Identity checks before you play

What the identity checks rule says

The core rule is licence condition 17.1.1 in the Gambling Commission's LCCP. It has three parts that matter to you as an app user, and the full text is on the Commission's page for LCCP 17.1.1 customer identity verification (opens in a new tab).

• Verify before play: the operator must obtain and verify information to establish your identity, including at least your name, address and date of birth, before you're allowed to gamble.
• Tell you up front: before you deposit, it should tell you what ID documents or other information it may need, when it may need them and how to provide them.
• No surprise demands at withdrawal: asking to withdraw mustn't trigger requests for information that could reasonably have been asked for earlier, unless another legal duty requires it at that point.

These rules took effect on 7 May 2019. The age side of the same change, including free demo games, is covered on our page about age verification rules for casino apps. Both sit within the wider set of UK rules for casino apps.

What a casino app checks about you, and when

Identity checks aren't a single moment. They happen at different points in the life of an account, each for a different reason. The Commission's consumer guide says checks cover your age, your identity and whether you've self-excluded.

Because you're checked against GAMSTOP at sign-up, a licensed app should refuse an account if you've self-excluded. See GAMSTOP self-exclusion for how that scheme works.

How identity checks work in a casino app

Operators normally start with electronic checks against credit reference agency data and the electoral roll. These run in seconds and often finish without you noticing. A credit reference agency check for identity purposes isn't the same as applying for credit.

If the database can't confirm your details, the app asks for documents. The Commission names passports, driving licences and household bills as typical examples, and says a selfie may be requested if fraud is suspected. Our guide on how casino apps verify your identity explains each method.

The operator's help pages show how this works in practice. PlayOJO's help page lists a passport, driving licence, ID card or utility bill, uploaded through its upload tool rather than by email. It aims to verify within 12 hours and suggests contacting support if there's no reply within 48 hours. It also allows up to two unverified cards on an account at a time.

How to get through identity checks before you play

A few minutes of preparation can save days of back-and-forth with support. Work through these before you register:

1. Use your full legal name, as it appears on your passport or driving licence, not a nickname or shortened form.
2. Enter the address where you're registered on the electoral roll and with your bank.
3. Check your date of birth carefully, because it decides both your age check and your slot stake limit.
4. Register a debit card or account in your own name; third-party payment methods cause checks to fail.
5. If documents are requested, photograph them in good light with all four corners visible and nothing covered.
6. Upload only through the app's secure tool or the operator's website, never by replying to an unexpected email or text.
7. If nothing happens within the time the operator publishes, contact support through the app rather than opening a second account.

If a check fails, see casino app verification failed and what documents casino apps ask for.

Why some apps ask about your finances

Identity is only half the picture. The Commission's page on why gambling businesses want to know about your finances (opens in a new tab) gives two reasons: anti-money laundering, which means checking that your money comes from a legitimate source, and social responsibility, which means spotting signs you may be gambling money you can't afford.

You may be asked for bank statements or about irregular income, for example a pending house sale. Operators can also set limits against estimates of income using public data and Office for National Statistics publications, and they may ask directly or through a third party.

In plain terms: if you deposit £200 and withdraw £40 within 30 days, your net deposits are £160, which is above the £150 threshold, so a public-record check may run. It doesn't need repeating if one was done in the previous 12 months. See financial risk checks and our glossary entry on source of funds.

Identity checks are not “affordability checks”

You'll often see the phrase “affordability checks” in the press. The Commission says the term is inaccurate and that it has no plans for affordability checks. What exists is the light-touch financial vulnerability check above, plus anti-money laundering and customer interaction duties.

The credit-reference-based financial risk assessment was tested in a pilot. The Commission's April 2026 update reported that 97% of assessed customers were frictionless and that no consumer had action taken against them because of an assessment. As of October 2026, no decision has been made to bring the assessments in. Our glossary separates affordability check from financial risk check.

Your rights when an identity check meets a withdrawal

The rules are designed so ID checks can't be used as a reason to hold your money. The Commission's guide on when you can't withdraw your winnings (opens in a new tab) and its identity verification guidance say:

• A business can't make proof of age or ID a condition of withdrawing if it could have asked for it earlier, unless the law requires it at that point.
• It can't confiscate your money because you didn't log in or verify your ID within a time limit.
• You can withdraw at any time without unreasonable delay, and you don't have to accept payment in instalments.
• Once you've asked to withdraw, the app mustn't give you the option to cancel and gamble the money instead.

Operators' own pages can still mention later checks. PlayOJO's help page, for instance, says documents may be requested after a first withdrawal request and that limits may apply until verification is complete. If a request seems out of line with the rules above, use the operator's complaints process. See withdrawal pending in a casino app and our PlayOJO verification guide.

Payment checks that come with your identity

Identity checks link closely to payments, because operators must make sure money goes back to the person it came from. The help centres for Coral and Ladbrokes describe a closed-loop policy, meaning withdrawals return to a method you've used to deposit, where possible.

Both brands limit UK customers to 3 active payment methods in a rolling 30 days. A PayPal withdrawal needs a PayPal deposit in the last 6 months, and a paysafecard withdrawal needs an earlier paysafecard deposit. Credit cards are refused at every licensed operator. See the credit card ban.

What the identity checks rules don't cover

• A set processing time: no regulatory maximum exists for how long verification or a withdrawal takes; quoted times are each operator's own.
• Northern Ireland: Commission rules apply to Great Britain only.
• Account security: passing ID checks doesn't protect your login. Use a strong password and two-factor authentication where offered. See keeping your casino account secure.
• Every brand at once: each operator runs its own checks, so verifying with one group doesn't verify you elsewhere.

Identity checks rules timeline

Casino apps that verify you before you play, with welcome offers

Every licensed app verifies identity before play, so these offers only open once your checks are done. Coral and Ladbrokes are run by LC International Limited (account 54743) and PlayOJO by Skill On Net Limited (account 39326).

18+, new customers only, terms apply. With Coral, deposit (some methods excluded) and bet £10 on slots for 100 free spins on selected games, worth 10p each; accept them within 48 hours and use them within 7 days, and there's no wagering on winnings. The offer runs from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.

With Ladbrokes, deposit and spend £10 on slots for 50 free spins a day over your first 10 days, up to 500, at 10p each on selected games, claimed before 23:59 each day and valid for 7 days, with no wagering; prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers deposits are excluded. With PlayOJO, a first deposit of £10 or more brings 80 free spins on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each, no wagering, winnings paid in cash; Northern Ireland is excluded, it can't be combined and it's only available through the designated link.

Because Coral and Ladbrokes share a licence holder, one person 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.