UKGC is short for the UK Gambling Commission, the regulator that licenses and supervises gambling businesses in Great Britain, including every real-money casino app you can legally use here. It sets the rules those apps follow, from stake limits to identity checks, publishes a register of licence holders and can fine or close operators that break its conditions.
The UKGC licenses every legal casino app serving players in Great Britain.
Its rules shape apps directly: £5/£2 slot stake limits, 10x wagering caps and no autoplay.
You can check any operator’s licence on the UKGC public register in a minute.
It doesn’t settle individual disputes; that’s the job of an ADR provider.
Full name
Gambling Commission (often called the UK Gambling Commission)
Set up under
Gambling Act 2005
Covers
Great Britain, not Northern Ireland
Commissioners appointed by
Secretary of State for DCMS
Also regulates
The National Lottery
Handles your complaint?
No, use the operator then ADR
What the UKGC is
The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate the individuals and businesses that provide gambling in Great Britain, and it also regulates the National Lottery. Its commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Although it is widely called the UK Gambling Commission, or UKGC, its remit is Great Britain: Northern Ireland has separate gambling law, which is why some offers exclude it, as our page on casino apps in Northern Ireland explains.
Any company offering real-money gambling to people in Great Britain needs a Commission licence, even if it is based in Gibraltar, Malta or elsewhere. For apps that licence is a remote gambling licence.
What the UKGC does for casino app players
Role
What it means in an app
Licensing
Only approved operators can serve British players; Apple and Google check this before listing real-money apps
Setting conditions
Licence conditions, codes of practice and technical standards govern games, payments and safer gambling tools
Public register
Anyone can look up a licence holder, its account number and its licensed activities
Compliance and enforcement
The Commission can review, suspend or revoke licences and impose financial penalties
Research and statistics
Evidence the Commission uses when it consults on and changes the rules
It’s also the body Apple and Google rely on: real-money casino apps on the UK App Store and Google Play must come from licensed operators. Our guides to Apple’s App Store gambling rules and Google Play gambling rules explain the store side.
Wagering capped at 10x on bonuses from 19 January 2026, and no offers that mix products such as sport and casino.
Game design rules: no autoplay or turbo on slots, at least 2.5 seconds per spin, and at least 5 seconds per round on other casino games. See UK slot design rules on mobile.
No credit cards, including through Apple Pay, Google Pay or PayPal funded by one.
No reverse withdrawals: once requested, a payout can’t be cancelled to keep playing.
Age and identity checks before you can deposit or play, including free demo games.
Safer gambling tools: deposit limits prompted at sign-up, time-outs, reality checks and self-exclusion.
Not individual ones. The Commission says it doesn’t resolve or make decisions on complaints about gambling transactions. If something goes wrong with a withdrawal, bonus or account, you complain to the operator first; it has eight weeks to resolve things, after which you can take the dispute to a free, independent ADR provider. The Commission does want to hear about suspected rule breaches, though, because they inform its compliance work. Our guide on how to complain about a casino app sets out the full route.
UKGC-licensed casino apps to consider
Every app we list holds a UKGC licence you can verify on the register. Coral and Casumo are shown below with their current welcome offers; full reviews of all five licensed apps are on our casino app reviews page. 18+, terms apply, and gamble only with money you can afford to lose.
Coral is run by LC International Limited (UKGC account 54743) and Casumo by Recro Limited (61549), both shown on the public register. 18+, new customers, terms apply: Coral gives 100 free spins at 10p after you bet £10 on slots; Casumo matches 50% of a £20+ first deposit up to £100, with 10x wagering within 7 days.
Significant terms: 18+. New players only. Offer runs 01/10/2026 to 01/02/2027. Deposit (certain types excluded) and bet £10+ on slot games to get 100 free spins (selected games, £0.10 each, 48 hrs to accept, valid 7 days). No wagering on free spin winnings. Deposits by Neteller, PayPal, Paysafe, Skrill, prepaid cards and certain debit cards do not qualify. Restrictions and T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Coral reviewLicence: LC International Limited, UKGC account 54743. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
Significant terms: 18+. New customers only. Opt-in required. 50% deposit bonus up to £100 on first deposit. Minimum deposit £20. 10x wagering on the bonus amount. Maximum bet or spin £5. Bonus valid for 7 days. Game, play and payment method restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. GamCare.org.uk
Read the Casumo reviewLicence: Recro Limited, UKGC account 61549. Offer checked 5 October 2026.
18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Set a deposit limit before you play: how to set limits. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
What does UKGC stand for?
UKGC stands for UK Gambling Commission, the common name for the Gambling Commission, Great Britain’s gambling regulator. It was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 and licenses and supervises gambling businesses, including online casinos and their apps, as well as the National Lottery. Despite the ‘UK’ label, its remit is Great Britain; Northern Ireland has its own laws. When an app says it is ‘licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission’, this is the body it means. Our safe casino apps page explains why that licence matters.
Are all casino apps in the UK App Store UKGC-licensed?
Real-money casino apps on the UK App Store and Google Play should be, because both stores only allow real-money gambling apps from operators licensed for the market. Free-to-play ‘social casino’ apps with no cash prizes are a different category and aren’t licensed as gambling. Fake or copycat apps occasionally slip through, so it’s worth confirming the developer matches a licence holder on the public register. Our guide to spotting fake casino apps shows what to compare.
How do I check if a casino app is UKGC-licensed?
Find the licence statement in the app, usually at the bottom of the home screen or in the About or Terms section, and note the company name and account number. Then search the Gambling Commission’s public register for that number and check the licence is active and covers remote casino. Finally, compare the company with the developer shown on the store listing. The whole check takes a couple of minutes on your phone. Our guide on how to check a casino licence walks through it.
Can the UKGC get my money back from a casino?
No. The Commission doesn’t resolve individual complaints about gambling transactions or order refunds. Your route is the operator’s own complaints process first, then, after eight weeks or a final response you disagree with, a free alternative dispute resolution provider. You can still report suspected rule breaches to the Commission, which can consider regulatory action against the operator. Our ADR entry and guide on complaining about a casino app explain each step.
Does the UKGC cover Northern Ireland?
No. The Gambling Act 2005, under which the Commission operates, applies to Great Britain, meaning England, Scotland and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own gambling legislation, which is why some casino offers and features exclude players there; PlayOJO’s welcome offer, for example, is for UK customers excluding Northern Ireland. Players in Northern Ireland should read an operator’s terms carefully before signing up. Our help page on casino apps in Northern Ireland goes into the details.
What rules has the UKGC introduced recently for casino apps?
Several, and they show up directly on your phone. Online slot stakes have been capped at £5 a spin for players aged 25 and over since April 2025, and at £2 for 18 to 24-year-olds since May 2025. From 19 January 2026, bonus wagering is capped at 10x and promotions that mix gambling products are banned. Earlier rules removed autoplay, turbo spins and reverse withdrawals. Our guide to UK casino app rule changes in 2026 summarises them.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Get support from GamCare or NHS gambling support, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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