UK Gambling Commission

The UK Gambling Commission issued highly-valued licenses to online casinos across Europe and the world and collaborates with the authorities to prevent illegal gambling and organized crime.

The UK Gambling Commission replaced the previous Gaming Board for Great Britain in 2007 and is supervising and regulating the National Lottery since 2013. It’s one of the most-respected governing bodies for online gambling, working under strict laws and regulations casinos must adhere to if they want to get the most powerful license in the industry.

What does the UK Gambling Commission deal with?

The UK Gambling Commission’s motto is “Keeping gambling fair and safe for all”, and it perfectly describes its actions. The body prevents gambling from being a source of crime while ensuring it is conducted in a safe and fair way. It also prevents underage gambling and protects vulnerable persons from gambling exploitation.

With more than 2,500 operators in an ever-growing and changing industry, focusing on all problems at once is impossible. In order to make sure all gambling activities are safe, the UK Gambling Commission prioritizes problems so it can reduce the risk by recognizing the scale of the threat and the risk it poses. At the same time, the Commission is developing new regulatory requirements with relevant authorities as a way of neutralizing potential risks.

On the other hand, the UK Gambling Commission doesn’t resolve consumer complaints nor does it give legal advice except for general information about the Gambling Act and its goals. The Commission issues gambling licenses but doesn’t issue premises licenses, which are issued by other licensing authorities.

Application Process

Any potential gaming operators can apply for a UK Gambling Commission license through a simple online portal which contains all the documents and general information about the license. Aptly named eServices, the self-serve portal offers 3 different services – for licensed gambling services, business or personal license, and eServices for personal license holders.

The whole process takes about 16 weeks to complete in case the operator provides all the information the Commission needs. Once the application is submitted, the UK Gambling Commission will start its screening process. It will verify the identity and ownership of the business, conduct a full review of its finances, integrity, and competence, and also do a background criminal activity check. It will also make sure that the policies adhere to its strict licensing objectives.

As the Commission issues licenses to UK-based operators, all remote operators must provide a correspondence address on UK soil.

Once issued, the license lasts indefinitely unless it is revoked, suspended, surrendered or forfeited. There is an annual fee involved which must be settled 30 days after the license has been issued. In case the application is refused, gaming operators can write an appeal to the HM Courts & Tribunals Service.