Gambling has been legal in the UK for over a hundred years. However, everything received a radical overhaul in 2005. The primary reason for the overhaul was that outdated gambling laws didn’t include online gambling. The Gaming Act of 2005 effectively made online gambling legal, joining sports betting, casino gambling, bingo, poker, and lottery games in the country. Between these two bills, there isn’t much in the land-based or online betting worlds that UK residents can’t bet on.

However, the UK doesn’t just nod and say “yes” to seemingly all forms of gambling. It also has plenty of regulations which ensure that gambling is a safe hobby for Brits. These are controlled by the UK Gambling Commission – a body that does such a good job that it has been copied by numerous countries.

Officially, only an online casino (or any sort of gambling enterprise) that has obtained a UK Gambling Commission license can legally offer games to Britons. Playing at unlicensed casinos is illegal but not punishable. However, British ISPs (internet service providers) have been cutting down on the number of illegal betting sites out there but shutting off access to them. At the same time, the UKGC issues huge fans to illegal betting sites, so many offshore operators simply won’t take the risk and opt not to accept UK players if they don’t have a license.

The UK Gambling Commission is arguably the most effective licensing and regulatory body in the world of online gambling. Many European countries (and others around the world) have copied their format and procedures. The UK Gambling Commission’s powers extend far beyond licensing betting sites, though.

After obtaining a license, an operator is subjected to stringent checks throughout the entire team they have that license. If they slip up and break the rules, they can be punished with hefty fines and potentially lose their license. The UKGC has also demonstrated that it has no qualms about revoking licenses if operators don’t stick to its rules.

Most of those rules surround responsible gambling. For instance, casinos, bingos and sportsbooks are not permitted to advertise heavily on television and must carry gambling warnings. Similarly, there are strict rules about what can be called “free spins” and “bonus spins”, the types of promos that can be offered, and the terms and conditions attached to them, such as wagering requirements. Sites must be affiliated with problem gambling programs and churn out all sorts of tools like reality checks, cool-down periods and deposit and wager caps. The KYC process is also air-tight to protect against money laundering and identity fraud. All this leaves no room for interpretation for operators, ensuring that Britons have access to arguably the safest and most trusted casinos and sportsbooks in the world.

Almost all forms of betting are legal in the UK. You can bet on sports, casino games, bingo, poker and lotteries in both online and offline environments. Slots always attract a crowd, but sports betting is the most popular way to gamble in the country. Bingo is far more popular in the UK than arguably any other country, with dozens of top bingo sites to play at. Moreover, these bingo sites also support casino side games. It is not uncommon to find “all-in-one betting sites” in the UK. These are operators that support bingo, sports betting, poker, and casino games all under one roof.

The UK is home to many of today’s most established and prosperous casino software providers. Microgaming originates in the Isle of Man. Eyecon, Barcrest, 1×2 Gaming, and over two dozen other established providers also come from the country. Alongside that, many developers that didn’t originate in the UK also have offices based in the country. The most popular casino games providers at UK sites tend to be Microgaming, Playtech and NetEnt, with Evolution Gaming holding the market share when it comes to live dealer games.

UKGC-licensed casinos aren’t just open to players based in Britain. These sites also offer gameplay to players in other countries. However, most of the time, these sites only offer gameplay in English and use the British pound sterling as their currency of choice. They must all adhere to the strict (but fair) terms and conditions set forth by the gambling commission. This makes them some of the safest casinos around, so it is no surprise that overseas players want a slice of that action.

Offshore casinos catering to Brits aren’t that numerous. As most major operators wanting to cater to Britons already have a UKGC license, offshore casinos tend to be sub-par compared to UKGC sites. MGA-licensed casinos are the exception, offering gameplay of a similar quality and level of safety to UK casinos.