The Gambling Commission is the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, including every real-money casino app licensed here. It grants licences, writes the conditions and technical standards apps must follow, and fines or suspends operators that break them, but it doesn’t settle individual players’ complaints.
The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 and took over from the Gaming Board on 1 September 2007.
It licenses operators and writes the LCCP and the technical standards casino apps follow.
Fines land on licence holders, from £122,835 for fast slots to £10m for safer-gambling failures.
It doesn’t resolve individual complaints; that’s the operator’s job, then ADR.
Type
Statutory regulator
Created under
Gambling Act 2005
Full powers from
1 September 2007
Covers
Great Britain
Sponsor department
DCMS
Public tool
Public register of licensed businesses
Gambling Commission meaning
The Gambling Commission is the public body that regulates commercial gambling in Great Britain. It was created under the Gambling Act 2005 and took over from the Gaming Board for Great Britain on 1 September 2007. Its sponsor department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Its remit runs from arcades, betting, bingo and casinos to gaming machines, lotteries and remote gambling, and it has regulated the National Lottery since 2013. Spread betting is the exception, as the Financial Conduct Authority covers it. In our casino app glossary, the Commission is the thread running through terms like licence and LCCP.
What the Gambling Commission does
The Commission’s main jobs and how they reach your phone
Job
What it involves
What you notice in an app
Licensing
Granting operating and personal licences
The licence and account number in the footer
Rule-making
Licence conditions (LCCP) and technical standards (RTS)
ID checks, slot speed limits, net spend display
Compliance and enforcement
Investigations, fines, settlements, suspensions
Regulatory history in brand reviews
Public register
Searchable records of licensees and their domains
A way to check any brand yourself
Statistics
Industry and participation data
Context on how many people gamble by phone
Levy collection
Collects the statutory levy (1.1% of online operators’ gross gambling yield)
Funding for research, prevention and treatment
It also approves the independent test houses that check games and random number generators before release; the current list is on the Commission’s approved test houses page (opens in a new tab). Our RNG entry explains what those labs test.
Gambling Commission rules you can see in a casino app
Most of what makes a UK casino app different from an overseas one comes from Commission rules. These dates are the ones that changed the mobile experience most.
Commission rule changes that shaped UK casino apps
Date
Rule
Effect on apps
7 May 2019
Age and ID verification before play
Checks before deposits, bets and demos
14 April 2020
Credit card ban
Credit cards refused for gambling
31 October 2021
Slot design rules
No autoplay or turbo; 2.5-second minimum spin
17 January 2025
Design rules extended to other casino games
5-second minimum per round; one game at a time
9 April and 21 May 2025
Slot stake limits
£5 per spin (25+), £2 (18–24)
31 October 2025
Financial limit prompt
Asked to set a limit before your first deposit
19 January 2026
Bonus rules
Wagering capped at 10x; no mixed-product offers
The 2025 stake limits came from the government’s 2023 white paper and are set out in the Commission’s guidance; see our pages on slot stake limits and game speed rules. The full rulebook sits in the RTS and the LCCP.
How the Gambling Commission enforces its rules
When an operator falls short, the Commission can impose a financial penalty, agree a settlement, add licence conditions, or suspend or revoke the licence. Recent cases show the range.
Selected Gambling Commission enforcement cases
Date
Licensee
Amount
Reason
January 2024
Gamesys Operations Ltd
£6m
Social responsibility and anti-money-laundering failures
October 2025
Platinum Gaming Ltd (Unibet)
£10m
Social responsibility and anti-money-laundering failures
The Commission doesn’t resolve individual disputes, so it won’t chase a single withdrawal or overturn a bonus decision for you. Complaints go to the operator first, which has 8 weeks to respond before offering an approved ADR provider. What it can do is act against an operator whose systems or terms break its rules, which protects everyone using that brand.
Its rules also stop at the edge of Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate gambling law, and offshore sites without a Commission licence sit outside its protection. Our answer on complaining to the Gambling Commission explains when it’s worth contacting.
Using the Gambling Commission as a casino app player
Before signing up, search the public register for the operator named in the app’s terms.
Check the brand’s domain sits on an active remote casino licence.
Read the Commission’s consumer checks: licence, how your money is protected and the complaints process.
If a dispute stalls after 8 weeks, ask the operator for its ADR provider.
The Commission’s consumer page on checks you can do to stay safe (opens in a new tab) covers the first three steps. If gambling is causing worry, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133, run by GamCare, is free and open 24/7; our helpline page explains what to expect.
The Gambling Commission’s figures on mobile gambling
The Commission’s research tracks how people gamble. Its tracker found 60% of online gamblers had used a mobile phone to gamble in 2021, up from 50% in 2019. For the year to March 2026, it reported gross gambling yield of £5.7bn from online casino games and £4.8bn from online slots, with 25.7 million active online accounts at the latest count.
Those numbers explain why so many of its newer rules target app design. The government’s 2023 white paper set the direction, and our UK rules hub tracks each change.
Commission-licensed partner apps and their offers
The offers we feature all come from Commission licensees: LC International Limited for Coral and Ladbrokes, and Skill On Net Limited for PlayOJO. Since 19 January 2026 their bonus terms must meet the 10x wagering cap, and these three go further with no wagering on spin winnings. 18+ and terms apply; slots only.
Ladbrokes: for new customers, depositing and spending £10+ on slots brings 50 free spins daily across the first 10 days, a maximum of 500 at 10p. Each day’s spins must be claimed by 23:59 and used within 7 days, with no wagering. Prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don’t count.
Coral: for new players, depositing and betting £10+ on slots between 1 October 2026 and 1 February 2027 brings 100 free spins at 10p on selected games, accepted within 48 hours and valid for 7 days, with no wagering on winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards are excluded.
PlayOJO: for new UK customers (not Northern Ireland), a first deposit of £10 or more brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p, with cash winnings. Designated offer link only and not combinable with other offers.
Coral and Ladbrokes share LC International Limited’s licence, so new accounts at both may not be allowed. Regulation makes play fairer, not cheaper: over a long run of bets the house keeps its margin, so expect to lose more than you win.
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
What is the Gambling Commission?
The Gambling Commission is the regulator for commercial gambling in Great Britain, set up under the Gambling Act 2005. It licenses operators, writes the conditions and technical standards they follow, keeps a public register and takes enforcement action, from fines to licence suspensions. No real-money casino app can legally target players in Britain without holding one of its licences. Our page on the Gambling Act 2005 gives the legal background.
Does the Gambling Commission cover the whole UK?
No, it covers Great Britain: England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland runs under separate legislation that has never been extended to regulate online play, so you can’t count on Commission safeguards there. Some offers exclude Northern Ireland for this reason, including PlayOJO’s welcome spins. Our page on Northern Ireland gambling law explains how the rules differ.
Can the Gambling Commission get my money back from a casino app?
No, the Commission doesn’t resolve individual complaints or order refunds for single customers. Disputes are for the operator to sort out first; if eight weeks pass without a fix, it has to point you to an approved ADR service. The Commission’s role is to act against operators whose systems break its rules, not to settle single cases. Each stage is set out in our casino app complaints guide.
How do I check if a casino app is approved by the Gambling Commission?
Look the business up on the Commission’s public register, which you can search four ways: legal name, trading name, web domain or account number. A licensed operator shows an active remote casino licence with the brand’s domains listed. The account number in the app’s footer or terms is the easiest thing to search. If there’s no match, don’t deposit. Our guide to how casino apps are licensed explains each register field.
How big are Gambling Commission fines?
They range widely with the seriousness of the failure. Recent examples include £122,835 for Stakelogic BV in June 2026 for slots running faster than the 2.5-second minimum, £6m for Gamesys Operations Ltd in January 2024 and £10m for Unibet’s operator, Platinum Gaming Ltd, in October 2025. Most large penalties involve safer-gambling or anti-money-laundering failures. Our customer interaction rules page explains the duty most often breached.
Who funds gambling support now?
A statutory levy collected by the Gambling Commission, which began in April 2025. Online operators pay 1.1% of their gross gambling yield, and the money is split between research (20%), prevention (30%) and treatment (50%). It replaced the old voluntary contributions system. For help today, the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 is free and open 24/7. Our statutory levy page covers the details.
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