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Friday 31st July 2020
   
How Are UK Online Casinos Licensed & Regulated?

As more and more online casinos launch every day, players have a wider range of choices than ever before.

Whilst of course great news, the fact is that some of these new sites are less safe than others. There have been worrying reports of fraudulent or illegal sites cropping up in recent years, so players should always exercise caution before signing up.

One way in which online casinos are kept in check is through the licensing and regulation system in the UK. In this article, we will take a closer look at how UK online casinos are licensed and regulated. From the role of regulatory bodies to legal legislation, we will look at the fundamentals to offer you a better understanding of the situation.

Without further ado, let’s take a peek at the legal basis for online casino site licensing and regulation in the UK in 2020.

Online casino licensing and regulating in the UK in 2020: The background

To understand how UK online casinos are licensed and regulated in 2020, it is vital to know about the specifics of the Gambling Act (2005 & 2014).

Basically, this was an act passed into UK law back when the online casino business was in its infancy. Back in 2005, the web was rife with dodgy sites stealing players’ money and details!

Also, online casino sites were, back then at least, a common way for criminal gangs and individuals to launder money gotten from nefarious activities such as drug dealing, extortion and more.

The passing of the Act was designed to limit the capacity for this to continue. The 2005 Act spawned the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), which to this day licenses and regulates all online casinos operating from within the UK. The initial aim of the act was to stop organized crime from using online casinos as fronts and also to protect children from accessing these sites.

Then, in 2014, the act was updated to target advertising in online casino sites. This prevented ads from targeting people under eighteen, who were seen as more susceptible to using online casinos in a compulsive, unhealthy way.

The role of the UKGC today

Since launching back in 2005, the UKGC has become one of the world’s most respected and esteemed gambling authorities. Renowned for their strict testing and requirements, the UKGC is committed to the eradication of dangerous and fake online casino sites in the UK.

Essentially, it is safe to assume that when a site is UKGC licensed, it is an extremely safe and secure place to play. This authority is highly respected and will always look to put the best interests of players first. If this sounds like your kind of site, you can find a great UK casino by clicking here.

Overall, it can be said that UK online casinos are licensed and regulated more strictly than any other group in the world. This is because the UKGC wants to provide British people and those using British sites with the utmost protection and quality from their gambling experience. Lessons have been learned from the early days of online casinos when far too many players were tricked into using harmful online casino sites.