The United Kingdom’s gambling market is one of the best-regulated and safest places for gamblers worldwide. Its Gambling Commission handles the licensing and evaluation of every operator interested in serving the country’s residents.
However, with so many gambling sites available for the players, choosing a legitimate one could be challenging, particularly for new players. So, here’s a quick UK online casino guide to help you find safe and allowed casinos to run in the country to protect yourself from fraudulent gambling sites.
Safety and Gambling License
When selecting an online casino to play at, your safety should always come first. However, if you are unfamiliar with gambling legislation, it may be difficult to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent companies. You can do so, though, by following these simple tips.
First, you should be on the lookout for particular emblems and symbols. They are generally found at the bottom of the online casino’s homepage. Their presence ensures that your personal and financial information will be handled safely.
If you’re playing in the United Kingdom, you’ll want to check if the gambling site has a license from the UK Gambling Commission. One can be found on all of the top online gaming sites in the United Kingdom. Look for the company’s logo and the operator’s license number on the web page.
Realistic Bonuses
Once you’ve chosen a casino with a large game selection, check if it offers some good value promos. Almost every gaming site now provides a welcome bonus of some kind. However, not all operators can afford to provide significant incentives that are advantageous to the players.
Remember that a hefty bonus does not always imply that the deal would benefit the player. Bonuses are frequently linked to excessive wagering requirements that are nearly difficult to meet. As a result, before claiming a bonus, we highly advise you to read the relevant terms and conditions.
Moreover, many fraudulent gambling sites use bonuses to entice new players. Always remember that if the offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Well, that’s the case almost all the time.
Fair and Safe Gambling Apps and Software
While an operator has a huge bonus and a large game selection, its gambling site will not function correctly without appropriate gaming software. Some of the top gambling sites are supported by several renowned software developers. Given the prevalence of internet gambling in the United Kingdom, it should not be a surprise that most industry leaders cater to this market.
OpenBet, Playtech, and Microgaming are some of the most common brands you’ll come across. Fortunately, precise information regarding an operator’s software usually is found at the bottom of its homepage.
Gambling Laws & Regulations in the UK
The gambling regulations in the UK are straightforward. The Gambling Act of 2005 makes all types of gambling legal and regulated. The act represents the British government’s efforts to regulate gaming and prevent any unlawful actions associated with it. All companies or persons who seek to provide or advertise gambling services must have a license from the UK Gambling Commission, according to the Gambling Act of 2005.
According to the act, it is lawful for British citizens to engage in internet gambling practices. These include sports betting, online casinos, bingo sites, poker rooms, lottery sites, and daily fantasy sports. As a result, as a UK citizen, you can be assured that you will be gambling among the safest markets worldwide.
More Things You Should Know
Taxes in Gambling
Betting duty was removed in 2001, which means that all gambling winnings in the UK are now completely tax-free and don’t need to be recorded on any tax return. Professional gamblers, too, are exempt from paying taxes on their wins, regardless if that is their primary source of income.
On the other hand, this is not the situation for gaming businesses, legally required to pay a “point of consumption” tax since 2014. In 2018, the initial 15% levy on bets placed by British clients was increased to 21%, including all games of chance – except sports betting, which remains at 15%.
Legal Age
In general, you must be at least 18 years old to gamble in the UK. This includes casinos, bingo, poker, sports betting, racetracks, and adult gaming centers both in-person and online. For the National Lottery, the legal age to play was previously 16, but in April 2021, it was raised to 18.
Laws in Advertisements
Gambling product advertising is permitted in the UK as long as the campaigns are conducted socially and adhere to the UK Advertising Codes. These codes are set by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) and managed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The ASA regularly examines the substance of all gambling advertising to ensure that they do not appeal to youngsters or minors. Accordingly, young persons, or anyone who looks to be under the age of 25, shall not appear in any gambling commercials, especially in a capacity that involves gambling.
All customer-facing marketing messages must be transparent and non-misleading. Advertisements on the internet should be appropriately placed and not on sites that provide unlawful access to protected content.
Final Thoughts
While it is true that the United Kingdom has one of the safest and the most regulated online casinos, many new casinos are popping out every day. Unfortunately, many of these new casinos pretend to be legitimate, waiting for a new player to fall into their traps.
With this simple guideline, you must equip yourself with the proper knowledge to know whether or not you are playing in a legitimate UK online casino.