How do I know a casino app is licensed?

How do I know a casino app is licensed? The two-minute check

Any company offering real-money casino games to people in Great Britain needs a remote operating licence from the Gambling Commission. Every licence holder appears on the Commission's public register, with its account number, licence status and the brands and domains it trades under.

So the reliable test is simple: find out who runs the app, look them up on the register, and read the entry. Logos in an app's footer and claims in its store description are helpful clues, but the register is the record that counts. More short answers are in our casino app questions hub.

How to check a casino app's licence step by step

1. Find the operator's name. Look in the app's footer, its About or Terms screen, or the seller and developer names on the App Store or Google Play listing.
2. Note any licence or account number the app shows. Licence holders are expected to display it in the site or app footer.
3. Open the Gambling Commission's search for licensed businesses (opens in a new tab).
4. Search by business name, trading name, domain name or account number.
5. Open the matching entry and check the licence status reads Active.
6. Check the activities include a remote casino licence, not just betting or bingo.
7. Open the trading names and domains tabs and confirm the brand you're using appears there.
8. Glance at regulatory actions to see any fines, warnings or added licence conditions.

If you can't find the company, or the status isn't Active, don't deposit. Our guide to how casino apps are licensed in the UK explains the licence types in more depth.

Reading a Gambling Commission register entry

The entry looks official and a little dense. These are the fields that matter for a casino app.

One caveat from the Commission itself: trading and domain names are supplied by the businesses, so it can't guarantee their accuracy. A brand that's missing from the list deserves a question to the operator, and a brand listed under a suspended or surrendered licence deserves caution.

Licence check worked examples: five UK casino apps

Here's how the check plays out for our five partner apps. Notice how often the name on the App Store differs from the company holding the licence.

For Coral and Ladbrokes, the register entry for account 54743 (opens in a new tab) shows remote casino, bingo and betting licences active since 1 July 2019, and its trading names include Coral and Ladbrokes. PlayOJO's licence holder appears under account 39326 with playojo.com among its domains. Our reviews of Coral, Ladbrokes, PlayOJO, Casumo and 10bet list each licence in full.

Why the App Store publisher name may not match the licence

Big gambling groups often publish apps under a parent or service company while the licence sits with another company in the group. Coral's iPhone listing names Entain as the seller, with Entain Operations Limited as provider and LC International Limited as copyright holder. Casumo's listing names Casumo Services Ltd, while the licence belongs to Recro Limited.

A mismatch isn't a red flag by itself. What matters is that the brand you're using is listed as a trading name or domain on an active licence, and that the operator's terms name the same licence holder. If the names don't connect at all, ask the operator's support team which company holds the licence before you deposit.

Does being on the App Store or Google Play prove a casino app is licensed?

It's a strong signal, but not a substitute for the register. Apple's App Review Guidelines (opens in a new tab) say real-money gaming apps must have the necessary licensing in the locations where they're used, must be geo-restricted to those places and must be free on the App Store. Apple also expects apps in regulated fields like gambling to be submitted by a legal entity, not an individual developer.

Google Play goes further on paperwork. Google's real-money gambling policy (opens in a new tab) says the developer needs a valid licence for each country where the app is distributed, and its application form asks for the licence number and issuing regulator. Even so, store vetting happens at a point in time, and a licence can later be suspended. The register shows today's status.

Apps installed from outside the stores, as APK files, skip those checks entirely. Our answer on whether it's safe to install a casino APK explains the extra risk.

Signs a casino app may not be UK-licensed

If any of these turn up, stop and check the register before you go further.

• It lets you deposit or play before checking your age and identity. GB-licensed operators must verify you first.
• It accepts a credit card. That's been banned for gambling in Great Britain since 14 April 2020.
• It isn't part of GAMSTOP. All online operators licensed in Great Britain have had to take part since 31 March 2020.
• It offers slot autoplay, turbo spins or bonuses with wagering above 10x, all of which UK rules prevent.
• It shows only an overseas licence, such as Malta or Gibraltar, with no Gambling Commission account number.
• It asks you to buy chips through Apple's or Google's in-app purchase system. Both stores bar that for real-money gambling.

Our guide to spotting an unlicensed casino app and the answer on what a fake casino app is go further. Unlicensed operators give you none of the UK protections, from fair complaints routes to rules on customer funds.

Why a casino app footer might show a Gibraltar or Malta licence

Many UK operators are based in Gibraltar or Malta, and the Commission doesn't require a licence holder to be incorporated in any particular place, only to have a UK address for service. Some footers change depending on where you're viewing from, so a footer seen abroad may show only the local regulator.

That's another reason to treat the register as the source of truth. If you're in Great Britain and the app shows no Gambling Commission reference anywhere, look it up. Note too that the Gambling Act 2005 covers Great Britain only, so Northern Ireland has different law; our page on Northern Ireland gambling law explains.

What a UK licence gives you once you've checked it

Confirming the licence is worth the effort because of what comes with it: age and ID checks, deposit limits, GAMSTOP, the 10x wagering cap, slot stake limits of £5 per spin (or £2 if you're 18 to 24), a published complaints process with access to free dispute resolution, and a stated level of protection for your balance.

It doesn't make gambling safe for your wallet. The house edge still means losses are likely over time, so set a budget before you start. The remote licences page explains what operators must do, and our casino app checklist covers what else to look at.

Licensed casino apps with a welcome offer

These three partner apps hold active Gambling Commission licences: Coral and Ladbrokes under LC International Limited (54743), and PlayOJO under Skill On Net Limited (39326). Each offer is for 18+ new customers, and terms apply.

• Coral Casino: after a qualifying deposit, stake £10 or more on slots for 100 free spins on selected games, each worth 10p. Accept within 48 hours, then use within 7 days. No wagering applies to the spin winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid card and certain debit card deposits are excluded. Offer period: 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027.
• Ladbrokes Casino: deposit and spend £10 or more on slots to get 50 free spins daily for 10 days (maximum 500), 10p each, on selected games. Each day's spins must be claimed by 23:59 and last 7 days; no wagering. Prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't qualify.
• PlayOJO: 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza, 10p each, when you make a first deposit of £10 or more. No wagering, with winnings paid in cash. New UK customers excluding Northern Ireland; only through the designated link and not combinable with other offers.

The spins are worth £10 at Coral, up to £50 at Ladbrokes and £8 at PlayOJO at face value. As one company runs Coral and Ladbrokes, one person may not be able to open new accounts with both.

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.