By Why a Gambling Commission licence check matters
A Gambling Commission licence check is worth doing because a licence is what separates a UK regulated casino from an offshore one. It means the operator has passed the Commission's checks, has to verify your identity, must use tested games and offer safer gambling tools, takes part in GamStop and gives you access to an independent dispute service. Without it, none of that applies, and nobody in the UK can make the site pay you.
Most licensed casinos make the check easy. Unlicensed sites, on the other hand, sometimes copy the wording of a UK licence statement or show a logo that looks official. A two-minute Gambling Commission licence check tells you which kind of site you are on.
Step 1: Find the licence statement and account number
Scroll to the bottom of the casino's homepage. A licensed casino will say that it is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission and give an account number. The statement usually names the company that holds the licence, and the number often links straight to the register.
If there is no such statement, or the site names only another regulator, such as Curaçao or Anjouan, it is not licensed for players in Great Britain. A licence from Malta, Gibraltar or the Isle of Man is not enough on its own either. Since 2014, every operator serving British players also needs a Commission licence.
Step 2: Search the Gambling Commission public register
Go to the Gambling Commission website and open the public register of licensed businesses. Type the account number into the search box. Searching by number is more reliable than searching by brand, because one company can run dozens of brands and the brand you know may not be the licence holder's name.
Always open the register from the Commission's own website rather than from a link on the casino's site. A fake link can lead to a page that looks like the register but sits on another domain.
Step 3: Read the register entry correctly
The entry on the UK Gambling Commission register has several sections. Three of them matter for a player.
Status. The licence should be active. Suspended, surrendered, revoked or lapsed licences are red flags, and you should not deposit with an operator whose licence is not active.
Licensed activities. For an online casino, look for a remote casino licence. Remote betting covers sports betting, and remote bingo covers online bingo. A company licensed only for betting is not licensed to run a casino.
Domain names and trading names. This is the step most people skip. The register lists the websites the licence holder trades on. The exact domain you are visiting should appear there. If the account number is real but the domain is not on the list, you may be on a copycat site using someone else's number.
White label casinos and sister sites
Many UK casinos are white labels: a brand run on another company's platform and licence. When you check one, the register will show the platform company, not the brand name you know. That is legitimate, as long as the brand's domain is listed under that licence.
The register also shows every other brand on the same licence. Those are the casino's sister sites, which usually share the same games, cashier and terms. Our casino sister sites pages are built from that list. Of the 660 casino brands on the register, 307 are run as white labels.
Signs of a fake or borrowed licence
- The licence logo does not link anywhere, or links to a copy of the register on another domain.
- The account number exists but belongs to a different company, with no matching domain.
- The site accepts credit cards for gambling, which has been banned for licensed operators since April 2020.
- The site promotes itself as "not on GamStop", which no licensed operator can be.
- The site lets you play without any age or identity check.
Check the operator's record too
A licence tells you the operator is allowed to trade, not that it has a spotless record. When the Commission fines an operator or reaches a regulatory settlement, it publishes a public statement about the case. Searching the operator's name with "Gambling Commission" will usually find them. The register entry may also list regulatory actions, but we have found that list is not always complete, so the public statements are the better source. Our reviews report every fine and settlement we find and reflect larger ones in the licence and safety score, as our scoring page explains.
Check a gambling licence for any other site
The same steps work for every kind of gambling site, not just casinos. You can check a gambling licence for a bookmaker, a bingo site, a poker room or a lottery the same way: find the account number, search the register, and read the status, the licensed activities and the domain names. The activity names change, such as remote betting for a sports book or remote bingo for a bingo site, but the logic does not.
It also works in reverse. If you want to see every brand a company runs, open its register entry and read the list of trading names and domains. That is the most reliable way to find the licensed gambling operators in the UK behind a brand you already use, and to see which other sites share their terms and cashier. If a site you are about to join does not appear anywhere on the register, stop there.
What does the Gambling Commission do?
The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain. It licenses operators and some individuals who work for them, sets the conditions they must follow, checks compliance and takes action when rules are broken, from warnings to fines and licence suspensions. It also oversees the National Lottery. It does not settle individual complaints between players and casinos. Those go to the casino first, and then to an approved dispute service if they are not resolved within eight weeks.
How we use the register
Every casino on our site has been matched to its entry on the public register, and every review links to it so you can check for yourself. Our list of licensed UK casinos shows all 660 casino brands with their operator and account number, from 96 licensed operators. Our copy of the register was last checked on 21 October 2026. The register for betting sites and bingo sites works the same way, and our betting and bingo lists are built from it too.
UK gambling licence check: FAQ
Where is the licence number on a casino site?
Usually in the footer, in a sentence such as "licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission under account number 12345". It often links to the register entry.
Why does the licence show a different company name?
Many casinos run on a white label platform, so the licence belongs to the platform operator rather than the brand. That is legitimate as long as the brand's domain is listed under the licence.
What if the licence is suspended?
Do not deposit. A suspended or revoked licence means the operator may not offer gambling in Great Britain.
Can I check a betting or bingo site the same way?
Yes. The register covers every licensed gambling business. Look for remote betting or remote bingo in the licensed activities instead of remote casino.
Does a licence mean a casino has never been fined?
No. Licensed operators can be fined or reach settlements with the regulator. Those outcomes are published by the Commission, and we report them in our reviews.