App permissions are the requests an app makes to use parts of your phone, such as location, notifications, the camera or Face ID. Casino apps usually ask for a few, mainly to confirm you're in Great Britain and to send alerts, and on both iPhone and Android you decide which to allow and can change your mind later.
Permissions control access to phone features like location, camera, photos and notifications.
Location is the one most tied to gambling rules, because apps must be geo-restricted.
Face ID and Touch ID only tell the app whether you passed, not your face or fingerprint data.
Notifications are optional; refusing them doesn't stop you playing.
You can review and change every permission in your phone's settings at any time.
What they are
Requests to use phone features
Asked
On first use or install
Most relevant to gambling
Location
Changeable
Yes, in phone settings
Platforms
iPhone and Android
What app permissions are
Every app runs in its own walled-off space. To reach something outside it, such as your location, camera or photo library, it has to ask. That request is a permission, and it usually appears as a pop-up the first time the app needs the feature.
The permissions an app can request are separate from what it declares on its store listing. The privacy label on iPhone and the data safety section on Android summarise what data is collected; the permission prompt is where you actually say yes or no. Both feature in our casino app glossary.
Common app permissions in casino apps
Permissions a UK casino app may request
Permission
Likely reason
Needed to play?
Location
Confirming you're in a licensed area such as Great Britain
Often, unless the app checks your IP address instead
Notifications
Bet results, account alerts and promotions
No
Face ID or Touch ID
Quicker, more secure login
No, a password still works
Camera
Possibly photographing ID documents for verification
Only if you choose that upload route
Photos
Possibly uploading saved documents
Only for that upload
Contacts
Rarely justified for a casino app
No
Where a reason says 'possibly', operators don't always publish why a permission is needed, so look at the explanation in the prompt itself. If one seems unrelated, such as contacts, it's reasonable to refuse. Our answers on whether a casino app can access your photos and why one might want your contacts go into more depth.
Location permission and the licence check
Location is the permission most closely tied to gambling law. Apple's App Review Guidelines (opens in a new tab) require real-money gaming apps to be geo-restricted to where they're licensed, and Google's policy says the same. Neither says the check must use GPS, so some apps may rely on your IP address instead.
Labels show how this varies. PlayOJO's App Store listing says the app may use your location even when it isn't open, while Coral's privacy label lists coarse location and Ladbrokes' lists precise location. If you'd rather not share location in the background, choose the 'while using the app' option where your phone offers it. Our full geolocation definition and the guide on whether casino apps track your location explain more.
Face ID, Touch ID and fingerprint login permissions
Allowing biometric login doesn't hand your face or fingerprint to the casino. Apple's Face ID security page (opens in a new tab) says Face ID data doesn't leave your device and is never available to apps; the app is only told whether authentication succeeded. Casumo's App Store listing, for example, mentions Face ID and Touch ID login.
Push notifications need your permission on iPhone and on recent Android versions. Separately, the Gambling Commission's direct marketing rules (opens in a new tab), in force from 1 May 2025, require operators to let you choose which products and channels you receive marketing for. The required channels are phone call, email and text; a separate push-notification option was not made mandatory.
On iPhone, scroll to the casino app's name; on Android, go to Apps and choose the app.
Open the permissions list to see what's allowed.
Switch off anything you don't want, or change location to 'while using' where offered.
Reopen the app and check it still works; if a location check fails, you may need to allow location again.
Our longer guide, casino app permissions explained, covers every permission on both platforms. On Android there's also a special permission to install other apps; see sideloading for why it's best left off.
Casino apps with clear permission details on their listings
Coral, Ladbrokes and PlayOJO publish privacy labels and data safety sections that let you see what each app may access before installing. All three are licensed by the Gambling Commission. Offers are for new customers, 18+, and terms apply.
Coral: bet £10 on slots to get 100 free spins on selected games (10p each, 48 hours to accept, 7 days to use, no wagering on winnings). PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Paysafe, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
Ladbrokes: deposit and spend £10 on slots to get 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 (10p each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, 7 days to use, no wagering). Prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits are excluded.
PlayOJO: first deposit of at least £10 for 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each; no wagering, winnings paid in cash, not open to Northern Ireland and not combinable with other offers.
Coral and Ladbrokes are both run by LC International Limited (Entain). If you already hold an account with one Entain brand, you may not be able to open another; check the terms first.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Coral app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Time limitClaim daily for 10 days; each batch valid 7 days
Worked valueUp to 500 spins at £0.10 (up to £50 in spins)
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only, from 14/11/25 until further notice. Certain deposit methods excluded. Deposit and spend £10+ on slots for 50 free spins a day during the first 10 days after first deposit and registration (max 500, £0.10 each, selected games, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days). No wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our Ladbrokes app reviewLicence: LC International Limited, Gambling Commission account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New UK customers (excluding Northern Ireland). First deposit only. Minimum deposit £10. 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, £0.10 each. No wagering requirements; winnings paid in cash. Cannot be used with any other offer. Only available to players who arrive through the designated offer link. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read our PlayOJO app reviewLicence: Skill On Net Limited, Gambling Commission account 39326. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
Which permissions does a casino app actually need?
Usually only location, and sometimes not even that if the operator checks your IP address. Notifications, biometrics, camera and photos are optional extras that make some tasks quicker, such as logging in or uploading ID. If an app won't let you play after you refuse location, it's probably because it can't confirm you're in Great Britain. Our permissions guide lists what each permission is used for.
Is it safe to allow location for a casino app?
For a licensed app from the official store, allowing location while you use the app is generally reasonable, because it's part of the licence check the app stores require. If you're uneasy about background location, choose the 'while using' option where your phone offers it. Check the app's privacy label for whether location is linked to you. See can casino apps see my location for more.
Can a casino app see my photos?
Only if you give it permission. On recent iPhones and Android phones you can often share selected photos rather than the whole library, which is handy when uploading an ID document. You can remove access afterwards in your phone's settings. If an app asks for photo access with no clear reason, refuse it. Our answer on whether a casino app can access your photos explains the options.
What happens if I deny a permission?
The app carries on without that feature. Refusing notifications means no alerts; refusing Face ID means typing your password. Refusing location may stop you playing if the app relies on device location for its licence check, in which case you can allow it later in settings. Your account and balance aren't affected. Our guide to casino app login problems helps if access is blocked.
Why do Android casino apps not ask for permissions when installed?
Modern Android versions ask for most sensitive permissions while the app is running, at the moment a feature is needed, rather than all at once during installation. That's why a location prompt may only appear when you open the casino lobby. You can still see and change everything later in Settings. Our Android install guide shows what to expect after installation.
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