Guide to Find the Best UKGC Casinos

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission was established in 2007 under the Gambling Act of 2005. Based in Birmingham and sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport, the UKGC's objective is to regulate the gambling industry by ensuring a fair, safe, and crime-free gaming environment. To achieve this goal, they provide a regulatory framework that guarantees the well-being of the consumer and protects children and vulnerable adults. The UKGC offers three types of licenses, the Operating Licence, the Personal Management Licence, and the Personal Functional Licence.

Find License Proof. The first step you need to take before committing to an online casino is to check for something that validates their legitimacy. The most common way to do this is by checking if they have a license. Owning a license means that an online casino responds to an established legal framework, something that ensures their legitimacy and raises confidence in the player. To check if a casino is licensed usually you don't have to look for long, most casinos are proud to be licensed and show the logos of the different authorities that regulate them. If they don't display the logos, they might write their license number in the footnotes at the bottom of the page.

Check Gaming Software. Be sure that the casino you're inclined to choose offers a vast array of games from renown game developers. This will not only ensure you have fun but also that you're treated fairly.

Make Safe Payments. Any respectable online casino would offer you several safe payment methods for you to choose from. Furthermore, they must possess the means and technologies to ensure that your money is safe.

Look for Big Bonuses. With dozens of high-quality, top-rated online casinos, choosing the right one for you might be difficult. Sometimes the deciding factor are the extra features offered like loyalty programs, VIP programs, promotions, or bonuses. Look for online casinos that offer you something extra for your money and that don't impose a ton of restrictions on said extra features.

TST Mobile. Game developers and casino providers have, for some time now, dedicated themselves to provide a great mobile experience. Any modern online casino must provide the same experience on mobile and in desktop.

Read Terms. The first time you sign up on any online casino, you immediately agree to their terms and conditions. These terms will rule everything you do inside that casino including betting, withdrawals, deposits, etc. Is wise to familiarize yourself with these T&Cs before committing to an online casino, to avoid future problems.

Contact Support. Everyone would love that life was perfect, and that everything went according to plan. Sadly, that is not the truth. Running into some sort of trouble is a question of time. When it happens, you'll be glad that the casino you chose offers a great customer support. The main aspect that dictates whether a customer support is good or not is their availability. A good customer support will offer you 24/7/365 service and several ways of reaching out to them like mail, Skype, phone number, etc.

United Kingdom Gambling Commission License Overview

The UKGC process to get a license starts at their self-serve online portal on their website. Here, an online casino must apply for a "new operating licence". Here, the online casino must fill in several forms in order to complete their application. Once submitted, the application can take around 16 weeks to process. Some requirements needed are the following.

• Operator identity documents. I.e. Certificate of incorporation, constitution, trust documents, partnership agreement, share certificates, etc.
• Policy documents. I.e. Customer T&Cs, rules of play, copies of gambling licenses from other jurisdictions, gambling software supply details, etc.
• Financial documents. I.e. Business plan, proof of funding, credit report, profit & loss projection for the next 3 years, a list of individuals compensated over £200k, etc.
• Key people. I.e. Personal management license application, a personal declaration form and supporting documents from each person who holds 10% or more shares in the applicant.
• Criminal record checks.

Meet the Types of UKGC License

The UKGC offers three types of licenses.

1. Operating Licence: Aimed at businesses there are several operating licence available including Arcades, Betting, Bingo, Casino, Gambling Software, Gaming Machines, and Lotteries.
2. Personal Management Licence: Aimed at people that perform an assortment of activities at licensed gambling operators like financial planning, overall strategy and planning of gambling operation, gambling related IT and security, etc.
3. Personal Functional Licence: Aimed at people involved in gaming or handling cash in relation to gambling at a casino like dealers, cashiers, inspectors, gaming supervisors, etc.

Check License Reliability and Protection

Casinos are not only for fun; they are also a way to earn money and for people to materialize their dreams. For this reason, is paramount that an online casino is reliable and secure. To ensure this, check that they provide their latest security technologies like SSL encryption, and that they provide you with several payment methods to choose from. Also, and we can't stress this enough, read their T&Cs to ensure that you know what you're getting into. You can also check out the ratings and reviews of several online casinos we've made to guarantee you make the best decision.

In addition, be sure that the online casino that has caught your eye is regulated by a renowned association like the UKGC. Furthermore, you can also rely on gaming certs. Gaming certs are varied, each focusing on a different aspect of gambling. For example, the eCOGRA ensures that online casinos are fair and care for the player. You must also check the games and game providers offered, consider that not all games offer a good RTP (return to player) rate or use RNG (random number generator). Be on the lookout for casinos that have prestigious providers on their libraries.

United Kingdom Gambling Commission FAQ

Can I trust UKGC Licensed Casinos?

UKGC is very strict and trustworthy, is natural that the casinos they regulate are worthy of your trust. However, some online casinos have T&C that, though legal, may not be beneficial to you. That's why is so important to read those terms, and to learn the inner workings of your preferred online casino.

How Do I Know That a Casino is Regulated by the UKGC?

Is common that a casino showcases the authorities that regulate them, kind of like a batch of honor. Sometimes they just place their license number in the footnotes at the button of their webpage or in their T&Cs. If you can't find it anywhere or you can't verify their license number at UKGC's website, it might not be a good sign, and you might want to start looking for a new casino.

How Can I Send a Complaint to the UKGC About a Licensed Casino?

The UKGC has a dedicated webpage to assist you if you have a complaint about a gambling business. In general, the first step would be to try to sort the issue directly with the online casino. If you're not happy you can use resolver.co.uk the UKGC will look at the problem and communicate you their decision. If this doesn't work, you can try with an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider.