How Do You Verify a UK Casino’s Licence? A 3-Step Guide

Verifying a casino's UK licence takes under a minute and requires no special knowledge — just the site's footer and the Gambling Commission's public register. It is the single highest-value check you can run before depositing anywhere, because everything else that protects you as a UK player — fund disclosure, fair terms, dispute rights, GamStop integration — flows from the licence being real, active, and covering the exact domain you're on. Here is the full process, plus what to do when something doesn't match.

Step 1: Find the Licence Number in the Footer

Scroll to the bottom of the casino's homepage. A legitimate UK-licensed site displays, in its footer:

• The operating company name (which is often not the brand name — "PlayExample.com is operated by Example Gaming Ltd")
• The licence/account number, usually in a format like "000-012345-R-123456-001" or linked directly to the register
• Registered company address and, usually, a clickable UKGC logo

Note the company name, not just the number. Many UK brands are white labels running on a network licensee's licence, so the company name tells you who actually holds your money and answers for compliance. If a site aimed at UK players has no licence information in the footer at all, you can stop here — that is your answer.

Step 2: Search the UKGC Public Register

Go to the Gambling Commission's public register and search by either the operator name or the licence number from Step 1. The register is free, requires no account, and covers every licensed operator in Great Britain.

On the operator's register page, confirm three things:

• Status is "Active." Suspended and surrendered licences remain visible on the register — a licence number existing is not the same as a licence being live.
• The activities include what the site offers. A remote casino needs remote casino activities on the licence; a sportsbook needs betting activities.
• The register entry matches the footer. Same company name, same licence number.

Step 3: Confirm the Domain Is Listed

This is the step most people skip and the one that catches actual fraud. On the register entry, open the list of domain names trading under the licence and confirm the exact domain you're on appears there.

Related: compare the full sister sites list

Cloned casino sites are a real, recurring scam pattern: a fraudulent site copies a legitimate brand's design and pastes in a genuine operator's licence number. The number checks out on the register — but the clone's domain is not on the licensee's domain list. If your domain isn't listed, treat the site as unlicensed no matter what the footer claims, and don't deposit.

What to Do When Something Doesn't Match

• Domain missing from the register: don't deposit. If you suspect a clone of a real brand, you can report it through the Gambling Commission's website — the regulator actively pursues unlicensed and cloned sites, and referred hundreds of thousands of URLs for search delisting in 2025 alone.
• Licence suspended: an operator can't lawfully take new business during suspension. If you have a balance there, withdraw it and watch the operator's register page for updates.
• Footer shows a Curaçao, Anjouan or other offshore licence only: the site is not licensed for the British market, full stop. No UKGC licence means no fund protection disclosure, no ADR rights, no GamStop — the entire protection stack described in our full guide to how UK casino licensing works simply doesn't apply.

What Verification Doesn't Tell You

An active licence is a floor, not a rating. It doesn't tell you whether the operator has enforcement history, what fund protection tier your balance sits at, or how fair the bonus terms are. Once the licence checks out, the next two checks worth running are the operator's declared protection tier — covered in how UKGC player fund protection works — and the enforcement record of the operating company on the Commission's website, which matters especially for white-label networks where one licensee's record covers dozens of brands.

If you gamble, please do so responsibly and only at licensed operators. Free, confidential support is available through BeGambleAware, GamCare, Gambling Therapy and Gamblers Anonymous.

FAQ

How do I check if a casino is licensed in the UK?

Find the licence number and company name in the site footer, search the Gambling Commission's public register, and confirm the status is Active, the activities match, and the exact domain you're on is listed under the licence.

Is the UKGC register free to use?

Yes. The public register is free, requires no registration, and covers every operator licensed in Great Britain, including suspended and surrendered licences.

Can a fake casino display a real licence number?

Yes — cloned sites copy legitimate operators' licence numbers. That's why Step 3 matters: the register lists every domain trading under a licence, and a clone's domain won't be on it.

What does it mean if the licence status says suspended?

The operator cannot lawfully offer gambling to British consumers while suspended. Withdraw any balance you hold and monitor the register entry for the outcome.

Why is the company name in the footer different from the casino's name?

Most UK brands are operated by a parent or white-label company that holds the licence. The company named in the footer is the entity legally responsible for your funds and the site's compliance.