Why it matters
Only companies licensed by the Gambling Commission may offer online gambling to people in Great Britain. A licence comes with rules on age checks, fair terms, safer gambling tools and how your money is protected. A site without one owes you none of that, and advertising it in Britain is a criminal offence.
Step 1: find the licensee
Scroll to the very bottom of the gambling site. A licensed operator names the company that holds its licence, which is often different from the brand name, and gives its Commission account number. The company may be registered in Gibraltar, Malta or elsewhere; what matters is that the licence comes from the Gambling Commission.
Step 2: search the register
Open the public register (opens in a new tab) and search by the account number or the company name. On every listing in this atlas the register link takes you straight to the entry.
Step 3: read the entry
Three things to look at:
- Status. It should read Active. Suspended, surrendered or revoked means stop.
- Activities. The licence should cover what the site offers: remote betting for a sportsbook, remote casino for casino games, remote bingo for bingo.
- Trading names and domains. The website address you are on should be listed under the licensee. A familiar brand on an unfamiliar address is a warning sign.
What a licence does not promise
A licence means the operator is regulated, not that you will come out ahead. Gambling always costs more than it pays back over time; set a budget you can afford to lose and a limit in your account before you play.