Gambling marketing consent rules

What the gambling marketing consent rules require

The rule is social responsibility code 5.1.12 in the Gambling Commission's licence conditions. It says remote casino, bingo and betting operators must let customers opt in to direct marketing for each product type and for each channel, at the point of registration, with every option set to off unless the customer turns it on. You can read the wording on the Commission's LCCP 5.1.12 page (opens in a new tab).

Three product types and three channels give you a grid of nine possible choices. Before May 2025 a single tick box could cover everything an operator sold; now each square is a separate decision.

An operator that only sells casino games won't need to ask about betting. A combined sportsbook and casino brand has to offer the full set, which matters because many of the biggest UK casino apps sit inside betting brands. The rule lives alongside the rest of our UK rules for casino apps.

Why the marketing consent rules changed

The Commission's published position is titled "improving customer choice on direct marketing", and that's the heart of it. A person who joins to bet on football hasn't necessarily agreed to hear about slots, and a person who enjoys bingo may not want texts at all.

Splitting consent by product also fits with the ban on promotions that mix gambling products, which came in on 19 January 2026. Together they make it harder for a betting customer to be nudged into casino games without having asked. Our page on the mixed-product bonus ban covers that second rule.

The Commission's summary of consultation responses (opens in a new tab) also records two decisions that shape the final rule: post was dropped as a required channel, and a separate push notification option was judged unnecessary.

Marketing consent for existing casino app accounts

The rule wasn't just for new sign-ups. Customers who already had accounts were to be asked to confirm their marketing preferences the first time they logged in after the rule began. If you held an app account before May 2025, you should have seen that request when you next opened it.

The original start date was 17 January 2025. The Commission moved it to 1 May 2025, so that's the date the per-product, per-channel choice became compulsory.

If you can't remember what you chose, assume nothing is fixed. You can change your preferences at any time in your account settings, and a change should apply going forward.

Gambling marketing consent in a casino app: what to expect

When you register in an app such as Coral Casino, Ladbrokes Casino or PlayOJO, the marketing step should show separate choices rather than one box. Exact screens vary, so look for the marketing or contact preferences section during sign-up and in your account settings afterwards.

1. During sign-up, read the marketing step slowly. Every option should start switched off.
2. Turn on only the products you actually play. If you joined for slots, there's no need to accept betting or bingo marketing.
3. Pick channels you're comfortable with. Email is easy to ignore; texts and calls are harder to tune out.
4. After joining, find the marketing preferences in your account settings and check they match what you chose.
5. Separately, decide whether to allow push notifications when your phone asks. That's a device permission, not part of the 5.1.12 choice.

Our app guides show where these options tend to sit, for example the Coral app settings and notifications page and the PlayOJO settings guide.

Push notifications and in-app messages under the consent rules

The required channels are phone calls, email and SMS. The Commission considered adding push notifications as a fourth channel and decided it was unnecessary, largely because your phone already gives you an on-off switch for each app.

That means the practical control over app alerts sits with you. On iPhone and Android you can turn an app's notifications off entirely, or keep only some types. Our guide on turning off casino app notifications takes you through both platforms, and the push notifications and gambling marketing guide explains how alerts relate to offers.

For video ads, the Commission's guide to controlling gambling ads on YouTube (opens in a new tab) shows how to ask Google to show fewer of them, though Google doesn't promise none will appear.

When gambling marketing must stop, whatever you consented to

Consent isn't the only switch. Two other rules can turn marketing off even if you've opted in to everything.

Strong signs of harm

Under the customer interaction rules, paragraph 10 of LCCP 3.4.3 has required operators since 12 February 2023 to stop marketing and new bonus take-up when they identify strong indicators of harm. An operator doesn't need your permission to stop sending offers.

Self-exclusion

When you self-exclude, the operator has to refuse you service, close the account, return your funds and take you off marketing lists within two days. That's set out in LCCP 3.5.3 (opens in a new tab). Registering with GAMSTOP applies this across every GB-licensed online operator for 6 months, 1 year or 5 years.

What the marketing consent rules don't cover

LCCP 5.1.12 is about direct marketing sent to you as a customer. It doesn't govern general advertising such as TV spots, sponsorship or social media posts, which fall under the advertising codes on our gambling advertising rules page.

The rule also leaves some areas out. Post isn't one of the required channels, and land-based gambling and lotteries are excluded for now. And it says nothing about publicity: separate Commission guidance says terms mustn't force you to take part in promotional publicity, and that accepting data protection terms doesn't count as agreeing to it.

If you want to know what else an app does with your details, our guide to how casino apps use your data covers privacy labels and tracking.

Timeline of the gambling marketing consent rules

What to do about gambling marketing you didn't agree to

If messages keep arriving, work through these in order. Most problems clear up at the first or second step.

1. Open the app, find your marketing preferences and switch off the product and channel the message came through.
2. Use the unsubscribe link in the email or the opt-out instruction in the text as well.
3. If it carries on, contact the operator's support and ask them to confirm your preferences in writing.
4. Still getting messages? Make a formal complaint to the operator, following our guide on how to complain about a casino app.
5. Read the Commission's guide on stopping gambling marketing texts and emails (opens in a new tab), which explains where to report it.

Casino apps that let you choose your marketing, with welcome offers

All three apps below are licensed by the Gambling Commission and follow the consent rule, so the marketing step at sign-up should start with every option off. Read each offer's terms for how to claim it. 18+ and terms apply to each one, and the key terms are below.

• Coral Casino: bet £10 on slots, get 100 free spins. 18+, new players, offer runs 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10 or more on slots; the 100 spins are on selected games at 10p each, must be accepted within 48 hours and are valid for 7 days. No wagering on free spin winnings. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.
• Ladbrokes Casino: play £10 on slots, get up to 500 free spins. 18+, new customers. Deposit and spend £10 or more on slots for 50 free spins a day over your first 10 days (500 maximum), 10p each on selected games, claimed before 23:59 each day and valid for 7 days. No wagering. Deposits by prepaid card, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers don't qualify.
• PlayOJO: 80 free spins with no wagering. 18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland; first deposit of £10 or more. The 80 spins are on Big Bass Bonanza at 10p each and winnings are paid in cash. It can't be combined with other offers and is available only through the designated offer link.

Spin offers are for slots, and the house edge still applies. If you'd rather not hear about future offers, leave the marketing boxes unticked and check your preferences again after you join.

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.