Lab note L-02
How to verify a UKGC licence
A casino that takes bets from people in Great Britain needs a licence from the Gambling Commission, wherever the company is based. Checking one takes about a minute on the Commission's public register. Here's the routine we use.
Step by step
- Find the account number. Licensed operators state it on the site, normally in the footer and in the terms: a line saying the business is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission under account number N. If you can't find a number at all, stop there.
- Open the public register. It's at gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register. Search by account number if you have one; searching by name works too but brings back more results.
- Check the status. The entry shows whether the licence is active. A licence that has been surrendered, revoked or suspended doesn't cover anyone taking bets today.
- Check the activity. An online casino should hold a remote casino licence. A business can hold several licence types; the one you care about is the one covering what you're about to do.
- Check the domain. Entries list the trading names and web domains the licence covers. The address in your browser should be on that list. A familiar brand on an unlisted domain is a warning sign.
- Match the company name. The legal entity in the casino's terms should be the business on the register entry. Different names can be fine (group structures are common), but the account number should tie them together.
Our five casinos on the register
The account numbers below come from each operator's own material. The links go straight to the relevant register page; please click through and check the status yourself, since a licence can change after the date at the top of this site.
| Casino | Operator | UKGC account | Company details disclosed | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna Casino | Skill On Net Ltd | 39326 | Malta company reg. no. C50024, Level 5, Quantum House, 75 Abate Rigord Street, Ta'Xbiex XBX 1120, Malta | Entry 39326 |
| Swift Casino | Skill On Net Ltd | 39326 | Malta company reg. no. C50024, Level 5, Quantum House, 75 Abate Rigord Street, Ta'Xbiex XBX 1120, Malta | Entry 39326 |
| PlayKasino | Skill On Net Ltd | 39326 | Malta company reg. no. C50024, Level 5, Quantum House, 75 Abate Rigord Street, Ta'Xbiex XBX 1120, Malta | Entry 39326 |
| Vegas Mobile Casino | ProgressPlay Limited | 39335 | Malta-registered operator, UKGC account 39335 | Entry 39335 |
| The Online Casino | ProgressPlay Limited | 39335 | Malta-registered operator, UKGC account 39335 | Entry 39335 |
Only 2 account numbers cover all 5 casinos. That's normal: one operator licence can cover many brands, each listed as a trading name or domain on the same entry. It also means sister brands share a regulator record, so any action taken against the operator affects all of them.
Malta address, British licence
Both operators here are registered in Malta. That doesn't change the rules for you. Since the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, any operator serving British customers remotely has needed a Gambling Commission licence, and must follow its rules on age checks, safer gambling tools, advertising and handling of customer funds. The company address tells you where the business is incorporated; the UKGC account tells you who regulates what it does for UK players.
What the register can't tell you
- Whether a bonus is any good. That's what the value note is for.
- How quickly withdrawals are paid.
- How a particular complaint will go.
If you do have a dispute, complain to the casino first. If that doesn't settle it within the operator's complaints process, you can take it to the independent alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider named in the casino's terms. The Commission itself doesn't resolve individual disputes, though it does want to hear about operators that break its rules.