Age verification rules for casino apps

What the age verification rules for casino apps say

The rule is short. Online gambling businesses licensed in Great Britain must verify that a customer is 18 or over before that customer can deposit money or gamble, and that includes gambling with a free bet or a bonus. The Gambling Commission's consumer guide on age, ID and financial verification (opens in a new tab) sets this out in plain terms.

Age checks sit alongside identity checks. At a minimum the operator confirms your name, address and date of birth. The date of birth answers the age question, while the name and address confirm you are who you say you are. Our page on identity checks before you play covers the second part in detail.

This is one of many rules that apply to every licensed app; the UK rules hub lists the rest.

The May 2019 change: no more 72-hour window

Before 2019, operators had 72 hours to finish an age check. In practice that meant someone could open an account, deposit and play before the business had confirmed they were an adult.

The Commission announced new rules on 7 February 2019, and they came into force on 7 May 2019. From that date, the Commission's notice on new age and identity verification rules (opens in a new tab) says operators must complete age verification before allowing a customer to gamble. Licence condition 17 sets out the minimum identity checks.

Age verification for free demo games in casino apps

One part of the rule surprises many people: free versions count too. Customers must be age-verified before they can open free-to-play versions of gambling games. So if a UK casino app lets you try a slot without staking, you'll still have to sign up and pass the age check first.

The reason is protection of children. A demo looks and sounds like the real game, and the Commission doesn't want under-18s practising on it. It's one reason why demo mode in casino apps is less open in Britain than abroad.

The same thinking covers promotional free games. The Coral app's App Store listing mentions free-to-play games with real-money prizes, and the Ladbrokes app lists free-to-play options such as Instant Spins and a daily prize wheel. Like every game in a licensed app, they sit behind a verified adult account.

How a UK casino app checks your age

Most players never upload anything. Operators usually start with electronic database checks, for example against credit reference agency records and the electoral roll. If those confirm your name, address and date of birth, the age check is done in the background during sign-up.

If the database checks can't match you, the operator asks for documents. Typically that means a passport or driving licence, sometimes with a recent household bill. Here's what usually happens during registration:

1. Download the app from the App Store or Google Play and choose to register.
2. Enter your full legal name, date of birth and home address exactly as they appear on official records.
3. Read the information the operator gives you about which documents it may need, when and how to provide them.
4. Wait for the automatic check, which runs before you can make a deposit.
5. If asked, upload a clear photo of your ID through the app's secure upload tool, not by email.
6. Once verified, set your deposit limit when prompted, then make your first deposit if you choose to.

PlayOJO's help pages say it aims to verify documents within 12 hours and suggest contacting support if there's no answer after 48 hours. If a check fails, our guide to casino app verification problems explains common causes.

App Store and Google Play age gates for casino apps

The app stores add a second layer before you even reach the operator's checks. Apple's age ratings reference (opens in a new tab) defines Gambling as betting with real money or currency that can be exchanged for real money, and places it in the 18+ rating.

On devices running iOS 26 or later, Apple's ratings are 4+, 9+, 13+, 16+ and 18+. Frequent simulated gambling also sits at 18+, while infrequent simulated gambling sits at 13+. That matters for parents, because social casino games without cash prizes can carry a lower rating than real-money apps.

Google Play's real-money gambling policy (opens in a new tab) says a gambling app must prevent under-age users from using it. Its application form requires an Adults Only IARC rating, an 18+ notice and a responsible gambling statement, and gambling ads mustn't target users known to be under 18.

A store rating is a filter, not proof of age. Anyone with an adult Apple ID or Google account can download the app. The operator's own check is the one the law relies on.

How your age sets your slot stake limit

Age verification does more than open the door. Since 21 May 2025, players aged 18 to 24 can stake no more than £2 a spin on online slots, while players aged 25 and over have had a £5 limit since 9 April 2025. The app uses your verified date of birth to apply the right one.

In pounds, that's a clear gap. At the £2 cap, 100 spins put at most £200 through the reels; at £5, the same 100 spins could put through £500. The limits apply to slots only, not to roulette or blackjack. See online slot stake limits for how a game cycle is counted.

Advertising rules that protect under-18s

The age rules reach marketing too. Under the CAP Code, gambling ads must not be of strong appeal to under-18s, a test in force since 1 October 2022. Nobody who is, or seems to be, under 25 may be shown gambling or playing a significant role in a gambling ad, except 18 to 24-year-olds in marketing on an operator's own site where a bet can be placed.

CAP and BCAP updated their guidance on protecting under-18s on 14 October 2025. For the full picture, see gambling advertising rules.

Keeping casino apps away from children: steps for parents

Operators carry the legal duty, but parents can add a lock at device level. On an iPhone or iPad managed through Family Sharing, Apple's parental controls guide (opens in a new tab) describes these steps:

1. Open Settings on your own device and tap Family, then choose your child.
2. Open Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn them on.
3. Where Apple lets you choose a specific age rating for apps, pick one below 18+ so real-money gambling apps can't be installed.
4. Under Apps & Websites, consider setting Installing Apps to Blocked if you want to approve every download.

On Android, gambling apps on Google Play carry a PEGI 18 rating. Paid blocking software such as Gamban works across Android, iOS, Mac and Windows. Our guide to young people and gambling apps offers wider advice, and blocking casino apps with Screen Time covers the iPhone settings in more depth.

What the age verification rules don't cover

• Northern Ireland: Commission rules apply to Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate law.
• Shared phones: a verified adult account can still be misused if someone else gets into the phone. Use a passcode and Face ID or Touch ID. See sharing a phone and casino apps.
• Social casino apps: games with no cash prizes are rated by the app stores, not age-verified under gambling licences.
• Gambling premises: land-based venues follow separate rules, such as Think 25, adopted from 30 August 2024.

Age verification rules timeline

Age-verified casino apps with a welcome offer

None of these offers can be claimed until the app has confirmed you're 18 or over. All three apps are rated 18+ in the App Store and PEGI 18 on Google Play, and their licence holders are LC International Limited for Coral and Ladbrokes and Skill On Net Limited for PlayOJO.

18+, new customers, terms apply. Coral's offer gives 100 free spins at 10p each on selected games after you deposit (some methods excluded) and bet £10 on slots, with 48 hours to accept, 7 days to use them and no wagering on winnings; it runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027 and excludes PayPal, Neteller, Skrill, Paysafe, prepaid cards and certain debit cards.

Ladbrokes gives 50 free spins a day for 10 days, up to 500, at 10p each on selected games, after you deposit and spend £10 on slots; claim each batch before 23:59, use within 7 days, no wagering, and prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits don't count. PlayOJO gives 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each on a first deposit of £10 or more, with no wagering and winnings paid in cash; Northern Ireland is excluded and it's only available through the designated link.

Coral and Ladbrokes share a licence holder, so you may not be able to open new accounts at 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.