Gambling App Laws in the UK
Online gambling in the UK is extremely popular, and it keeps growing even more. One of the main ways that players enjoy gambling is through their phones; hence we created this UK gambling app laws guide. While, in general, the same rules for online gambling apply to mobile gaming, we will give you a more in-depth look into the subject.
In this article about the app gambling laws in the UK, we will show you the different types of mobile gambling, their legal status and a brief history of the country’s laws on gambling. We will also talk about the minimum gambling age and give you a short overview of what are the laws in other countries.
App Gambling Laws UK – What is Legal
Starting our guide off, we would like to show you what is legal according to the UK gambling app laws. Ever since online gambling has been legalised in the country, the same rules and regulations apply to mobile forms of wagering as well. Here are the legal gambling types according to the UK gambling app laws:
| 📱 Mobile Gambling Type | ⚖️ Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Casino Games | Legal |
| Sports Betting | Legal |
| Horse Racing | Legal |
| Lottery | Legal |
| Poker | Legal |
| Bingo | Legal |
As you can see, pretty much all forms of online gambling are also legal to be carried out on a mobile device. This is why some of the best mobile casinos are available in the UK and have great dedicated apps that you can download.
Bear in mind that there will be a reoccurring trend in this article, which is that there are no specific gambling app laws that differ from the standard legislation in the UK. Of course, since mobile gambling is so popular among British players, we will go over the most important topics surrounding it in the coming sections.
Stricter Gambling App Laws for the Lottery
While we have put the UK National Lottery in the same pile as the other forms of gambling, it does have stricter regulations. The lottery in the UK was launched in 1993 and is going strong to this day. In order to not bore you, we will go ahead straight to the point – lottery wins are not paid in full to the winners.
Winning one of the large prizes in the lottery is already hard enough, and on top of that, more than half the prize money is withheld. As much as 28% of the funds go to the fund “Good Causes”, 12% go to the state, and another 15% go towards covering the costs of running the lottery and selling tickets. While this is not a specific note for app gambling laws, it affects all players, mobile users included.
Short History of Gambling Laws in the UK
Before we continue further with our app gambling laws guide, we would like to give you a short overview of the history of gambling laws in the UK. The first gambling activities in the country date back to 1539, with the first bets placed on horse races. The first official horse races were held in 1711.
Placing bets on sports started growing rapidly in the UK. This placed a strain on the government, and the necessity for regulations gave way for the first gambling laws in the country. One of the most notable regulations came in 1960 with the Betting and Gaming Act.
Notable points in the UK’s gambling history:
- 1711 – First official horse races were held.
- 1960 Betting and Gaming Act – Legalised additional forms of gambling in the country and added regulations.
- 2005 Gambling Act – Introduction of more coherent and strict regulations on gambling.
When it comes to mobile gambling laws in the UK, the 2005 Gambling Act is the main culprit for the applied regulations. This is because this act included all of the forms of remote gambling as well. In general, this ensures that even mobile gambling activities will be safe and secure for UK players to enjoy.
All of this, of course, means that any operator that would like to offer their services on the territory of the United Kingdom needs to cover all requirements and comply with the regulations. This regulatory body is the UK Gambling Commission, which was founded in 2007, and we will cover that in the next paragraph.
Regulator of UK Gambling App Laws
With the Gambling Act from 2005 and the new changes that it introduces to both online and app gambling laws, a need for a regulatory body was obvious. In 2007, the UK Gambling Commission was created as a non-departmental executive government body. Its main responsibilities are regulating all forms of gambling and supervising the gaming laws in the country.
The other main function of the UKGC is to issue licences to operators that want to offer their services to British players. Since both online and gambling app laws are the same, a casino site that meets all of the strict requirements can apply for a UK licence. Of course, after obtaining it, the operator has to abide by any future changes in the laws and undergo regular audits.
Minimum Gambling Age According to the UK Gambling App Laws
Online and in particular mobile gambling is very accessible to anyone with an internet connection and a bit of curiosity. This is why strict laws regarding the legal gambling age in the UK are applied. UK players that would like to enjoy their favourite games with real money wagers need to be at least 18 years old.
Pros and Cons of Mobile Gambling
Continuing on with our gambling app laws guide, we would like to showcase to our readers what the different advantages and drawbacks are to mobile gambling. Of course, the most obvious pro is that you can enjoy your favourite games on the go wherever you are. All you need is your mobile device and an internet connection. Online casinos with Pay by Phone are particularly of interest to mobile gamers.
The second notable advantage is that most operators give you the opportunity to fully manage your account and funds anywhere you are. This is especially useful when you want full control from a singular device, which includes deposits and withdrawals. Here is a shortlist of the pros and cons:
| ✔️ Advantages | ❌ Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Gamble On The Go | Fewer Games |
| Full Account Control | Lower Security |
| Ease of Use | Modern Device Required |
One of the potential drawbacks that we would like to talk about is the potential lower security while gambling from a mobile device. While online and gambling app laws are the same for every operator and safety is a priority, it is still a hand-held device. The risk of losing it or it being compromised is still there.
The other con is that you may have access to fewer games when compared to the desktop version of the online casino or gambling platform. This is due to the need for a game to be optimised for mobile use and, in particular, used with a touch screen. Of course, most reputable operators don’t suffer from this, such as the top mobile roulette online casinos.
How to Pick a Mobile Gambling App
In this section, we would like to give you a short tutorial on how to pick your next favourite mobile gambling app. This guide will be focused more on newer UK players. The first crucial thing that you have to do is confirm the operator’s safety according to the app gambling laws in the UK. This means that the casino site needs to have a licence from the UKGC.
- Find an operator. A good place to start is our list of the best UK online casinos.
- Confirm that the operator has a UKGC licence, usually found at the bottom of the page.
- Register your account, deposit and start playing.
Of course, a licence is not the only thing that you should be looking for. Having additional certificates is a great sign that the operator is legit and reputable. For example, a stamp of approval by either eCOGRA or iTechLabs means that the software has been tested for its fairness and safety according to online gambling app laws and regulations.
Gambling App Laws – Responsible Gambling Information
Before we finish off our gambling app laws guide, we would like to take the opportunity to remind our readers to always gamble responsibly and with care. We advise you to never bet more than you can afford to lose. We would also like to mention that there are organisations that help combat problem gambling in the UK.
If you or someone you know are experiencing compulsive or problem gambling, there are independent organisations in the UK that can help. The best ones that we can recommend are GamCare and BeGambleAware. They offer free hotlines that can be called for professional assistance.
Gambling App Laws in the US and Around The World
We would like to mention the legal situation surrounding the mobile gambling laws in the US in particular. Ever since the US Supreme Court ruled that gambling regulations will be handled on a state level in 2018, the gambling landscape in the country has changed dramatically. We have a detailed overview of that in our US gambling laws guide. We also have a wide plethora of articles on the gambling laws of different countries, which you can check out.
Online Gambling App Laws – Final Thoughts
Our UK gambling app laws guide is coming to an end. We hope that you have enjoyed our article and learned a bit more about the specifics surrounding mobile gambling. In general, the regulations that apply to online gambling in the UK also apply to playing on mobile.
There are no specific gambling app laws that deviate from the overall requirements placed by the Gambling Act in 2005 and the UK Gambling Commission. If this article piqued your interest and you would like to find out more about such topics, you can check out our gambling laws in different countries guides.
FAQ
Here, we would like to showcase a few of the most popular questions that UK players have regarding mobile gambling laws and everything connected to them. We recommend going through each entry and reading their resolutions to solidify your knowledge. For additional questions, you can always contact us.
