A licensed casino and an unlicensed one can look the same on screen. Both have game lobbies, payment pages and a licence statement in the footer. The difference is a legal permission, and it can be checked in minutes on a public register. This page explains how to tell a UK licensed site from an unlicensed one, what you gain and lose either way, and where a UK player can take a complaint.
What a UKGC licence means
An operator that provides remote gambling to people in Great Britain needs a licence from the Gambling Commission, whatever country it is based in. The Gambling Act 2005 sets this out in section 33 (providing unlicensed gambling) and section 36 (remote gambling used in Great Britain). The licence comes with conditions: GAMSTOP, stake limits on slots, wagering rules, age and affordability checks, and a complaints procedure with an approved ADR provider.
A licence does not guarantee good service, and no site should be described as safe from the register alone. It shows that the company is regulated, that its conduct is on the record, and that a UK player has a route when something goes wrong.
How to tell a licensed site from an unlicensed one
Follow these steps, which take a couple of minutes:
- Find the company name and domain in the site's terms and footer.
- Search the Gambling Commission's public register by domain name, business name, trading name or account number.
- Check that the domain appears against a licence holder, and that the status is Active.
- Compare the company in the terms with the register entry, and the activities (casino, betting, bingo) with what the site provides.
- Read the sanctions history. A past action is a matter of record, not a verdict on today.
The check a UKGC licence guide walks through each step with the register's status values. If the domain is not on the register, the site is not licensed for Great Britain, even when it displays a licence from another country.
Signs that a site is unlicensed
None of these alone proves anything, but together they point one way:
- The domain is not listed on the Commission's register.
- The footer shows a foreign regulator only, or a licence number that does not match the register entry.
- The site does not mention GAMSTOP and does not ask for age or identity in the usual way.
- The terms name a company that does not appear on the register.
- Complaints go to a contact form, with no named ADR provider.
The Commission counted 586 illegal gambling sites reachable from Great Britain in September 2026, so the unlicensed side is large. Our pages on licence countries explain what foreign licences do and do not mean.
What you lose at an unlicensed site
These sites hold no UKGC licence and are not covered by GAMSTOP. A UK player loses the GAMSTOP self-exclusion check, the UKGC complaint route and ADR, the stake and wagering rules, the affordability checks and the disclosure on how customer funds are protected. Playing at one is not an offence for the player, but each protection is missing. The GAMSTOP page and the stake limits page describe what the UK rules provide.
Where complaints go
The route differs by case. Follow it in order.
- The operator. A licensed operator must have a complaints procedure. Make the complaint in writing, say what you want, and keep copies.
- An ADR provider. If the operator does not resolve it, a licensed operator names an approved alternative dispute resolution provider in its terms. That provider reviews the dispute independently.
- The Gambling Commission. The Commission does not resolve individual complaints about operators. Its feedback form says it will not reply to complaints. Its contact page explains how to report a concern, which can inform its work on licensees.
- The Financial Ombudsman Service. For the banking side, such as a card payment or transfer, complain to your bank first. If that does not resolve it, the Financial Ombudsman Service deals with complaints about financial firms. The Financial Conduct Authority regulates them.
At an unlicensed site, steps 2 and 3 do not exist. The operator's own terms and its own regulator, if any, are all that remains.
Protecting yourself on any site
Whether a site is licensed or not, a few habits help:
- Set deposit limits before you play, and use the tools the operator provides.
- Do not share identity documents until you have checked who is asking.
- Keep screenshots of terms and of any disputed transaction.
- Use GAMSTOP and the options on the other self-exclusion page if you need a firmer block.
The help lines page lists support for anyone who is worried about their own gambling or someone else's.
Gambling help
Gambling is for adults aged 18 and over. If it is causing you harm, the GamCare National Gambling Helpline is free on 0808 8020 133 and open 24 hours, with more at GamCare. You can block online accounts through GAMSTOP, and BeGambleAware has tools and advice.