Remote gambling licences explained

What a remote gambling licence is

A remote gambling licence is an operating licence issued by the Gambling Commission under the Gambling Act 2005 that lets a company offer gambling at a distance: through a website, a mobile site or an app. Without one, it's not lawful to provide remote gambling to consumers in Britain and advertise it to them.

The licence isn't a one-off certificate. It comes with conditions the operator must keep meeting, set out in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) and the remote technical standards. If it fails to meet them, the Commission can fine it, add conditions, suspend the licence or revoke it.

For the law that sits above all this, see our page on the Gambling Act 2005 and apps. For every rule in one place, start at the UK rules hub.

Types of gambling licence, and which one a casino app needs

The Commission issues three kinds of licence, and local councils issue a fourth for physical premises. Only the first matters for whether an app is legal, but the second tells you that named people are personally accountable.

Licence activities are listed separately, which is why a register entry can show remote betting without remote casino, or the other way round. The Commission's list of licence activities (opens in a new tab) names the remote casino operating licence as its own activity. A sportsbook app that adds a casino tab needs the casino activity too. Our comparison of standalone casino apps and sportsbook apps explains why some brands put both in one app.

Personal management licences were extended to more roles from 29 November 2024, so more of the people running a casino brand now hold a licence in their own name.

Who needs a remote gambling licence for British players

The test is about the customer, not the company's home. Anyone providing remote gambling facilities and advertising to consumers in Britain needs a Commission licence, according to the Commission's guidance on whether you need a licence (opens in a new tab).

A licensee doesn't have to be incorporated in the UK. It does need a UK address for service. That's why so many licence holders are based in Gibraltar, Malta or Cyprus while still being fully regulated in Britain.

This has been the case since 1 November 2014, when the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 took effect and required overseas operators serving British players to hold a Commission licence. PlayOJO's operator, Skill On Net Limited, has a remote casino licence dated that same day.

Remote licences behind the casino apps we review

Here's how the licence holder lines up with the name you see in the app store for the five partner apps we review. Notice that the store publisher and the licence holder aren't always the same company.

Coral and Ladbrokes share one licence, held by LC International Limited, part of Entain. One person may not be able to open new accounts at both. PlayOJO is a casino-only brand, so its licence covers casino and bingo rather than betting. Casumo and 10bet both publish combined casino and sportsbook apps.

A different publisher name isn't a red flag by itself. Groups often publish through a service company. What matters is that the licence holder named in the app's terms or footer has an active register entry listing the brand.

How to check a casino app's remote licence on the register

The Commission's public register is the reliable source; app footers and store pages are only a starting point. Here's how to use it on a phone:

1. Find the licence holder's name or account number in the app's terms, its footer or the operator's website.
2. Open the Gambling Commission's register of gambling businesses (opens in a new tab) in your browser.
3. Search by account number if you have it; otherwise search by business name, trading name or domain.
4. On the entry, check that the licence status reads Active rather than Expired, Suspended, Revoked or Surrendered.
5. Open the activities list and confirm a remote casino activity is shown, with its start date.
6. Open the trading names and domains and make sure the brand you're using is listed as Active, or as a white label.
7. Look at the regulatory actions tab to see any published penalties or warnings.

Two cautions apply. Trading and domain names are supplied by businesses, and the Commission says it can't vouch for their accuracy. And action counts on an entry may not show every past settlement: Blue Star Planet and Skill On Net both show none, although each settled a case in 2023. Our question page on how to know a casino app is licensed covers other signs.

White labels: one remote licence, many casino brands

A white label is a brand that runs on another company's licence and platform. On the register it appears as a domain marked White label under the licence holder, not as a separate licensee.

Skill On Net's entry, for instance, lists playojo.com among its domains alongside a white-label Genting casino domain. LC International Limited's trading names include Coral, Ladbrokes, Gala, Foxy and Party. Either way, the licence holder answers to the Commission for every brand on its licence.

For you, that means two things. Complaints and safer-gambling duties sit with the licence holder, and self-exclusion through GAMSTOP covers all its brands along with every other licensed site.

What a remote licence requires of a casino app

A licence brings a long list of duties. These are the ones you're most likely to notice as a player:

• Your age and identity must be verified before you deposit or play. See identity checks before you play.
• Every online operator has had to take part in GAMSTOP since 31 March 2020 under LCCP 3.5.5. LEBOM Limited was suspended in November 2022 for failing to do so.
• Before your first deposit is used, the operator must tell you whether your money is not protected or has medium or high protection, and you must acknowledge it. See customer funds protection.
• It must have a published complaints process and offer free alternative dispute resolution if a complaint isn't settled within 8 weeks.
• It must show its licence and account number in its site or app footer.
• Since April 2025 online operators have paid a statutory levy of 1.1% of the previous year's gross gambling yield to fund research, prevention and treatment. See the statutory levy.

On top of these sit the product rules: online slot stake limits, the 2.5-second spin minimum, no autoplay and the 10x wagering cap on bonuses.

When licence holders break the rules: recent examples

The Commission publishes its enforcement action, and the penalties are often large. A few recent cases show what it looks at:

• Platinum Gaming Limited (Unibet), October 2025: £10m penalty for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.
• Evolution Malta Holding, July 2026: £4.75m after its games reached British players through unlicensed sites.
• Stakelogic BV, June 2026: £122,835 after slots ran below the 2.5-second minimum.
• Blue Star Planet Limited (10bet), February 2023: £620,000 regulatory settlement.
• Skill On Net Limited (PlayOJO), May 2023: £305,150 settlement for social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures.

Enforcement shows the system working, but it also explains why we tell readers to stay with licensed apps. An unlicensed casino can't be fined, suspended or forced to follow any of these rules. Our guide to spotting an unlicensed casino app explains the warning signs.

What a remote gambling licence doesn't guarantee

A licence is the floor, not a promise of a good experience. It doesn't mean:

• Your balance is safe in every case. If customer funds are rated not protected, they count as company assets in an insolvency.
• You'll win. Licensed games still have a house edge, so losses are likely over time.
• The Commission will sort out your complaint. It doesn't resolve individual disputes; ADR providers do.
• Every rule applies everywhere in the UK. Commission licences and rules cover Great Britain. Northern Ireland has separate law.
• The app is good. Speed, game choice and support quality vary widely between licensed apps.

That last point is why we review apps individually. See UK licensed casino apps for our ranked list.

How Apple and Google use remote licences

Both app stores check licences before allowing a real-money gambling app. Google Play's gambling application form asks for the licensee's name and address, the licence type and number, the issuing regulator, licence dates and copies of the licences, with one submission per market.

Apple asks that real-money gaming apps hold the necessary licensing where they're used and that apps in regulated fields come from the legal entity providing the service. That's why a UK casino app missing from the stores can be a warning sign, although some licensed brands also run browser-only sites. See app store rules for gambling apps.

Remote gambling licences timeline

Licensed casino apps with a welcome offer

We only list apps whose licence holder has an active remote casino licence on the Commission's register. Coral and Ladbrokes sit under LC International Limited (account 54743), and PlayOJO under Skill On Net Limited (account 39326).

Offers are for new customers aged 18+, and terms apply. Coral gives 100 free spins when you deposit (some methods excluded) and bet £10 on slots; spins are 10p each on selected games, must be accepted within 48 hours and used within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings, from 1 October 2026 to 1 February 2027. Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify.

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

These are slot offers, and normal game maths still applies, so only spend what you've set aside for entertainment.

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.