Updated on: March 11th, 2025
The UK Gambling Commission is one of the most recognized regulators in online gambling industries that licenses the sites that operate in Great Britain. As part of their mandate, the commission oversees casino sites that provide services to UK players to ensure that the gaming experience is safe and fair.
Discover why gambling at a casino online that has a UK Gambling commission stamp of approval has its benefits. This guide features everything you need to know about the laws that govern commercial gambling and lotteries in Great Britain. Learn more about how the regulator operates and the history behind the commission.
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History of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission
The UK Gambling Commission was founded in 2005 originally, but it was able to fully exercise its powers in September 2007. On the agenda for the commission was to regulate the licensing procedure of casinos that want to operate in the UK. For providing this service, registered casino sites pay licensing fees and taxes.
Over time, casinos outside the UK were able to obtain licensing with the gambling commission and offer casino games to players in the region. It is important to note that the gambling commission has the support of the UK government. Therefore, any ruling by the regulator is binding, and all fines and taxes must be paid or face legal action.
Benefits of Licensing with UK Gambling Commission
Before there was a UK Gambling Commission, there was little recourse for players that have a bad experience at casinos. Since the commission was established, players have a legal representative that they can lay complaints against rogue casinos.
The establishment of the gambling commission made it impossible to operate in the UK without having a license. This meant that gaming sites had to register with the commission or face hefty penalties. To this effect, tons of casinos abandoned the UK market because of the strict licensing requirements.
This means that all of the gambling companies that remained in the UK market and continue to operate legally are licensed and regularly tested for fairness.
Filing a Complaint with the UK Gambling Commission
As already mentioned, players are advised to reach out to the gambling commission to allay all of their grievances with a casino. The commission is there to safeguard the rights of all gamblers. To file a complaint, you need to follow these basic steps:
- Write and submit a full document, in writing, that details all of your grievances.
- Have all of the communication with the casino on hand to provide as proof (emails and call logs.
- Make contact with the gambling commission’s website.
- Provide all personal information and submit all relevant documents for a resolution to hold.
- Depending on the seriousness of the issue, a resolution might take some time before it is handed down.
- If you are not happy with the ruling, you can escalate the issue with the Alternative Dispute Resolution party.
Some of the reputable gambling commission you can trust include:
