Licences · Great Britain
UK Gambling Commission licence: who needs it, what it costs, how long it takes
A business needs an operating licence from the UK Gambling Commission to offer gambling online to consumers in Great Britain, wherever the business is based, and also when any part of its remote gambling equipment is in Great Britain. Each gambling activity has its own remote licence. In the smallest band (annual gross gambling yield under £250,000) a remote casino licence costs £8,185 to apply for and £7,000 a year. The Commission's average decision time for a complete application is 16 weeks.
| Parameter | Value | Source type |
|---|---|---|
| Market covered | Consumers in Great Britain | Regulator |
| Regulator | UK Gambling Commission | Law |
| Legal basis | Gambling Act 2005 | Law |
| Licence structure | One remote operating licence per gambling activity | Regulator |
| Remote casino, smallest band | Application £8,185; annual fee £7,000 | Regulator, from 1 Oct 2026 |
| Average decision time | 16 weeks for a complete operating licence application; not guaranteed | Regulator |
| Businesses with an active remote licence for casino, bingo or betting | 225 | Kompanion count of the register |
| Gambling taxes | Not covered on this page yet | Pending legal review |
Who needs a UK licence?
The Commission sets two triggers. A business needs its licence if it provides facilities for gambling to consumers in Great Britain online or by any other remote means, or if any part of its remote gambling equipment is located in Great Britain. Where the company is incorporated does not matter: the licensees Kompanion profiles include businesses with head offices in Malta, Gibraltar, Cyprus and Ireland.
A remote licence exists for each type of gambling activity, so a site offering casino games and sports betting holds both activities under its licence. The licence authorises gambling for Great Britain; it is not a permit for other markets.
Which remote licence activities are in use?
Active remote licence activities in the register on 26 October 2026, counted by Kompanion. The grouping into consumer-facing and supplier-side is ours; the activity names are the Commission's.
| Activity | Active remote licences | Side |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling Software | 251 | Supplier-side |
| Society Lottery | 236 | Consumer-facing |
| Casino | 138 | Consumer-facing |
| General Betting Standard - Real Event | 116 | Consumer-facing |
| Game Host (Casino) | 83 | Supplier-side |
| General Betting Standard - Virtual Event | 79 | Consumer-facing |
| Pool Betting | 78 | Consumer-facing |
| Bingo | 64 | Consumer-facing |
| Linked Gambling Software | 44 | Supplier-side |
| Betting Host (Virtual Events) | 23 | Supplier-side |
| External Lottery Manager | 18 | Consumer-facing |
| Betting Host (Real Events) | 17 | Supplier-side |
| Gaming Machine Technical Full | 13 | Supplier-side |
| Game Host (Bingo) | 11 | Supplier-side |
| Gaming Machine Technical Software | 10 | Supplier-side |
| Betting Intermediary | 9 | Consumer-facing |
| General Betting Limited | 5 | Consumer-facing |
| Linked Gaming Machine Technical Supplier | 1 | Supplier-side |
Gambling software is the most common remote activity, ahead of casino. Software suppliers that host casino games only through other operators' platforms can hold a casino game host licence instead of a full remote casino licence, provided they hold a gambling software licence and do not contract with players directly.
How much does a UK remote casino licence cost?
Fees depend on annual gross gambling yield (GGY). These are the Commission's tables for the remote casino operating licence, in force from 1 October 2026. Other activities have their own tables, and the Commission's fees calculator gives the exact figure for a combination.
| Fee category | Annual GGY | Application fee | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Under £250,000 | £8,185 | £7,000 |
| F2 | £250,000 to under £875,000 | £14,483 | £12,375 |
| F3 | £875,000 to under £3 million | £25,628 | £19,569 |
| G1 | £3 million to under £10.5 million | £40,475 | £27,337 |
| G2 | £10.5 million to under £36.75 million | £55,060 | £51,975 |
| H1 | £36.75 million to under £130 million | £74,902 | £112,556 |
| H2 | £130 million to under £455 million | £101,895 | £394,875 |
| I1 | £455 million to under £1.6 billion | £122,274 | £1,181,625 |
| J1 | £1.6 billion or more | £165,069 | £1,453,949 plus £272,324 for each complete additional £200 million of GGY above £1.6 billion |
- Combined licences. Combining two of remote casino, bingo and virtual event betting adds £2,100 to the application fee and £6,250 to the annual fee; all three add £4,200 and £12,500.
- First annual fee. Due 30 days after the licence is issued and reduced by 25 percent; later fees fall due before each anniversary of the issue date.
- What these numbers are not. They are the regulator's fees only. Gambling taxes, working capital, player-fund protection and compliance staff are separate costs and are not added here.
How long does a UK licence application take?
The Commission's published average for an operating licence is 16 weeks from a complete application. It states plainly that the timescales are not guaranteed.
| Application | Average decision time |
|---|---|
| Operating licence | 16 weeks |
| Change of control | 12 weeks |
| Variation of an operating licence | 8 weeks |
| Personal licence | 8 weeks |
| Variation of a personal licence | 2–4 weeks |
The Commission names what lengthens a decision: missing information, a complex ownership or funding structure, concerns about the applicant or people linked to the application, links to other applications or licensees, high demand, and an ongoing licence review of a linked person. Processing does not start until the fee is paid and the application is complete. Applications go through the Commission's online service.
What else does the licence require?
Requirements on the company, its owners and key staff, anti-money-laundering controls, player funds, payments and responsible gambling sit in the Commission's licence conditions and codes of practice. This page links to them but does not yet summarise them: a summary of legal requirements is published only after review by a lawyer. Start with LCCP condition 5.1.2 on payment methods and services.
How do you verify a UK gambling licence?
- Search the public register by business name, trading name, domain or account number, or use Kompanion's licence check for the operators we profile.
- Read the status of each activity, not of the company: one licence number can carry an active casino activity next to a surrendered betting one.
- Check the licence type. Online gambling needs a Remote licence; Non-Remote covers premises.
- Check the domain's status on the licensee's record: Active, Inactive or White Label.
- Remember what the register cannot confirm: domains and trading names are declared by the business, and the Commission says it cannot guarantee their accuracy.
Status meanings, as the register defines them, are explained on the UK Gambling Commission page. On 26 October 2026 the register held 645 activities marked Surrendered, 124 activities marked Pending, 49 activities marked Revoked - Non Payment of Fee, 27 activities marked Lapsed, 8 activities marked Revoked, 2 activities marked Suspended.
Alternatives to a UK licence
Other jurisdictions are in preparation on the licences page. A licence elsewhere does not authorise gambling for consumers in Great Britain: the triggers above apply regardless of other licences held.
Sources
- UK Gambling Commission: remote casino operating licence, updated 1 October 2026, read 26 October 2026.
- UK Gambling Commission: licence application processing times, updated 8 November 2024, read 26 October 2026.
- UK Gambling Commission: public register of gambling businesses, read 26 October 2026.
- Gambling Act 2005.