How do I check a casino has a UK licence?

Take the licence number and licensee company name from the site's footer, open the Gambling Commission's public register directly, and search for them. Check the status is current, that the licence covers casino play, and that the domain you are on is listed under it.

Why is the company name different from the casino name?

That is normal. Licences are held by a company, and one company often runs several brands. What matters is that the licensee company named in the footer matches the register entry, not that it matches the brand.

Does the register show which websites a licence covers?

Yes. It lists domain names alongside trading names, address and licence status. This is the most useful part of the check, because a licence number can be copied onto a cloned site but the domain list cannot be.

What if the casino is not on the register?

Do not deposit. A business offering gambling to people in Great Britain without a Gambling Commission licence is acting illegally, and none of the protections that come with a licence apply to it.

Does a UK licence mean a casino is good?

No. It is a floor rather than a recommendation. It means the operator is bound by the rules and can be acted against, but it says nothing about bonus terms, withdrawal speed or support quality.

How to Check a UK Casino Licence in Two Minutes

The footer claim is not the check. The register lists the exact domains each licence covers, which is what makes the check worth doing.

Last updated 25 August 2026

A sealed document folder and a plain ribbon on a dark desk.

Why the footer alone proves nothing

Every operator licensed for Great Britain has to display its licensed status and give you a link through to the Gambling Commission's public register. That requirement is useful, but it is worth being clear about what it does and does not tell you.

A licence number in a footer is a claim printed by the site about itself. Anyone can print it. The check is the register, and it takes about two minutes.

The bit that makes the check worth doing

The public register does not only list companies. It lists the domain names each licence covers, alongside trading names, the licensee's address and the current status of the licence.

That is what turns this from a formality into a real test. A licence number can be lifted from a legitimate operator and pasted into a copycat site. The domain list cannot: if the exact address in your browser bar is not on the register under that licence, the number in the footer is not covering the site you are actually on.

How to do it

Do this before you deposit, not after a withdrawal goes wrong.

Find the licence number and the licensee company name in the site's footer. The company name is almost never the brand name, and that is normal.
Open the Gambling Commission's public register directly rather than through the site's own link, so you are not relying on where that link goes.
Search the licence number, or the company name if you only have that.
Check the status is current and the licence covers casino play, not only betting.
Check the domain you are actually on appears in the domains listed for that licence.

What the results mean

If everything matches, the site is licensed for Great Britain and everything that comes with that applies: age and identity verification, deposit limits, GAMSTOP, segregation of your funds, and a free adjudication route if you end up in dispute.

If the company exists but your domain is not listed, stop and do not deposit. That is the pattern a cloned site produces, and it is worth reporting to the Commission.

If nothing matches at all, the business is not licensed for Great Britain, and operating without a licence here is illegal rather than merely unregulated.

What a licence does not tell you

A licence is a floor, not a recommendation. It tells you an operator is subject to the rules and can be acted against if it breaks them. It does not tell you the bonus terms are reasonable, the withdrawals are quick, or the support is any good.

It also does not mean the operator has never been in trouble. The register records regulatory action too, which is worth a look while you are there — a current licence and a history of enforcement are two separate facts, and both are public.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a casino has a UK licence?: Take the licence number and licensee company name from the site's footer, open the Gambling Commission's public register directly, and search for them. Check the status is current, that the licence covers casino play, and that the domain you are on is listed under it.
Why is the company name different from the casino name?: That is normal. Licences are held by a company, and one company often runs several brands. What matters is that the licensee company named in the footer matches the register entry, not that it matches the brand.
Does the register show which websites a licence covers?: Yes. It lists domain names alongside trading names, address and licence status. This is the most useful part of the check, because a licence number can be copied onto a cloned site but the domain list cannot be.
What if the casino is not on the register?: Do not deposit. A business offering gambling to people in Great Britain without a Gambling Commission licence is acting illegally, and none of the protections that come with a licence apply to it.
Does a UK licence mean a casino is good?: No. It is a floor rather than a recommendation. It means the operator is bound by the rules and can be acted against, but it says nothing about bonus terms, withdrawal speed or support quality.

Play responsibly

National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 — Free and confidential, 24 hours a day.

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