Affordability checks are the checks a UK licensed gambling operator makes to see whether a customer's spending looks sustainable and whether the money comes from a legitimate source. They sit between two sets of duties: protecting customers from harm, and preventing money laundering. This page explains what the Commission has said publicly about them, using its own published cases, and what a player can reasonably expect.
What the checks are for
Two aims drive them. The first is social responsibility: noticing signs that a customer's gambling may be harming them, and acting early. The second is anti-money laundering: making sure that large sums moving through a gambling account come from a legitimate source. A licensed operator has to run controls for both, and the Commission can take regulatory action when the controls do not work in practice.
It is useful to separate three kinds of check, even though operators may combine them.
- Identity and age. Confirming who the customer is and that they are old enough to gamble. See the age 18 plus page.
- Financial vulnerability. A light touch check, triggered when a customer reaches a set threshold, to see whether there are signs that spending could be harmful.
- Source of funds. A fuller question about where large deposits come from, linked to the anti-money laundering rules.
What the Commission has said
The Commission's published cases are the clearest guide to what it expects. Two are on its news list and are summarised here from its own statements.
In August 2026 QuinnBet (Gibraltar) Limited agreed a £609,104 settlement. The Commission found social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures. Among them, the operator did not make sure every customer who met the relevant threshold underwent a light touch financial vulnerability check. It also did not establish source of funds for some customers who deposited significant sums. The statement gives an example of a customer whose payslips showed monthly earnings of about £2,000 but who deposited and lost £9,000 in four days. Read more under UKGC fines and sanctions and on the QuinnBet page.
In October 2026 three land-based casino operators agreed to pay £5 million. The Commission said the failures included not carrying out enhanced customer due diligence when the operators' own policies required it, and not having safer gambling interactions with customers who had lost large sums.
The lesson from both is that a check has to be done when a policy says so, and that it has to be effective, not a formality.
Why you may be asked for documents
A licensed operator may ask for proof of identity, proof of address, payslips, bank statements or an explanation of where funds come from. A request is not an accusation. It is part of the operator's duty to know its customer, and the Commission has made clear that it expects operators to respond to indicators of harm and financial crime quickly.
Practical points for a player:
- Ask the operator what the request is for and what it will do with the documents.
- Send only what is asked for, through the secure route the operator gives you.
- Keep a record of what you sent and when.
- If you are unhappy with how your data is handled, the Information Commissioner's Office explains your rights.
Exact thresholds
The amounts that trigger each check are set in the Commission's requirements and in each operator's terms. They can be updated, so this page does not quote a figure. The Commission's website and the operator's published policy are the primary sources.
Checks and withdrawals
Checks that run before a withdrawal can slow it down. The Commission has also acted where licensed operators unnecessarily delayed customers' withdrawals: in October 2026 L & L Europe Limited agreed a £900,000 settlement for failures that included such delays. A check that has a reason is part of the rules. A delay with no reason is a regulatory concern, and the trust and safety page explains where a complaint can go.
Outside the UK system
A casino with no UKGC licence is not required to follow these checks, which is why some people search for casinos with no deposit limits or no verification. These sites may still ask for documents, but under their own rules and their own regulator, if they have one. Playing there is not an offence for the player, since the Gambling Act 2005 section 33 offence is the operator's, and a UK player still loses the self-exclusion check through GAMSTOP, the UKGC complaint route and ADR, the stake limits and the affordability checks. Our page on casinos with no deposit limits describes that side as information only.
Gambling help
Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. If your spending feels out of control, speak to the GamCare National Gambling Helpline, free on 0808 8020 133 at any hour, or find more at GamCare. GAMSTOP can block your online accounts, and BeGambleAware has a spend calculator.