Food, Drink & Hospitality

Gambling licensing requirements for UK businesses

How to obtain gambling licences from the Gambling Commission, including operating, personal and premises licences. Covers responsible gambling requirements, compliance obligations, and 2025 regulatory changes.

UK-wide
Guide summary

You need a gambling licence from the Gambling Commission before offering any gambling services. Depending on your business, you may need an operating, personal or premises licence. Apply with all required documents and pay the fees. Follow strict rules on responsible gambling and protect vulnerable customers.

  • Operating licence required for all gambling businesses
  • Personal licence needed for key staff (valid 5 years)
  • Premises licence needed for physical locations (from local council)
  • Online gambling requires remote operating licence
  • PML licences required for managers (costs £370)
  • Apply with financial records and policies to avoid delays
  • GAMSTOP self-exclusion mandatory for online operators
  • £150/30 days triggers financial checks from Feb 2025
  • Slots stake limits £5/spin (over 25) from Sept 2024
  • Unlicensed operation risks unlimited fines and prison
On this page
UK-wide

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If you want to provide gambling facilities in Great Britain, you need licences from the Gambling Commission. The UK has one of the most comprehensive gambling regulatory frameworks in the world, focused on three licensing objectives: preventing crime, ensuring fair gambling, and protecting vulnerable people.

Important: Operating without the correct licences is a criminal offence with unlimited fines and up to 51 weeks' imprisonment.

Understanding gambling licence types

There are three types of gambling licences, and you may need more than one depending on your business model.

Which licences do you need?

  • Online gambling platform: Remote operating licence from Gambling Commission
  • Betting shop: Operating licence (Gambling Commission) + premises licence (local council)
  • Casino: Operating licence + premises licence + personal licences for key staff
  • Arcade: Operating licence + premises licence (adult or family entertainment centre)
  • Society lottery: Operating licence if annual proceeds exceed threshold

Operating licence categories

Operating licences are issued for specific gambling activities. You must apply for the correct category.

Multiple activities: If your business provides several gambling activities (for example, casino games and sports betting), you'll need the relevant operating licence for each activity. Some combined licences are available.

Application process and fees

Understanding the costs involved helps you budget for your gambling business.

What you need to apply

The Gambling Commission requires extensive documentation:

  • Financial records: Audited accounts, bank statements (6 months), financial projections
  • Policies: Anti-money laundering procedures, responsible gambling policies, complaints handling
  • Process maps: Flow diagrams showing how your gambling operations work
  • Governance: Details of directors, shareholders (10%+), and key personnel
  • UK address: Must have UK address for service (not PO Box)

Tip: Incomplete applications are the main cause of delays. Ensure all documentation is ready before applying.

Personal licences for key staff

Certain individuals must hold personal licences to work in gambling businesses.

2024 update: From 29 November 2024, Money Laundering Compliance Officers (MLCO) and Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLRO) at casino operators must hold Personal Management Licences.

Responsible gambling requirements

All licensed operators must promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable customers. These requirements have tightened significantly in 2024-25.

What this means for your business

The requirements above mean you must:

  • Budget for customer checks: Financial vulnerability monitoring and affordability assessments are mandatory - allocate staff and systems resource
  • Integrate self-exclusion: Technical integration with GAMSTOP required before launch
  • Configure game limits: Ensure your platform enforces all stake limits and age-specific restrictions
  • Review marketing systems: Direct marketing must be opt-in only (required since May 2025)
  • Train staff: All customer-facing staff must understand age verification and safer gambling obligations

The three licensing objectives

Your entire business operation must support these objectives.

Enforcement and penalties

The Gambling Commission has strengthened its enforcement approach for 2025.

Key message: The Commission's new penalty framework is designed to make "non-compliance more costly than compliance". Invest in getting it right from the start.

2025 regulatory changes

Major changes took effect throughout 2025 that all gambling businesses must now comply with.

Next steps

  1. Determine licence requirements: Use the Gambling Commission's guidance to identify which licences you need
  2. Prepare documentation: Gather financial records, draft policies, map your processes
  3. Apply for operating licence: Submit online application with fee
  4. Apply for personal licences: Submit alongside or shortly after operating licence application
  5. Apply for premises licence: Once operating licence granted, apply to local council
  6. Implement compliance systems: Before trading, ensure all responsible gambling systems are in place