Gambling Legal In Uk
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In the UK, the field of gambling is governed by a comprehensive complex of laws and regulations. First of all, there are two basic laws in this field: The Gambling Act 2005 – it was adopted in order to substitute the Gaming Act of 1968 and was the beginning of the new era in the field of gambling regulation. Since online gaming is legal and regulated in the UK, players do not have to worry about being persecuted for betting on sportsor playing poker, roulette, slots, or other casino games. Is Gambling Legal in the UK? Yes, all forms of gambling are legal in the UK. You can play casino games, bet on sports, enjoy bingo, play lotto games, and engage in financial betting. All of this is 100% legal and regulated thanks to the UK’s robust gambling laws. UK gambling laws cover both land-based and online gambling. UK Gambling Act 2005. There is one major gambling law in the United Kingdom. This is known as the Gambling Act 2005. The GA 2005 dictates all the gambling protocols in terms of what is allowed, licencing, regulation, etc. It breaks the legal structure down in a simple way without the need for multiple convoluted laws that get lost in the fray. The UK Gambling Commission is the primary gambling authority in the United Kingdom. Its mission is to look for the strict implementation of gambling laws, to issue licenses to land-based and online providers of casino and sportsbook services.
Online gambling is 100% legal in the United Kingdom and heavily regulated by the UK gaming commission. Learn how to stay compliant as a UK player and which sites are considered the most reputable.
UK residents are fortunate in that they have a wide range of legal online gambling options to choose from. You will find casino, poker and sportsbook gambling available online, as well as lottery, horse racing and bingo. The key to remaining on the legal side of the fence when enjoying online gambling in Great Britain is to make sure you only visit legally licensed destinations that have been certified to offer their services to UK players. This guide will provide you with insight into the legalities of online gambling in the UK, as well as information on the industry's leading gambling sites that welcome British players.
Informed players will be able to better navigate the complexities involved in selecting a premium online gambling destination that is legally operating within the industry and compliant with all UK gambling laws. Therefor our objective is to provide a comprehensive resource for you that leaves you well with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding your involvement with legal UK online gambling entertainment. Below you will find a listing of gambling sites that have been vetted by our team of analysts and approved as reputable and high quality brands.
Is Online Gambling Legal In The United Kingdom?
Online Gambling Is 100% Legal in The United Kingdom and is widely enjoyed by millions of European players. All UK gambling sites are highly regulated and must adhere to stringent standards by the UK Gaming Commission. We only recommend sites that are licensed by the UGC which we know to be fair, safe and legitimate gambling options for players.
Are Online Casinos Legal In The UK?
As one of the most accepting regions when it comes to online gambling, there are a number of options available to UK players seeking legal real money casino games online. Not only do British players have a nice selection of UK based gambling sites, but the nation also embraces offshore betting sites as well. Residents from Great Britain probably have the longest list of available online casinos to choose from as compared to other nations. That being the case, making informed decisions regarding which destinations you will consider playing at is crucial. While each site must be approved by the UK Gambling Commission and meet minimal licensing requirements, not all approved casinos are created equal. There are clear industry leaders that offer the most secure, high quality, reliable and customer oriented experiences out there.
The online casinos that we recommend for UK players are among the most trusted and respected brands in the business, and are all legally sanctioned to provide their services to residents of England. They include destinations that are powered by the top software solutions such as Microgaming, and Playtech, and that make UK players a priority. Many of our featured brands also offer players the option of enjoying their online casino via their smartphone or tablet, with responsive technology that accommodates nearly all mobile devices and networks.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal In The UK?
Legal UK sports betting sites are among the top sportsbooks in the world. Since online and offline betting is legal and embraced in Great Britain, bookmakers have been given the opportunity to openly perfect their services and features. The legal UK online sportsbooks cover sports on a global scale, so players in England can bet on sports from regions all around the world.
Naturally one of the biggest sections of any UK friendly sportsbook is going to be football, and we're not talking the NFL. British and European soccer leagues dominate the sports culture across the pond, and finding great betting lines and odds for wagering on these matches is a priority for many English sports fans. You will find the options are quite extensive and comprehensive at our recommended sportsbooks. The sportsbooks that we recommend also typically offer a strong mobile betting experience that includes features such as live betting and in play betting, and sometimes live streaming of events.
Is Online Poker Legal In The UK?
Poker is extremely popular throughout the UK, both online and offline. The gambling laws in Great Britain do permit online poker gambling from both an operator and a player perspective. UK residents enjoy a nice selection of legally licensed poker rooms that can legitimately offer gaming services to them. The addition of the 2014 Gambling Bill, also known as the Advertising and Licensing Bill, has chased away a few prominent brands from the UK market due to the added tax burden and licensing requirements. However, the UK online gambling market is so very lucrative, that most offshore brands are willing to endure the new hoops they have to jump through because the revenue stream is so worthwhile.
As with the online casinos that accept UK players, you must also be diligent when selecting an online poker site at which to play. Our team of industry analysts has performed extensive reviews on the many poker sites offering services to poker players in Great Britain, and has comprised a listing of top recommendations based on the results of our research. A little further down on this page, you can see a list of some of the key criteria that is required for any brand to be included in our guide. They are all licensed and regulated, and legally offer poker gaming to British players in accordance to all gambling laws in the UK.
FAQ's
As previously mentioned, online gambling is legal in the UK. From 2005 through 2014 the primary law governing online gambling in Great Britain was the Gambling Act of 2005. This piece of legislation served to regulate the industry and to create the UK Gambling Commission. The law allowed gambling sites that were licensed by the commission to advertise and provide betting services to UK residents. The governing body also managed a 'white list' of approved offshore gambling sites that could also participate in the UK online gambling market.
Some of this changed with the 2014 Gambling Bill, which requires any online gambling business that intends to advertise to and provide services to UK residents to acquire a license through the UK Gambling Commission and pay a 15% flat tax, as well as licensing fees. As you can see, all of the regulatory oversight associated with legal UK online gambling is directed at business operators, and does not really affect players. As long as British players are at least 18 years of age, they are legally able to engage in licensed online gambling. The UK region is one of the more progressive areas when it comes to Internet betting laws, providing one of the widest variety of options for gamblers. Below we provide information on casino, poker and sportsbook gambling, but UK players also have access to enjoying online bingo, lottery, skills games, and racing.
This is actually the most critical factor when enjoying online gambling. Finding a legally sanctioned, reputable and high quality destination is paramount to a successful betting experience. Not every single sportsbook that welcomes players from the United Kingdom is legitimate or reputable, no matter how professional their appearance may be. Savvy web design skills have seduced many a bettor who didn't perform their due diligence in vetting a betting site and ended up at risk for fraud and theft. Our goal is to provide you with information that is concise and direct for avoiding a questionable, fraudulent or simply low quality gambling site. We implement an intense review process that places each brand under the microscope concerning every tiny piece of their operation. As industry professionals, we know what to look for to determine the legitimacy, quality and commitment of any gambling site. Here is just a small listing of some of the criteria we demand when evaluating any gambling site.
- Verifiable proof of licensing, compliance certifications and fair gaming practices as documented by third party audits through legitimate governing bodies
- Sophisticated security profile that rivals that of world class financial institutions, and that has been tested by an industry respected testing authority
- Comprehensive banking suite that accepts GBP (British Pounds) and Euro currencies for transactions and offers a strong selection of payment and withdrawal methods
- Industry leading software solutions that power the interface and functionality of the gambling site
- A customer support team that demonstrates that they are knowledgeable, competent and responsive
- Bonus offers that carry reasonable wagering requirements
- Consistent expansion of game menus and features as is applicable to their platform
- Strong proof of identity required during registration and/or account funding to ensure no underage players are involved
The full list of criteria that we look for is much longer, but you get the idea. We don't settle for brands that simply meet the minimum licensing requirements, we want to see a commitment to providing a premium gambling experience for each customer on every visit.
While the 2014 Gambling Bill did stir the pot a bit and drive away some premium gambling brands who were not interested in the new requirements this law administered, all in all it is business as usual for UK players. There are currently no threats of any major negative changes to the market, and in fact fantasy sports has just made a debut to the British sports community. We expect most changes for the near future to be in the way of expansion of the industry due to its strong revenue stream and financial benefits to the bottom line in Great Britain.
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Resources For UK Players
Gamcare - Gamcare is an excellent website for anyone living in the United Kingdom who needs help with gambling addiction.
Table of Contents
- 4 Gambling Act 2014
What are the gambling laws in the UK?
The UK differs pretty significantly from the USA in how it regulates its gambling sector. For one, online betting is legal here in the UK. There are restrictions, however, it is not illegal to run an online casino as long as you are licensed. In America, online betting is only currently permitted in 3 of the 50 states.
Who regulates these laws?
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As we mentioned above, the gambling laws are regulated in the UK by the Gambling Commission. The regulatory body was established in 2005 under the Gambling Act 2005. It assumed full powers in 2007 and has been responsible for maintaining order in the sector ever since. Previously, the sector was under the control of the Gaming Board for Great Britain.
There are several different subsectors within the gambling industry, all of which must be regulated differently to ensure that customer is protected. In Great Britain, the following subsections come under the purview of The Gambling Commission: bingo, casino, betting, arcades, lotteries and gambling machines.
- Bingo– Games as defined by the GC, can be remote or non-remote. Remote (i.e online) games are subject to stricter rules. Automatic exclusion and time- out limits have recently been revised. Stricter controls regarding auto-play functionality and loss-limits will be introduced on 30th April 2016.
- Casino– Non remote casinos are licensed to offer live casino games such as roulette, baccarat and blackjack. They can also offer games of equal chance such as poker and gaming machines. Like bingo, casino games can also be played remotely.
- Betting– Licence holders can offer fixed odds betting from off course betting shops, on track shops and by remote means (online)
- Arcade– There are 3 types of gaming arcades, each are licensed to offer specific categories of machines. These types are Adult Gaming Centres, Licensed Family Entertainment Centres or Unlicensed Family Entertainment Centres.
- Lotteries– Tombolas, sweepstakes and raffles are classed as lotteries. The National Lottery is subject to different restrictions on both who can play and how it can be played. The National Lottery is also subject to a specific breakdown of ticket funds- of which 28% goes to charitable causes.
- Gambling Machines– This includes reel based fruit, slot or jackpot machines. Semi or fully automated casino games are exempt from this category.
What is Remote Gambling?
Remote gambling, in short, is gambling via a remote communication channel. This can take the form of online gambling, gambling via telephone, television or even radio. In order to run a remote betting channel, any operator must first obtain a licence from the Gambling Commission or they face contravening uk gambling regulation. A licence is needed if any of an operator’s remote gambling equipment is based in Britain or if it transacts with or advertisers to consumers in Britain. The following is regulated by the Gambling commission: gambling software, remote casinos, remote betting, remote bingo and remote lotteries.
Gambling Act 2014
In 2014 the UK Gambling Act was revised. Amendments were made on the topics of Licensing and Advertising in order to protect players. The revised act stated that in order to require a licence from the commission, at least one piece of remote gambling equipment must be situated in the UK. If the equipment is situated outside the UK yet UK facilities are being used to house the operation, then the firm will also require a UK licence.
What does this mean for Operators?
Now any firms that fall into the above category will be subject to a 15% Point of Consumption Tax. This means that even off-shore brands will be forced to pay a 15% tax charge on all wagers.
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What is an off-shore brand?
Off-shore brands are those which advertise their wares in Britain but hold a licence from a whitelisted territory. These include Gibraltar, Alderney, the Isle of Man, Antigua or Barbuda. Such brands will be subject to this tax despite being licensed elsewhere.
What does this mean for players?
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For players, the Government hopes that it will stem the flow of unlicensed and unregulated sites from entering the market. These sites are a danger to players. They pose the risk of money laundering. Also, by playing at an unregulated site, players run the risk of a site not paying out.
Future Changes
Recently, the Government unveiled plans to make further amendments to the 2014 Gambling Act. If the law passes, operators will now have to pay a 15% Point of Consumption tax on any free bets. At present, they only subject to this charge on real money wagers.
Should this happen, players may find that there are less free money promotions to be found on the web.
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Gambling laws uk, are constantly changing. It pays to remain abreast of new changes. As a player, you can predict what is going to happen and prepare for any changes which will take place at your favourite bingo site as a result.