Gamble Safely with UK Casino Regulatory Bodies

Gambling at no deposit online casinos has always been a major part of the United Kingdom's economy as it contributes largely to government revenue. This activity has indeed become a favourite pastime for most Brits, especially now that you can access and play various games from the comfort of your home.

As a matter of fact, the UK is home to the oldest and leading bookmarkers in iGaming. Unlike most other countries, where laws on gambling are vague, UK casino regulations are quite clear and solid. These are put up to protect British players and ensure operators play by the book - we can argue that the Brits have it pretty good compared to many other countries.

Casino Licensing

A casino license is simply a permit certifying that a betting operator is fully in compliance with requirements formulated to control its operations. The UK casino regulations and laws require any betting site willing to offer gaming services to UK citizens be a holder of a certificate from certified bodies. The main purpose of a license is to check the following;

  • Technical standards
  • Gambling by minors
  • Information and Player protection
  • Money laundering
  • Self-exclusion
  • Alternative dispute resolution
  • Advertising and marketing
  • Contribution to research and education

The Gambling Act - 2005

The United Kingdom Act was enacted in 2005 and made vital amendments to the existing legislation for proper UK casino regulations. Before this Act, the Gambling Board was in charge of supervising the industry, mainly focusing on land-based betting houses, betting shops, lottery retailers and bingo halls - this didn't cover online gaming which was flourishing as well.

This Act saw the establishment of UKGC in 2007, which took over all regulatory activities. This organization is an independent entity - it doesn't have any political affiliations and is not part of government bodies. The regulatory organization is accredited in licensing commercial gaming including the National Lottery.

This body has since been issuing licenses and is well-known across the globe. In 2014, the Act was amended to accommodate additional clauses on licensing and advertising that required all casinos based oversees that transact, or advertise to UK citizens to acquire a license from this particular commission and pay a point of consumption tax.

Whitelisted Jurisdictions

As you have already seen, all casinos offering services to Brits must acquire a license from the UKGC. They should also clearly display the licensing details on their website or premises. However, you may come across logos of other regulatory authorities on British game websites. It's because certain jurisdictions have been approved by the government - these particular ones have been vetted and found to meet the UK casino regulations as per the 2005 gaming Act. The whitelisted jurisdictions are as follows;

  • Countries within the European Economic Area (EEA)
  • Antigua and Barbuda (The Directorate of Offshore Gaming)
  • The Alderney Gambling Control Commission
  • Isle of Man (Supervision Commission)
  • The Gibraltar commission
  • The Tasmania Liquor and Gaming Commission

It's important to mention that this is among the countries with the most rigorous regulatory regimes when it comes to casino regulations. As such, you can be sure that you're playing on the safest and best-regulated gaming markets, and subsequently, the best UK no deposit online casino sites.

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