UK Gambling Commission – The Main Regulatory Body
As gambling becomes more and more streamlined, there is a need for a reputable organisation to regulate and control these activities. That’s where the UK Gambling Commission comes in. It is an executive non-departmental public body of the Government of the United Kingdom. Stick with us as we give you a detailed overview of the Gambling Commission and show you how it operates.
As we mentioned earlier, the main functions of the UKGC, in general, are to licence and regulate gambling operators, which are both land-based and online. Being licensed by the UK Gambling Commission has turned into a must for all brands that plan to conduct or advertise their services in the country. As a punter, you can still play at online casinos without a UKGC certificate, but you do that at your own risk.
UKGC Main Functions
The main objectives of the UK Gambling Commission are to keep crime out of gambling activities, license and regulate operators. This is to ensure open and fair conduction of wagering and to protect children and vulnerable people. The Gambling Commission is allowed to visit and examine the financial activities of their licensees.
Based on these examinations’ results, the UKGC can issue amendment recommendations, set or remove supplementary licence conditions or outright take action and correct. This is made to avoid misconducts and can result in varying fines issued to the operator or a direct revoke of their licence.
- License and regulate gambling operators in the UK.
- Monitor and fine any illicit actions taken by licensees.
- Assure consumer protection.
- Protect underage or vulnerable people.
Although the 2005 Gambling Act applied many necessary regulations to the UK’s gambling market, online operators were not required to obtain a UK Gambling Commission licence. With the rise of online scam and criminal activities, this was changed. With the 2014 Gambling Act, every remote gambling operator must own a licence from the UKGC to continue operations in the country.
Gambling Commission UK Regulation and Monitoring
If we had to put all of the functions of the UK Gambling Commission into one main goal, that would be ensuring that gambling within Great Britain is conducted in a fair, safe and secure manner. That’s why every gambling operator who wishes to do business in the country must obtain a UK Gambling Commission licence. They will undergo strict checks and procedures before they become licensed.
Consumer Protection
Gambling is done with real money, and a big part of it is conducted online at the best trusted online casino sites for UK players. That’s why the UKGC deems It vital to have adequate consumer protection regulations. Regarding that, the Gambling Commission has created three vital levels of consumer protection, depending on how the operator handles the player funds. Check them out below:
- Tier One: Basic – Player funds are kept in the company accounts and receive no additional protection if the operator goes bankrupt.
- Tier Two: Medium – Player money is handled in a separate account, which gives protection against the event of company bankruptcy.
- Tier Three: High – The player funds are kept into a separate account, which is not legally linked to the company’s finance. This way, the money is kept safe and regularly monitored by an independent entity or external auditor.
Gambling Commission UK Licensing
Of course, different types of gambling operators would like to conduct their business in the UK. That’s why the UK Gambling Commission has different kinds of licences available as not every company can conform to the same level of strict requirements. There are generally three types of licences available, which we will cover next.
The first one is called an Operating Licence, which is necessary for receiving permission from the UK Gambling Commission to set up a land-based or online casino, as well as have slots, arcades and other machines set up in your property. Depending on the type of company, they have many sub-categories, which you can check out on the Gambling Commission UK official website.
The second UK Gambling Commission licence type is the Personal one, which is for companies with 3 or more employees. This type divides into two sub-categories which cover management functions and operational staff. The final is the Premises licence. This is issued for specialised locations, such as bingo halls, where only a specific type of gambling can be carried out on the premises.
UK Gambling Commission History
The UK Gambling Commission was created at the same time as the 2005 Gambling Act was issued. While it was founded in 2005, it fully stepped into operation and claimed all its duties in 2007 when it replaced the UK Gaming Board. The UKGC manages all current gambling forms in both land-based and online gambling establishments except for spread betting. We go over the details regarding the whole legal situation in the country in our UK gambling laws post.
| Founded | 2005 |
| Address | Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham B2 4BP, United Kingdom |
| Phone | 0121 230 6666 |
| info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk | |
| Working Hours | 10:00 – 16:00 |
In 2013, the Gambling Commission also became the regulator for the UK National Lottery. The UKGC is a non-departmental public body of the Government of Great Britain. This means it independently operates and reports directly to the Secretary of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. The UK Gambling Commission is largely funded by the licensing fees it collects from operators.
Gambling Commission UK Regulated Roulette Casino Sites
Online gambling is a prevalent activity in the UK, especially when it comes to casino sites offering roulette. This means there is a large influx of offshore operators requiring a UK Gambling Commission licence to conduct business in the country. This makes the job of regulation and monitoring of the Commission that more hard.
Having a licence from the UKGC is a must-have for any reputable gambling operator. That’s why we always advise our readers to make sure that their brand of choice is fully licensed and regulated before they join. Additionally, if the gambling operator possesses other certificates from organisations, such as eCogra, GamStop and GambleAware, it means that they really care for their player base. We have already done the research and created a list of the best roulette sites in the UK, all of which are safe and secure to join.
UKGC Overview
We are hoping that this Gambling Commission UK overview has introduced you to its roots and primary duties. To shortly sum it up, the Gambling Commission is the main regulatory body for any type of gambling, except for spread betting, that is carried out either on land or online. It is vital for any operator to possess a UK Gambling Commission licence or it is deemed as unsafe.
FAQ Section
Here, we would like to showcase the most popular queries that players have towards the UK Gambling Commission and their answers. We are hoping that going over each question below will solidify your knowledge and remove any confusion.
