Written by:
UK Gambling Act 2005 Review
It is the most recent major update on the laws surrounding gambling activities and facilities. It is the first act to address online gambling and transferred the licensing of gambling from the Magistrate’s Court to the local authorities or licensing boards. The 2005 UK Gambling Act created the well-known UK Gambling Commission, started regulation of legal lotteries and giving a chance for “super casinos” to be created in the country.
The 2005 Gambling Act has three main points that it needed to address. The first one is to prevent gambling from becoming a source of crime or disorder, being associated with that, or be an accessory to a crime. The second goal was to ensure that any form of gambling is carried out in a fair and legal fashion. The third and final main focus of the act was to protect children, underage people and other vulnerable groups of the general public from being harmed or exploited by gambling. Additionally, this new act allows for gambling companies and providers to advertise on media like TV and radio. The 2005 Gambling Act was later updated in 2014 requiring all offshore gambling providers to apply for a gambling license with the UKGC and submit to a 15% Point of Consumption (POC) tax on gross profits. If you would like to know more, you can visit the 2005 Gambling Act information page from the legislation department of the government.
2005 Gambling Act Updates
In the few following years, the gambling act received a few additions to it, but the major changes came in 2014 when a complete revision was made. This time the changes are addressed mostly towards the online gambling activities and licensing. The major update points can be found below:
- Remote Operators Require a License (Operators outside the UK need a license to offer their services to players in Great Britain)
- Gambling Advertisers Require a License for Great Britain (Before that, operators based in the European Economic Area, Gibraltar, Alderney, Isle of Man, Tasmania, Antigua and Barbuda did not require one)
- Remote Operators Must Pay 15% Tax Gambling Duty (This was introduced by the Finance Act 2014)
These updates made all operators that wish to either have their seat in the UK or operate there to get a license. They are given out by the Gambling Commission, which has a set of strict requirements that need to be met as well as have the freedom to regulate and monitor each license holder. In general, this increased the security of gamblers everywhere and lower the risks of scam casinos to prosper. All you need to do is check if your online casino is licensed by the UKGC and you will know if it’s the right choice for you or not.
The United Kingdom Gambling Commission
As a result of the UK Gambling Act 2005 regulations, the UK Gambling Commission was created, which would take care of regulating and licensing gambling operators. The UKGC is an executive non-department public body of the UK Government. The range of influence the commission has is over arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines, lotteries and remote gambling activities. A perfect example of the job of the Commission are the approved bingo sites.
What does that mean for online gambling? Well, any operator that is on the territory of the UK and any other gambling advertiser that is on the market, need to obtain licenses from the UKGC in order to be allowed to do so. Any licenses issued to parties by the commission can be visited at any time, and their financial activities examined. According to the 2005 Gambling Act, this examination can lead to amendments and changes in the requirements of the license.
The UKGC also can fulfil their regulatory role and make sure all operators obey the rules and requirements. This is done by the intelligence department of the commission to collect information about any illegal activities. This regulatory organ can worth along with other government departments like the police, and if further investigation is required, the license is suspended.
Legal UK Online Gambling in 2024
What the Gambling Act from 2005 managed to achieve is lay down the foundation of secure and regulated online gambling in the country. Any operator that holds a license from the UKGC meets the strict requirements and regulations applied by the government. This brings security and stability for gamblers everywhere.
Fortunately, we have created a page where we go over the best casino sites in the UK. All operators that are featured there have been fully checked by our team for their security as well as by the UK Gambling Commission. Many possess licenses from other government authorities, certificates from independent organisations, such as eCOGRA, and partner with groups like GAMCARE. We have thorough reviews of their casino platforms, games that are offered and even the developers that make the software. If you are looking for secure, trusted and fair casinos, then you need to look no further.
