exclusion options, and reality checks. The commission has the task of ensuring that gambling is carried out fairly, it’s prevented from being a source of crime, and safeguards vulnerable people. 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 firm’s entire team works exclusively within the betting and gaming sector, ensuring an in-depth, real-time alignment with the industry’s evolving landscape.
On the basis that the demand from these machines comes largely from adults, we expect a limited impact on GGY from these machines as a result of this measure, especially with machines remaining where they can be played by adults who are accompanied by children. Granular data is not available on how many of these are ‘cash-out’ slot-style machines, which are in scope of this measure. Any more restrictive changes could potentially exacerbate the impact on places like seaside arcade economies by making these machines inaccessible to adults accompanied by children. Making it an offence for a person to invite, cause or permit a child or young person to use these machines should act as a further incentive to abide by the rules. The current industry voluntary code allows these machines to remain alongside all other types of Category D machines. Moving them to an age restricted area would disproportionately impact small businesses who are reliant on streams of income from all of their different types of machines.
Senior commission staff review the complete assessment. Pay initial application fee (£2,590 for most remote licenses). For more context on jurisdictional costs, see our licensing cost breakdown. Smart operators spend 3-6 months preparing before submission. Most operators need multiple licenses. Market access to 40+ million adults with legal gambling spend exceeding £14.2 billion annually.
As well as a fixed numerical maximum, the number of gaming machines must not exceed a specified multiple of the number of gaming tables used in that casino (Regulation 3 of the 2009 Regulations addresses when a gaming table is to be treated as being used in a casino at a particular time) This enables the holder of a converted casino premises licence who wants to utilise the new entitlements to apply to the relevant licensing authority to vary that licence so the casino plan can show the location and extent of any part of the premises which will be a table gaming area. Extended converted casino premises are also a new category of premises which applies to those premises which take up their increased gaming machine allowance. Non-remote linked licences gaming machine technical For online platforms, a remote casino license covers digital operations, and a gambling software license is needed if you develop gaming software.
This response forms part of the government’s smarter regulation programme of regulatory reform measures that began in May 2023 with the publication of Smarter regulation to grow the economy. Information provided in response to this consultation (not including personal information) may be shared with other government departments and arm’s length bodies, such as the Department for Health and Social Care and the Gambling Commission. This means we have asked Qualtrics to collect your information via an online survey platform, which we will review as part of the consultation process. DCMS has commissioned a third party, Qualtrics, to collect your personal data on its behalf. All questions requesting an individuals personal information offer a ‘prefer not to say’ option.
- It is possible that there will be wider costs if the increase in fees means that existing premises are unable to afford their total fees and close down as a result, or if new premises decide not to open due to the higher fees.
- Many online casinos have multiple licences.
- 428.Applications for premises licences must be made to the licensing authority in whose area the premises are wholly or partly situated; and must be in the prescribed form and manner, accompanied by the prescribed fee.
- 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.
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. The SI has the effect of adding a new condition to all remote casino operating licences. Covers high street betting shops, casinos, bingo halls and adult gaming centres. Navigate our comprehensive database of Gambling Commission licensed operators, brands and licences If you run a 1968 Act casino, you should already have a premises licence from your local licensing authority. The agency regulates a wide range of services, including betting, lotteries, casinos, and digital gambling platforms.
Therefore, we cannot currently estimate the total increase in GGY for each option. We welcome further evidence on this in the consultation response. Energy costs per machine will be estimated in the final stage impact assessment using an energy calculator.
Category D machines include a range of low stake machines, such as coin push, crane grabs and slot-style fruit machines. However, the intended objective is to allow customers to pay by the means they prefer and preserve the viability of the gaming machine sector which is at risk of being eroded by the move to a “cashless” society. Should net position be visible at all times to the customer on machines accepting direct cashless payments?
A typical online casino requires both remote casino and remote betting permissions. A licensed operator is any company that holds one or more gambling licences issued by the Gambling Commission. 456.Subsection (7) allows the Secretary of State to use her powers via regulation to control the non-gambling facilities provided in casinos by attaching licence conditions. 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.
Non-remote betting intermediary licence Non-remote general betting limited operating licence Non-remote general betting standard operating licence These are the types of gambling licences you will need to run your gambling business. By consulting the UKGC and legal experts, operators can build compliant, player-focused casinos that thrive in 2025 and beyond.
Respondents pointed to the need for authorities to undertake appropriate licence checks, and therefore it is essential that operators are transparent about any changes of circumstances. This will enable casinos to meet customer demand and bring Great Britain’s casino product offering more in line with international jurisdictions. They did however indicate that the presence of sports betting in venues would likely lead to an increase in revenue from non-gambling products such as sports bars. When asked about the impact on GGY from sports betting, all operators stated that this would have either a slight increase or no impact on their overall GGY. It was also highlighted that sportsbooks are a common expectation in casinos in other jurisdictions, and this move would bring Great Britain’s casino experience in line with other countries. Opposition tended to come from those who are opposed to any increase in supply of gambling opportunities in land-based premises, while the industry was expectedly supportive.
It’s one of the most tightly scoped licence types the UKGC issues. Call us or complete our online form You will be responsible for ensuring that the software you supply is capable of being deployed in a manner that complies with our Remote gambling and software technical standards. A Curacao licence is much lighter-touch than a UKGC one, with weaker player safeguards, no GAMSTOP and limited dispute resolution.
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. A series of key proposals specifically relating to the land-based gambling sector were outlined in the white paper, including measures to adjust outdated regulatory restrictions applying to the sector. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published its gambling white paper in April 2023, which set out the government’s plans for modernising the regulation of the gambling sector.
Please see the casino (host), bingo (host), general betting (host) (real events) or general betting (host) (virtual events) licences for further details. Some gambling software businesses provide facilities for remote gambling by making their games or betting content available to customers of other operators. Independent, hands-on reviews of UK Gambling Commission–licensed online casinos.