UK Gambling Commission

There are probably a few areas where regulation is necessary, such as gambling. There are countless gambling operators here, each of which must have at least an official license. Regulation of the gambling industry is extremely important, both for players and for gambling establishments, as it is hard to operate without an authoritative regulator. Such an authoritative gambling regulator is the UK Gambling Commission, which is responsible for numerous online casinos. 

UK Gambling Commission performs the following tasks:

• Ensures that gambling in the UK is fair and secure;
• Ensures that gambling in the UK remains free from criminal activity;
• Protects minors and vulnerable persons from gambling addiction.
  

Regulator licensed casinos

The UK Gambling Commission licenses and controls over 1,000 online gambling providers, including many well-known online casinos, sports betting providers, and lottery operators. Among them are well-known companies licensed by the British Gambling Commission:

• William Hill,
• Ladbrokes,
• 888,
• Betway,
• PartyCasino, 
• Leovegas.

A full list of gambling operators can be found on the UK Gambling Commission website in the Public Register section. Here you can find all operators who already have a license and have just applied for licenses. You can also see the names of companies or individuals whose licenses have expired, been revoked, confiscated, suspended, or surrendered in the last three years.

UK Gambling Commission review

The UK Gambling Commission was established in 2005. In the same year, the UK passed the Gambling Act, which provides for the creation of a separate gaming authority. Since then, the UK Gambling Commission has controlled the gambling market in the United Kingdom, including sports betting, casinos, and the National lottery. Over the years, the scope of the Commission's powers has expanded considerably.

After a new gambling law was passed in the UK in 2014, all gaming operators who are residents of the UK and want to offer their services here must obtain official permission from the UK Gambling Commission. It doesn't matter if they have licenses from other regulators. In other words, every UK gambling provider should be able to pass the tests and exams at the Gambling Commission.

Since 2014, the UK Gambling Commission has been responsible not only for land-based gaming providers in the UK but also for online casinos and so-called offshore casinos. Offshore casinos mean providers based, for example, in Malta but provide services to British players. The UKGC must also license these providers.

By the way, the gambling Commission of Great Britain, in full accordance with the name, is responsible not only for England but also for players from Wales and Scotland. If a gambling provider wants to offer its services in these areas, it must be licensed by the UKGC.

Before an online casino is allowed to start entertaining British players, it will have to overcome a major hurdle in the form of UKGC. First, the whole background of the gambling operator is studied. If potential criminals exist in its structure or among its connections, such companies are immediately eliminated and do not receive a license. The same goes for company owners: they are scrutinized to see if these people are serious and trustworthy. Each supplier must prove its financial viability and convince UKGC that the company guarantees player winnings. Operator competence and player protection also play an important role in obtaining a license. 

In addition, if a casino wants to obtain a Commission license, the provider must be able to guarantee the security of its players ' deposits, not only against possible cybercriminal threats but also against their actions. In detail, this means that players' deposits should not be affected if an online casino faces financial difficulties. Therefore, the UKGC license is granted only if the players ' deposits are kept separately from the rest of the company's assets. 

Consequently, if a gambling operator has a license from the UK Gambling Commission, it deserves it.

License types of UK Gambling Commission

The UK Gambling Commission provides the following types of licenses:

1. personal functional license - for employees of gambling establishments,
2. personal management license - for management of gambling establishments,
3. operating license - licenses for each type of activity that may be required by the operator online,

among them:

• Arcade (2 types)
• Betting (12 types)
• Bingo (3 types)
• Casino games (4 types)
• Slot machines (8 types)
• Gambling software (3 types)
• Lottery (4 types) 

The full list of proposed licenses can be found on the UKGC website.

Dispute resolution

Ideally, in an online casino, everything works according to plan: the player makes a deposit, places his bets, and receives his winnings. However, there have always been disputes between players and online casinos. Players often feel helpless in many cases - because, apart from the casino itself, they have no one else to turn to with their problems.

However, this has changed significantly as a result of UKGC activities. If players at any UKGC-licensed casino feel treated unfairly or cheated, they can report it to the UK Gambling Commission. In such cases, the Commission investigates and, if necessary, sanctions the gambling provider who made the mistake. This is a huge advantage for all players because otherwise, a claim against the operator would be almost impossible - because the operators ' offices are often outside the UK, making it much more complicated and expensive. In this sense, UKGC is the first-class point of contact for solving problems with online casinos in the UK.

Conclusion

The UK Gambling Commission has a reputation as a strict but fair regulatory body that prioritizes players' safety and well-being. The UKGC also acts as a Tribunal in disputes, and it has repeatedly shown that in case of doubt, the Commission always advocates for players' interests.

Online players should always look at their casino's license. If the operator can grant a license to the UK Gambling Commission, you can play safely, proving a serious approach to work. Any player can feel that he is treated unfairly or, for some reason, not satisfied with the work of the online casino. In this case, Casinoz recommends contacting the UK Gambling Commission, which will address all players ' problems and ensure that providers will comply with all legislation requirements to protect players.