Why Checking a Casino Licence Matters
A valid casino licence is the most important consumer protection a player can have. Casinos must segregate player funds, undergo independent audits, offer responsible gambling tools and processes for making complaints. Unlicensed casinos do not have any of these requirements placed upon them.
Licence logos can be faked by many online casinos. The only way to verify that a casino holds the licence is to check the regulator's public register.
How to Check a Casino Licence in 5 Steps
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1
Find the licence information on the casino's website
Scroll to the bottom of the casino's homepage. Most licensed casinos will feature the licence number of the casino and the licence logo of the regulator that licensed the casino. This information will be in the footer of their site and read something like: "Licensed by the UK Gambling Commission under licence number 123456".
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2
Go directly to the regulator's public register
Do not use the link on the casino's website to the regulator's public register. Go directly to one of the official URLs where the licences of the UKGC, MGA, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and Curaçao can be viewed:
- UKGC: gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register
- MGA (Malta): mga.org.mt/public-register
- Gibraltar: gibraltar.gov.gi/new/remote-gambling
- Isle of Man: gov.im/gambling
- Curaçao: gamingcontrolcuracao.org
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3
Search for the casino by name or licence number
Use the search function on the regulator's public register. First try the trading name of the casino. If that does not return the casino, try searching for the name of the company that owns the casino. Finally, try searching for the licence number of the casino.
Casinos will be listed under their legal entity name on the regulator's public register. A casino under the trading name of LeoVegas will be listed as "LeoVegas AB". A casino under the trading name of Bet365 will be listed as "Hillside (New Media) Limited". A casino under the trading name of William Hill will be listed as "WHG (International) Limited". If the search by trading name returns no results, search for the legal entity name within the footer of the casino's homepage.
The licence number on the UK Gambling Commission register will feature the format 000-XXXXXX-XXX-XXX. Any number that does not feature this format is a red flag for players.
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4
Confirm the licence is active and covers online casino games
There are three things to check on the public register to verify that a casino is licensed and legitimate. First, the status of the licence should be "Active" or "Current" not "Revoked" "Surrendered" or "Suspended". Second, the type of gambling licence should match the type of gambling the player wants to engage in. Finally, the licensed entity should have the same name as the entity featured on the website footer.
On the UKGC register specifically, each licence entry shows:
Field What it means What to look for Account name The legal entity holding the licence Should match the company name in the casino's footer Licence number Unique identifier for this licence Should match the number shown on the casino's website Status Current state of the licence Must be "Active". Revoked, Surrendered, or Lapsed = not valid Licence type What activities are authorised Look for "Casino" - "Betting" only does not cover casino games Start date When the licence was issued Useful context; new licences issued recently may have less track record -
5
Check for any regulatory actions
The UKGC and MGA both publish enforcement actions against licensed operators. You can find the UKGC's full public register of enforcement outcomes at gamblingcommission.gov.uk. A fine alone is not necessarily disqualifying - it depends on what it was for - but it is worth knowing before you deposit.
The licence status can feature different meanings. For example, if it reads "Surrendered" this means that the company voluntarily gave up its licence. This could be because they are ceasing operations in the UK or another country, or they are merging with another company. If the status reads "Revoked" it means that the UK Gambling Commission took their licence away due to a breach of the conditions of the licence. This is a more negative finding than "Surrendered" as the company is not meeting the standards that were set for them. Neither of these statuses is valid for a player to use for current gambling activities.
A licence may have conditions attached to it. For example, the UK Gambling Commission may issue a licence with conditions requiring the operator to implement tools to monitor player activity or impose limits on the number of bonus offers that a player can receive from the casino. These conditions are issued above and beyond the standard licence conditions and can be viewed on the public register. The presence of conditions indicates that the licensing regulator has had issues with the company in the past.
What If the Casino Is Not on the Register?
If the casino that you are interested in gambling at is not found on the public register, do not deposit your money into the casino. See our guide to unlicensed casino warning signs for other red flags to watch for. This means that the online casino does not hold the licence that it displays on its website or that it holds a licence from a different regulator. Contact the casino and ask them for the licence number of the casino and the legal entity name featured on the licence. If they are unable to provide this information to you, do not gamble with them.
Which Regulator Should I Look For?
Not all licences offer the same protection. As a general guide:
- Best for UK players: UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) - legally required if you are in the UK
- Good for EU players: Malta Gaming Authority (MGA)
- Solid alternatives: Gibraltar and Isle of Man
- Lower protection: Curaçao - weaker player protection standards than the above
See our full licence comparison table for a breakdown of what each regulator requires.
Already Verified Lists
We verify each and every casino that we feature on our website for the legitimacy of their license. Browse our pages to find licensed casinos under the UK Gambling Commission, MGA, Gibraltar, Isle of Man and Curaçao regulators: