Remote betting is betting placed by remote communication, which in practice means on a website, in an app or by phone. A business that takes bets from people in Great Britain this way needs an operating licence from the UK Gambling Commission. On the public register the licence appears as one or more betting activities, and the names are worth understanding because they decide what the operator may do.
The betting activities on the register
Four betting activities appear among the twelve operators on this site's licensed casinos list. The counts below come from the register as read on 9 November 2026.
| Activity on the register | Operators in our data | Plain meaning |
|---|---|---|
| General Betting Standard, Real Event | 8 | Bets on real sporting or other events |
| General Betting Standard, Virtual Event | 8 | Bets on computer-generated events |
| Pool Betting | 3 | Stakes pooled, winnings paid from the pool |
| Betting Intermediary | 1 | Arranging bets between customers |
General Betting Standard, real event
This is the most familiar form of betting. The operator sets odds on a real event, such as a football match, a horse race or a tennis tournament, and the customer places a stake. If the bet wins, the operator pays out at the odds. The label Standard is the Act's name for this general category. Eight of the twelve operators show the real event activity, with start dates that range from 1 November 2014 to 2025.
General Betting Standard, virtual event
A virtual event is one generated by a computer, such as a simulated race or match. The customer bets on the simulated outcome, and software determines the result. The register keeps it separate from the real event activity, which means an operator can be licensed for one and not the other. The start dates for this activity are often later than those for real events, which fits operators adding it after the first licence. For example, one operator in our data shows a virtual event start date of 2020 against a real event date of 2014, and another shows 2026 for virtual events only.
Pool betting
In pool betting, customers' stakes go into a shared pool. After the operator takes its share, the remainder is divided among the winners. The winnings depend on how much was staked and how many people won, not on fixed odds. Three operators in our data hold this activity.
Betting intermediary
An intermediary arranges a bet between two parties instead of taking it as the counterparty. A betting exchange, where customers back and lay against each other, is the standard example. One operator in our data holds this activity, shown with the same start date as its other licences.
Who needs a betting licence
A business that provides facilities for betting to people in Great Britain by remote means needs a licence, wherever it is based. Section 33 of the Gambling Act 2005 makes it an offence to provide gambling facilities without one, and section 36 applies that rule to remote gambling used in Great Britain. The player does not commit an offence by betting with an unlicensed operator, since the offence sits with the operator, but the player loses the protections the licence brings.
Those protections include GAMSTOP, which every licensee must join, the Commission complaint route, affordability checks and the approved dispute services. Our GAMSTOP page explains the exclusion scheme.
Betting and casino on the same entry
Many operators hold a casino activity and betting activities together, as the table on the licence types page shows. A combined entry means the same legal entity runs both products, though the brand names can differ. The page for Betway Limited, for example, restates what the register shows for that holder's casino and betting activities. When you check a brand, look at the activity list rather than assuming the entry covers every product the brand sells. A brand that sells sports betting needs a betting activity, not just the casino one.
Reading the status
Active means the licence is in force. Pending means an application or variation is not yet active. Suspended means the Commission has stopped the activity pending investigation. Revoked, Surrendered, Lapsed, Expired and Forfeited mean the licence is no longer working. Because each activity has its own start date and the status applies to the licence, check both the status line and the activity list.
To check for yourself, search the Commission's register by account number, business name, trading name or domain name. Our guide to checking a UKGC licence shows the steps. For the casino side, see the remote casino page.
Gambling help
Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. If betting is taking up more of your time or money than you want, the GamCare National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133, 24 hours a day, and GamCare has more support. You can exclude yourself from licensed betting sites through GAMSTOP, and BeGambleAware has further guidance.