How to Check a UKGC License, Step by Step
A license number in a website footer means nothing on its own — anyone can type a string of digits into a template. The only way to know if a UK gambling site is genuinely licensed is to check it directly against the regulator’s own records. It takes about two minutes.
Written and fact-checked by the Gamblingcore editorial team. We keep this content independent of any single operator’s marketing claims — see our disclosure policy for how the site is funded.
Step 1: Find the License Details on the Site
Scroll to the footer of the gambling site — UKGC-licensed operators are required to display their license information there, typically including:
- The operator’s registered company name (which may differ from its trading/brand name).
- A license number or account number.
- Sometimes a UKGC logo linking directly to the register.
If you can’t find any license information at all, treat that as an immediate red flag and stop — don’t deposit, and don’t proceed to the next steps assuming you’ll find it later.
Step 2: Search the UKGC Public Register
Go to the UK Gambling Commission’s public register of licensed businesses and search using the company name you found in the footer — not the brand name, since these often differ. For example, a casino trading as “ExampleCasino” might be legally operated by “Example Gaming (UK) Limited.”
The register will show you:
- Whether the company holds a current, active license.
- What type of license it holds (e.g., remote casino, remote betting, remote bingo) — a license for one activity doesn’t cover another.
- The license’s status (active, suspended, revoked).
Step 3: Match the License Number Exactly
Compare the license or account number shown on the register against the one displayed on the operator’s website, character for character. A mismatch — even a single digit off — is a serious warning sign. Scam sites sometimes copy a real operator’s license number wholesale, hoping players won’t check, or display an old number from a license that has since lapsed or been revoked.
Step 4: Confirm the License Type Covers What You Want to Play
The UKGC issues separate license categories, and a site can legitimately hold one without the other:
| License type | Covers |
|---|---|
| Remote casino | Online slots, table games, live dealer |
| Remote betting | Sports betting |
| Remote bingo | Online bingo |
| Gambling software | Supplying software to licensed operators (not offering gambling directly to the public) |
A site with only a remote betting license, for example, isn’t authorized to offer casino games — if it does anyway, that’s outside its license and a compliance problem for the regulator to investigate.
Step 5: Make Sure the License Actually Applies to You
A UKGC license only means something if you’re playing from Great Britain. It does not extend to Northern Ireland, which runs under separate, older legislation, or to any other country. Likewise, a license from another regulator — Malta’s MGA, Curaçao’s CGA, the Isle of Man’s GSC, or Kahnawake — does not make a site legal for a player in Great Britain, no matter how reputable that regulator is in its own market. For more on how to weigh a license against other trust signals, see our Security & Fair Play guide.
Common Red Flags Beyond the License Check
Even once you’ve confirmed a real, active, matching license, a few other checks are worth doing:
Warning signs worth checking
- No funds-protection rating disclosed anywhere on the site (see our UK gambling guide for what this rating means).
- No mention of an ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) provider for unresolved complaints.
- Accepting credit cards for deposits — banned in Great Britain since April 2020, so a site that allows it either isn't following UKGC rules or isn't actually UKGC-licensed.
- No GAMSTOP self-exclusion integration — every UKGC-licensed operator is required to check new sign-ups against GAMSTOP.
If the Check Fails
If a site’s license doesn’t appear on the register, doesn’t match, or has been revoked, don’t deposit — and don’t rely on the site’s own “verified” badges or third-party review site endorsements as a substitute for the regulator’s own record. You can report a suspected unlicensed operator directly to the UKGC.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is the official UKGC license register?
- At the UK Gambling Commission's public register of licensed businesses, searchable by company name.
- Why does the company name on the register differ from the casino's brand name?
- Operators often trade under a marketing brand name that's different from their registered legal company name — the license is issued to the legal entity, not the brand.
- Does a UKGC license cover Northern Ireland?
- No. Northern Ireland isn't covered by the UKGC or the Gambling Act 2005 and runs under separate, older legislation.
Need help? UK: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133 · US: 1-800-MY-RESET · More support options →