Online Gambling Regulation in the UK in June 2023
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission (or UKGC) regulates all kinds of casinos in the country, including various lotteries and betting services. The organization was created in 2007 according to the Gambling Act of 2005 and replaced the Gaming Board of Great Britain that had been formerly responsible for gambling activity regulations.
UKGC has several goals, the most important of which are gambling industry monitoring, gambling crimes prevention and solving, protection of children and other vulnerable personalities against gambling addiction.
UKGC license is an absolute must for each casino (including an online one) that wants to operate in the country or accept bets from British gamblers (even if they are playing abroad). The Gambling Commission holds a rigorous procedure for each casino that wishes its license. Moreover, UKGC continues to monitor the compliance of a casino to all demands and regulations, even after issuing the license.
Every British gambler has the right to contact UKGC in case an online casino violates the rules of the license. The Gambling Commission always reviews such appeals and often takes the side of a gambler.
Some examples of UKGC sanctions towards UK online casinos:
License Holder | License Type | Decision | Date |
Triplebet Limited | The combined remote betting intermediary, online casino and pool betting | Suspension and financial penalty | 17 February 2020 |
Contagious Sports Limited | Online gambling software, pool betting, online casino, general betting standard | Revocation | 1 October 2019 |
Maxent Limited | Online casino and remotely linked gambling software licence | Revoked | 21 May 2019 |
Triplebet Limited operated in the gambling industry as a betting exchange service. However, in February 2020 its UKGC license was suspended due to accusations in money laundering operations and violation of additional conditions of the license. The company lost not only its license but also was fined £ 739 099.
Contagious Sports Limited lost its UKGC license in October 2019 because it could not provide evidence of the legitimacy of its funding sources. The service provided application development tools for the gambling industry and its representatives.
Maxent Limited owns a lot of prestigious online gambling houses, but it could not keep its UKGC license after the corporate control change in May 2019. The main reason for license revocation was the absence of an adequate fund source evidence.
The updated regulatory sanctions list can be found here.
How to Find Your Perfect UKGC Online Casino
British quality is known all around the world as one of the iconic. I also like to use British goods and services, and online casinos are not an exception from this rule. UKGC license is always considered as a mark of trustworthiness as well.
Now, I am ready to share my extensive gambling experience within a lot of online casinos that hold UKGC license. My rating is updated every week so that you can follow the latest trends without actually studying each of them personally.
Each member of my list has got its place for its own features and merits. I evaluate online casinos personally to deliver the expert level of rating to each gambler.
Although every online casino with a UKGC license is good enough, they are still pretty much different in a lot of aspects. Let me introduce my seven essential criteria for an online casino evaluation.
Feel free yo use my evaluation criteria on your search for the perfect online casino. Alternatively, you can use my list of the best online casinos where you will find only reputable and trustworthy gambling houses:
My Guide for Choosing the Best UKGC Online Casino
My extensive experience in gambling lets me create a universal guide for choosing the best UKGC online casino for your needs. Check out my seven steps to your perfect gambling experience and do not forget to use them for your next search!
Step 1. Analyze the casino`s reputation
The reputation of an online casino does not consist of a license only. However, I regularly check the validity of all UKGC licenses of the casinos in my list so that you do not need to do it on your own (although you can perform such a check by clicking the UKGC logo on the casino`s website).
Moreover, it is always worth paying attention to gaming certificates issued by independent companies like eCOGRA. These certificates show that the gaming software of a specific online casino is licensed.
I also read the testimonials and reviews of the gamblers who have already tried a particular online casino. A reputable gambling house always has good feedback from its players.
The reputation of the casino`s owners is also significant because the gaming industry is a small world where you cannot survive with a sinister past.
One of the perfect examples for a reputable and trustworthy online casino is Mr Green. It has earned love and respect of gamblers since 2008, and its reputation remains clean.
Step 2. Pay attention to the games variety
The first thing you need to pay attention to is the variety of slot machines. A reputable online casino usually has a good variety of classic slots, 3D slots, video slots, progressive jackpot slots, and AWP slots. Video poker is also an obligatory option. All these slots should be presented in a lot of variations, with different designs.
The most popular games that any reliable online casino needs to have are Poker, Roulette, Baccarat and Blackjack. However, good online casinos often extend their game variety with such games as Bingo, Scratch Cards, Craps and so on.
Live tables is another vital feature to mention. The best online casinos can afford live streaming from real gambling houses. Anyway, the game with a real dealer is always much more involving and allows us to feel the genuine casino`s vibe.
Free demos of the most popular games also represent a fantastic option for beginners. You can try your luck and advance your skills without losing any real money with such an opportunity.
Mansion Casino is one of those gambling houses that provide all the great variety of the modern gambling industry with the highest level of service.
Step 3. Define your favourite game provider
Your perfect gambling experience depends on the right gaming provider, as well. Some gamblers have already decided for themselves which software providers they consider the best in the industry; others prefer to keep their gambling experience diverse.
Choosing your favourite game provider is a very private thing, so I can only recommend trying different games from various providers within my website for free. After that, you can make your wise choice.
In my list, you can find an online casino with the widest variety of games from a particular provider. For example, if you are fond of NetEnt games, I recommend visiting Playluck casino, for Microgaming fans — Casimpo, and for Playtech fans — Bucky Bingo.
Step 4. Check out the mobile version
The modern trends dictate online casinos to be mobile-friendly. More and more users prefer to play on the go and use their smartphones and tablets for gambling purposes.
Modern online casinos usually respond with a mobile-optimized version of their website or with a dedicated mobile application. You need to check how responsive the website or the application is, before choosing an online casino to play on your mobile device.
Betsson casino is one of the most well-optimized online gambling houses. You will surely get a stable connection from the side of the casino and the most convenient user interface to enjoy your gambling experience on the go.
Do not forget about your responsibility while driving and do not try to gamble and drive simultaneously.
Step 5. Verify deposit and withdrawal methods
The variety of choice is also essential for deposits and withdrawals within an online casino. According to the latest UKGC regulations, the option of a credit card is no more available. However, there are still lots of other ways to deposit funds and cash out your winnings. PayPal is one of the most convenient among them. Your choice of withdrawal option should correspond to the opportunities of an online casino you prefer to play in.
The speed of withdrawal is another vital feature to mention. Some online casinos can turn the cashout process into torture with a very long waiting time. You will not find such casinos in my list though.
I can recommend Playluck casino as one of the best options for gamblers who appreciate quick withdrawals and convenient deposits within an online casino. Casimpo is also an excellent choice for those who prefer PayPal as the main cashout option, and Betfair casino will satisfy the needs of Neteller users.
Step 6. Consider welcome bonus terms
Welcome bonuses have already become a powerful feature of online casinos. You will never get such generous offers in any brick-and-mortar casino! However, there could be some tricky terms of bonus wagering as well.
Remember, that the most generous bonuses usually hide some impossible wagering terms and conditions. So, it is always worth reading the Terms & Conditions page before depositing your money in pursuit of a great bonus. Alternatively, you can entrust this work to me and choose an online casino from my verified list.
Betsafe Casino is a fantastic example of a gambling house with a sweet welcome bonus without tricky wagering terms: 100% for your first deposit up to £100, and 100 free spins.
Step 7. Evaluate the work of customer support
A trustworthy online casino always offers a reliable customer support service. Polite, friendly, helpful and quick support agents are essential to get the best testimonials from gamblers and good reputation of a casino.
A 24/7 helpdesk is not a luxury but a must-have for a modern online casino. Live chat, email and hotline are the most popular ways to contact the support service. All of them need to work fast and provide gamblers with individual solutions to their issues.
The Online Casino has shown the highest level of customer support with fast and helpful service for its clients.
Modern Trends of the UK Gambling Industry
COVID-10 has changed billions of lives, and the gambling industry has not avoided its influence. Many brick-and-mortar casinos were temporary or forever closed. Their niche could not be empty for long, and online casinos have filled it with the speed of light.
The ban on sports competitions has made the situation even better for online casinos because gamblers from this sector have also come to online gambling houses.
The United Kingdom`s Gambling Commission was forced to apply some new regulations:
- Credit cards can no more be accepted as a payment method for UK casinos (it should prevent people from spending borrowed money on gambling);
- GamStop self-exclusion program expands to all UK casinos (however, you can still find the list of Non-GamStop UK casinos on my website).
New technologies also affect gambling industry dramatically. The mobile-first trend is coming to its full power, and most of the latest online casinos care about their mobile version much more than about their desktop one.
Online gambling industry develops faster with each upcoming year — much more games are created, more game developers start to work exclusively for the industry, and so on.
One thing remains constant though — the leading role of the UK in European and world trends of gambling regulations. It means, that UKGC license will remain one of the most reputable for many years in the future.
Conclusion on UKGC Online Casinos
I have brought you two ways to find your perfect online casino in the UK, and it is for you to decide which one to pick.
The first way is to implement my evaluation criteria and follow my step-by-step guide to find your ideal gambling house on your own. The second once is much more comfortable — pick an online casino from my list of verified gambling houses and enjoy its benefits!
I wish you good luck in your search and your gambling experience!
