Licenses
UK Gambling Commission
Gambling in the UK is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.
The Gambling Commission is an executive body that is responsible for making and supervising gambling laws in Great Britain.
It can issue licences to operators, in the interest of protecting player interests and enhancing the industry.
In 1190, King Richard of England made the first gambling law.
It dictated that only noblemen could bet and they could bet a maximum of 20 shillings a day.
In 1541, the Unlawful Games Act was decreed by Henry VIII.
With games of skill struck off, the public turned to horse racing and to lotteries.
England launched its first lotteries in 1569, which were exclusively for the rich.
At 10 shillings a ticket, only noblemen could afford to gamble with the lottery.
Interestingly, the top prize was 4,000 and a get-out-of-jail-free card for any crime except treason or murder.
It was not long before more lotteries were made and the public got stuck right in.
These were made to cut out illegal operations and give the public more financial security.
More laws were introduced in the 19th century, but bookmakers still found ways around the law.
Finally, in 1960 the government issued the Betting and Gaming Act 1960.
This legalised private casinos, taking gambling off the streets and cutting out criminal activity by bookmakers.
The act remained in place until the British government launched the Gambling Act 2005.
Types of Licences
The Gambling Commission is very organised when it comes to issuing licences.
There are three types of licences: remote, non-remote and ancillary.
Remote licences are for online establishments.
Non-remote licences are for land-based casinos or arcades.
The way the business is operated will determine what throw in of licence is needed.
There are over 30 different types of licences that the UK Gambling Commission can issue.
Operators may need to apply for more if they want permission to supply more services.
There are also categories for each throw in of casino licence, depending on the services provided.
A lot of information is required from the Gambling Commission to review the app.
Applicants may need to supply even more documents if requested.
The fee needs to be paid with the submission of the utility.
This fee can vary, so it is best to show two examples.
The category for the system fee will depend on the annual gross gambling yield.
From 550,000 and under to 1 billion or greater, there are 9 different fee categories.
The tool fees range from 4,224 to 91,886.
The operator wants to provide sports bets on real events (and not virtual) on a website.
The same fee categories apply, and app fees range from 4,693 to 41,243.
An tool that is approved will instantly be given a 5-year licence (shorter term is also negotiable).
Taxation on gambling is 15% in the UK.
This needs to be paid by gambling operators, and players do not pay any tax on their winnings.
Pros for Players
What do you think when you see a casino/sportsbook has a UK GC licence?
Here are some of the first things that should pop into your head.
It Is Popular
The UK has a massive market for gamers and punters alike.
Most sites should have a big collection of casino titles that come from the most reputable developers around.
Competition is high, so you will probably find some great bonuses and deals too.
Utmost Safety For Players
Recently, the UK banned casinos from accepting credit card deposits.
This is just another step in its long crusade to make a safer and healthier environment for players.
Casinos and sportsbooks that obtain UK GC licences have to comply with tonnes of regulation that honours players.
Almost Unlimited Coverage
There are licences for all types of operations.
Companies, therefore, have more flexibility in what they can offer players and how they can offer it.
Specifically fruit machines; how they are exposed to children and how dangerous that can be.
These are the penny machines where the maximum stake is 1 and prize can be 50.
These D Category machines can still be owned by pubs or arcades without licences.
The anonymity that cryptocurrencies provide is difficult for the Gambling Commission to monitor.
Therefore, you may not find a lot of casinos and sportsbooks offering crypto support.
International Operators
The UK Gambling Commission is in charge of which casinos/sportsbooks can operate in the UK.
It is highly reliable and has access to one of the biggest gambling markets the UK public.
