How to Check a Casino Is UKGC Licensed (Step by Step)

The short answer: three checks, one official source

A casino is UKGC licensed only if the Gambling Commission's own public register of gambling businesses shows an active remote casino licence for the company running the site, and lists the site's domain under that company. The logo in a footer proves nothing on its own. The register is the only record that counts.

The check has three parts: read the licence statement on the casino's site, open the company's record on the register, then confirm the status, the licensed activity and the domain. Done properly it takes a few minutes, and it is worth repeating on any site you have not used for a while, because a licence can change status overnight.

The register is bigger than most players expect. The Commission's business register held 2,640 records when it was last updated on 25 September 2026. In the licence data published the same day, 138 accounts held an active remote casino licence, which is the licence an online casino needs. Many of those companies run several brands, so the number of casino websites is far higher than the number of licensees.

Step 1: find the licence statement and account number

Every licensed online casino must show a statement that it is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission, its account number and a link to its record on the register. Licence condition 8.1.1 requires this on every screen from which you can reach gambling, so the footer of the lobby and each game page should carry it.

The wording is fixed by the Commission's technical requirements for displaying licensed status. It should read along the lines of: (Company name) is licensed and regulated in Great Britain by the Gambling Commission under account number (number). The company name must match the name on the register, not just the brand name on the homepage.

The account number is not the full licence number. A licence number looks like 000-012345-N-987654-001; the account number is the first block of six digits with the leading zeros removed, so 12345 in that example. A real licence number in the register looks like 000422-R-336567-002, where the R marks a remote licence and N a non-remote one.

The account number in the statement should be a link, and the Commission says it must go to the operator's own record, not to the register's home page. A statement that links nowhere, links to the register's search page or quotes a number the register cannot find is a reason to stop and check further before depositing.

Step 2: search the register yourself

Clicking the footer link is a start, but typing the search yourself is safer, because a link on a website is only as honest as the website. The register search accepts a business name, trading name, domain name or account number, and each company record lives at a predictable address: gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register/business/detail/ followed by the account number.

Each record has five tabs: licence summary, trading names, domain names, premises and regulatory actions. The head office address and legal account name sit at the top. Compare the account name with the company named in the casino's footer and terms and conditions; a mismatch is a warning sign even if both names look plausible.

If the casino says it is licensed but the register has no match for its name, domain or number, treat it as unlicensed. The Commission's advice to players is simply to check the register before gambling, because a licence is what brings the business under Great Britain's consumer protection and gambling protection rules.

Step 3: read the status and the licensed activity

The status tag matters more than the fact that a record exists. The statuses you will meet in the Commission's licence data include Active, Pending, Lapsed, Surrendered, Suspended, Revoked, and Revoked for non-payment of fee. Only Active means the business can currently offer that activity. Surrendered means the business gave the licence up; Revoked means the Commission took it away.

Check the activity as well as the status. An online casino needs a Remote licence with a Casino activity. A company can hold an active non-remote licence for betting shops or venues while holding no valid online casino licence at all, and the register lists each licence and activity on its own row.

A live example shows why this matters. On 21 September 2026 the Commission suspended the remote operating licence of Targetlocal Ltd, which trades as Ken Howell's Sports Betting, over anti-money laundering failings found during its enquiries. The record for account 422 now shows the remote casino and remote betting activities as Suspended, while the company's non-remote betting licence, dating from 2009, still shows Active.

The same company's domain, kenhowells.com, was still listed as Active in the register's domain file on 25 September 2026. An Active domain tag alone does not tell you the licence behind it is usable. The Commission said customers keep access to their accounts and can withdraw during the suspension, and should contact the business through its website for updates.

Step 4: match the domain and understand white labels

Open the domain names tab and look for the exact web address you are using. Domains carry one of three tags: Active, Inactive or White Label. In the register's domain file on 25 September 2026, 1,064 domains were tagged Active, 803 Inactive and 360 White Label.

A white label is a casino brand run on another company's licence. The brand may belong to a marketing partner, but the licence holder is the business you are legally dealing with. In its compliance report on white label partnerships, the Commission states that responsibility for compliance always sits with the licence holder, which must keep a single view of each customer across all its white label domains.

In practice, a white label casino is as licensed as any other brand on that account, but your complaint, your self-exclusion and your verification checks all run through the licence holder. That company's name, not the brand, is the one to search for if you have a dispute, and it is often the same company behind several sister sites. Our A to Z of UKGC licensed casino companies lists the companies authorised for remote casino activity, with each company page showing its licence and trading names.

Step 5: look at regulatory actions

The last tab on each record lists regulatory actions, and the Commission also publishes a separate register of public statements after enforcement action. A past penalty does not make a casino unlicensed, but it shows what went wrong, whether it involved safer gambling or anti-money laundering failings, and how recently.

Read the dates and the detail rather than the headline figure. A settlement from years ago followed by clean records is different from repeated action on the same issue. For new brands, a short trading history is normal, so the licence holder's record across its other sites is usually the better guide.

What an active UKGC licence gives you in 2026

A licence brings a fixed set of rules that unlicensed sites do not follow. These are the protections that apply to online casinos licensed in Great Britain now:

ID before play: since 7 May 2019 online operators must verify your name, address and date of birth before you gamble. Under the Commission's age and ID guidance, a casino cannot demand ID as a condition of withdrawal if it could have asked earlier.
No credit cards: gambling with a credit card has been banned since 14 April 2020.
GAMSTOP: every licensed online operator has had to take part in the national online self-exclusion scheme since 31 March 2020, so one GAMSTOP Online registration blocks every licensed site.
Deposit limits: since 31 October 2025 you must be prompted to set a limit before your first deposit. Requests to lower a limit must be actioned straight away; increases need a cooling-off period of at least 24 hours and your confirmation. From 30 June 2026 only a cap on money paid in over a set period may be called a deposit limit.
Slot stakes: £5 per spin for players aged 25 and over from 9 April 2025, and £2 for players aged 18 to 24 from 21 May 2025.
Slot design: since 31 October 2021 no autoplay, no turbo or slam stop, a minimum of 2.5 seconds per spin, and no celebrating a return that is equal to or below your stake.
Bonuses: since 19 January 2026 wagering requirements are capped at 10 times, and a single offer cannot require you to use two types of gambling, such as betting and slots.

Two further rules help when something goes wrong. If a complaint about a gambling transaction is not resolved within 8 weeks, you can take it to a free, independent Alternative Dispute Resolution provider. And every operator must state in its terms whether your balance is not protected, has medium protection or has high protection if the business becomes insolvent; there is no legal duty to protect it, so read that line before you leave money in an account.

Warning signs that a casino is not licensed

The clearest sign is a casino that lets you play without checking your age and identity. In research published in September 2025, the Commission rated missing age and ID checks as a near certain indicator of an unlicensed site, because licensed operators must verify before play.

Other strong signals from the same research are sites that let GAMSTOP-registered players gamble, sites you can only reach through a VPN, and sites taking cryptocurrency deposits. Weaker or supporting signs include accepting credit cards, pricing in a currency other than pounds and making it hard to close an account. Any site marketed as "not on GAMSTOP" is, by definition, not a licensed British operator, because every licensee must be part of the scheme.

Familiar games are not proof of a licence. In January 2025 the Commission warned that games from licensed suppliers were appearing on illegal websites through third-party resellers. A lobby full of well-known slots tells you nothing about who holds your money.

Where to go next

If you would rather start from a checked list, our new UKGC casinos for 2026 page tracks new licensed brands as they launch this year, and our UKGC licensed casino reviews match each brand to its register entry and licence holder so you can repeat the check yourself.

If gambling has stopped being fun, the free National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is open 24 hours a day, every day, and is run by GamCare for England and Scotland. GAMSTOP Online is free and blocks every licensed gambling website and app for the period you choose. Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over, and it should never be treated as a way to make money.

Sources

FAQs

How do I check if a casino is UKGC licensed?

Search the Gambling Commission public register for the casino's company name, domain or account number. The record should show an active Remote licence with a Casino activity, and the domain you are using should appear on the domain names tab. The licence statement in the casino's footer gives you the account number to search, but always confirm it on the register itself.

What does a UKGC licence number look like?

A full licence number looks like 000-012345-N-987654-001, with R for remote or N for non-remote in the middle. Casinos display the account number instead, which is the first block of six digits without leading zeros, so 12345 in that example. The statement should link straight to the operator's own record on the register.

Are casinos not on GAMSTOP licensed in the UK?

No. Every online gambling business licensed by the Gambling Commission has had to take part in GAMSTOP since 31 March 2020, so a site that advertises itself as not on GAMSTOP cannot be a licensed British operator. The Commission also treats sites that let self-excluded players gamble as a strong sign of an illegal operator.

What happens to my money if a casino's licence is suspended?

The operator must stop offering the suspended activity but still has to treat customers fairly. When the Commission suspended Targetlocal Ltd's remote licence in September 2026, it said customers kept access to their accounts and could withdraw funds. Check the customer funds rating in the terms to see how your balance is protected if the business becomes insolvent.

What is a white label casino?

A white label casino is a brand that runs on another company's Gambling Commission licence. The register tags these domains as White Label under the licence holder's account. The licence holder stays responsible for compliance, so complaints, identity checks and self-exclusion all run through that company, which is the name to search for if you have a dispute.

Who do I complain to if a licensed casino will not pay out?

Start with the casino's own complaints procedure. If a dispute about a gambling transaction is not resolved within 8 weeks, you can take it to an Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, which is free and independent. ADR providers do not handle general customer service complaints or a refusal to take your bet.

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive; set limits and never chase losses. Free, confidential support: BeGambleAware.

How to Check a Casino Is UKGC Licensed: A Step-by-Step Register Check