How to check a casino licence

How to check a casino licence in a few minutes

Every casino legally offering online gambling to people in Great Britain needs an operating licence from the Gambling Commission. The Commission publishes a searchable register of licensed businesses (opens in a new tab), so you don't have to take a logo or a footer on trust. You can search it by business name, trading name, website domain or account number.

The check boils down to three questions: is the licence active, does it include remote casino, and is the website you're on listed under it? If all three are yes, the site is covered by UK rules. This page is one of our practical casino bonus guides, and it pairs well with is a bonus legal in the UK.

Why checking a casino licence matters for bonuses

Most of what makes a UK bonus readable and fair comes from the licence. A site without one doesn't have to follow any of it.

Each of these has its own page in our UK casino bonus rules section, for example the 10x wagering cap and the credit card ban.

Finding the licence details on a casino site

UK-licensed casinos normally show their licence and Gambling Commission account number in the website or app footer, often with the name of the company that holds the licence. If it isn't in the footer, look in the terms and conditions or the "about us" page. The account number is the most useful detail because it leads straight to one register entry.

Sites may also mention licences from other regulators, such as Gibraltar or Malta, and what you see can differ depending on where you view the site from. Those licences cover other markets. They don't replace a Gambling Commission licence for customers in Great Britain, so confirm the UK one on the register itself rather than relying on the footer. The glossary entry on the UKGC licence number explains the format.

Check a casino licence on the register step by step

1. Note the casino's website address and, if shown, the account number and company name from the footer or terms.
2. Open the Gambling Commission's public register of businesses.
3. Search by account number if you have it; otherwise try the company name, the brand (trading) name or the domain.
4. Open the business entry and check the licence status reads Active.
5. Check the licensed activities include remote casino (for online casino games).
6. Open the domain names or trading names list and confirm the exact site you're using appears.
7. Glance at any regulatory actions listed before you decide to deposit.

Reading a Gambling Commission register entry

An entry shows the account number and name, the head office address, the licence status, each licensed activity with its dates, the trading names and domains linked to the licence, and any regulatory action. The status is the first thing to read:

Domains and trading names can be listed as active, inactive or white label. One caution from the Commission itself: trading and domain names are supplied by the businesses, and it can't guarantee their accuracy. If something doesn't match, ask the casino, and don't deposit until it's resolved.

Licence details for the five casinos we cover

Here is what the register shows for the companies behind the offers we list:

You can open the entries yourself, for instance the register entry for account 54743 (opens in a new tab) behind Coral and Ladbrokes, or the entry for account 39326 (opens in a new tab) behind PlayOJO. Our reviews go further on each brand: is Coral legit, is Ladbrokes legit, is PlayOJO legit, is Casumo legit and is 10bet legit.

Shared licences, trading names and white labels

One licence can cover many brands. The trading names on account 54743 include Coral, Ladbrokes, Gala, Foxy and Party, which is why Coral and Ladbrokes are treated as linked for welcome offers: one person may not be able to hold new accounts at both, so check the terms. PlayOJO's licence lists playojo.com alongside other domains, including a white-label site run for another brand.

A white label is a brand that runs on another company's licence. That's legitimate, but it means the licence holder, not the brand name, is the business responsible for your account and complaints. Our guide on how sister site bonuses work explains how linked brands treat bonuses, and sister site bonus rules covers Coral and Ladbrokes specifically.

Warning signs when you check a casino licence

• No Gambling Commission account number anywhere on the site or in the terms.
• Only an overseas licence mentioned, with no UK one on the register.
• A register entry that's suspended, revoked, surrendered or expired.
• A domain that doesn't appear on the licence's domain list.
• Bonus terms that ignore UK rules, such as wagering above 10x, credit card deposits or promises of play without ID checks.
• Advertising aimed at people registered with GAMSTOP; licensed operators must exclude them.

Sites without a UK licence offer none of the protections in the table above, and you'd have no UK route to complain if they didn't pay. Our comparison of UK vs non-UK casino bonuses and the page on free spins without GAMSTOP explain the risks.

Checking how your money is protected

A licence also obliges the casino to say in its terms how customer funds are protected if it goes out of business: not protected, medium protection or high protection. You're asked to acknowledge this before your first deposit is used, and since 31 October 2025 operators rated "not protected" must remind customers every six months. The rating is in the terms, so check it there. Each level is explained in customer funds protection.

Regulatory actions: what a licence does and doesn't tell you

Licensed operators can still fall short, and the Commission publishes its enforcement actions (opens in a new tab), including fines and settlements. PlayOJO's operator agreed a £305,150 settlement in May 2023, and 10bet's operator Blue Star Planet Limited agreed a £620,000 settlement in February 2023. The count on a register entry may not include every past settlement, so the enforcement news list is worth checking too.

A licence also doesn't change the maths. Every game keeps its house edge, bonuses don't make winning more likely, and gambling should be treated as a cost. The Commission's own safety checks (opens in a new tab) suggest checking the licence, the fund protection level and the complaints process together. More examples are collected in operator fines for bonus failings.

Casino licences and Northern Ireland

The Gambling Act 2005 and the Commission's rules cover Great Britain. Northern Ireland has its own law and no full framework for online gambling, so a Gambling Commission licence doesn't automatically bring the same protections there, and some offers, including PlayOJO's welcome offer, exclude Northern Ireland. Our page on Northern Ireland gambling law explains the position.

Using the licence if something goes wrong

Every licensee must have a published complaints procedure and a named alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider. Complain to the casino first; it has 8 weeks to resolve the complaint, and if it hasn't, you can take it to the ADR provider for free. IBAS (opens in a new tab) is one of the best-known providers. The Commission doesn't resolve individual complaints. Our guide on how to complain about a bonus and the glossary entry on ADR set out the process.

Licensed partner offers

All three offers below come from casinos whose licence holders appear on the Gambling Commission register: Coral and Ladbrokes under account 54743 and PlayOJO under 39326. Coral (18+, new players): deposit and bet £10 or more on slots for 100 spins at 10p on selected games, accept within 48 hours, valid 7 days, no wagering on spin winnings; Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards don't qualify. Ladbrokes (18+, new customers): play £10 on slots for 50 spins a day for 10 days, up to 500 at 10p, claim before 23:59 each day, valid 7 days, no wagering; prepaid cards, PayPal, Paysafe, Neteller, Skrill and Moneybookers don't qualify. PlayOJO (18+, new UK customers excluding Northern Ireland): 80 spins at 10p on Big Bass Bonanza with a first deposit of £10 or more, winnings paid in cash.

Casumo (account 61549) and 10bet (account 43173) are licensed too, with match bonuses that carry 10x wagering. Check the register entry yourself before joining any of them, and set a deposit limit when prompted.

18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: set a budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.