UKGC

UNITED KINGDOM flag UK Gambling Commission
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Gambling Commission, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP +44 121 230 6666 info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission was established to control remote gambling. As from the 1st of November 2014, online casino brands that offer their service to UK players must apply for a gambling licence through UKGC. Having a gambling license in other jurisdictions will not suffice, in fact Operators that submit their application with UKGC still need to supply all the documentation and pass through a compliance audit. Applicants must show their integrity, financial standing, competence in providing a safe and secure environment for players. Different product such as sports betting, casino, bingo, poker and lottery requires a different gambling license.

UKGC General Rules

On the 7th of May 2019, the UK Gambling Commission have applied the Player Verification Rule that makes it mandatory for an online casino operator to verify the player identity (Full Name, Age and Address) before accepting any real money bets. Any UK facing website that offers demo play is also obliged to verify the age of the end user before allowing any demo rounds to be played. The reason behind UKGC’s decision have been made very clear to the operators and it is also understandable. The UK gambling commission wants to ensure that people placing bets on gambling website are adults, to safeguard the minors. It is also important that the player is not listed as self excluded which can be related to gambling addiction, bankruptcy or other reasons that can cause harm to the end user. They are also tightening the belt on age verification to avoid criminals washing their money through gambling websites.

There are also many good reasons why a player should verify the identity before playing at any casino. Players will be able to withdraw their winnings faster since their account would be already verified before they started gambling. So look at the positive sides to this new Player Verification Rule!

We highly recommend our visitors to play on casinos that are fully licenced within their jurisdiction, especially when gambling with real money. If an online casino brand was granted a gambling licence within the respective market, it is obliged to pay any winnings in a timely fashion. We have seen many improvements on player safety and player protection from the UK gambling commission and it seems that many other gambling authorities are following their footsteps.

How much is the remote gambling tax in the United Kingdom?

From the 1st of October 2019, the remote gambling duty rate, which is the tax rate on profit has been increased from 15% to 21%. Click here to read the official press release!

When is the UKGC banning transactions with Credit Cards and why?

On the 14th of January 2020, the UK Gambling Commission introduced a ban on deposits via credit card, The ban will be into effect from the 14th of April 2020. The Chief Executive of the UKGC Neil McArthur stated that this ban will be introduced to protect people with gambling problems, that makes use of credit on their card, which sometimes leads to extensive financial debts.  He also stated that, he understands the inconvenience that can cause to players that play in a responsible manner and that this ban will be reviewed in due time.

UKGC has been working closely with GAMSTOP to maximise player protection and prevent self-excluded players from participating in any gambling activities. At present, players are able to self-exclude themselves on an operator level, but are still able to join and play on other gambling platforms. From the 31st of March 2020, operators are required to block self-excluded players, that close their account due to gambling problems on a global level within the UK market. It is a must for all operators licenced by the UKGC to comply with the new self-exclusion measures. The new self exclusion system will be implemented on Instant Win Games offered by lotteries will also be blocked for consumers who chose to self-exclude.

Only low risk games such as draw-based games like the Lotto and EuroMillions will still be available. The opportunity to self-exclude from draw based games is available through individual lottery operators.

This type of self exclusion has already been implemented by the Swedish Gambling Authority.

UKGC Advertisement Restrictions

On the 17th of January 2020, the UK Gambling commission issued a warning to several casino operators that were offering video slots with ‘feature buy-in’ that allows players to enter the bonus game or free spin rounds buy staking a substantial higher amount than the original stake. As a matter of fact, we have reviewed several online slots with such feature.

From the 1st of October 2022, gambling operators will not be permitted to advertise popular sports figures, such as footballers, boxers or any other celebrities that may be appealing for youngsters. This will be quite a drastic change for operators that are currently sponsoring football clubs or football players through their bramds. This decision was taken to protect undereage people from getting interested in betting or to gamle on their favourite teams or players.

Advertisment with Esport players, famous gamers or reality show celebrities has also been banned. This means that any banners or imagery will have to be removed or replaced on any channel of advertisment, which will be quite a challenge for the operators that are currently investing and putting their marketing efforts through these well known figures.

Click here to check out the top rated UK online casinos!

18+Only-AllowedStop when the fun Stops! If you or any other person close to you need any assistance related to gambling problems, do not hesitate to seek professional help. Contact  BeGambleAware.org!

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