The population of the UK has enjoyed the excitement and thrill of gambling for many years, even before it was made legal! The Gaming Act 1845 officially legalised games of skill and first saw the establishment of bookmakers.
Then in 1928, the Racecourse Betting Act regulated betting on horse races, followed soon after by in 1934 by greyhounds. However, it wasn’t until the legalisation of private casinos with the Betting and Gaming Act 1960, that gambling started its journey into the mainstream of popular British culture.
Mor recently, The Gambling Act 2005 was enacted to accommodate more forms of gambling, particularly in response to the advent of online gambling. The Act brought about the establishment of the UK Gambling Commission, which was given the mandate to licence, regulate, and oversee the entire UK gambling industry.
Popularity of gambling in the UK
Gaming is now a huge business in the UK, with casinos, betting, lotteries, bingo, scratch cards, online gambling, and more. As of March 2022, the gross gambling yield (GGY) in Great Britain came in at just over £14 billion, up from the £ 12.7 billion the previous year.
The popularity and growth of online gambling is reflected in the UK Gambling Commissions estimate that around 22.5 million adults gambled at least once in 2021, with 13.4 million gambling online, up over 18% on the previous year.
What can you bet on in the UK?
While gambling laws have been relaxed considerably in recent years, there are still plenty of things that are still illegal. Here are some examples of what you can and cannot gamble on in the UK.
You can gamble on:
- Sports events, such as football, horse racing, and boxing
- Casino games, such as roulette, blackjack, poker, and slots.
- Lotteries, such as the National Lottery, EuroMillions, and scratch cards.
- Bingo, both online and in bingo halls.
- Online games, such as virtual sports, esports, and fantasy sports.
You cannot gamble on:
- The results of court cases or legal proceedings.
- The personal lives of celebrities or public figures.
- Anything that is illegal, immoral, or offensive.
These are just general guidelines, and there may be exceptions depending on the specific type of gambling.
Minimum Age for Gambling in UK
In the UK, players need to be at least 18 years of age to gamble legally. That includes both offline and online gambling. All gaming establishments are legally obligated to ensure that customers are the appropriate age by asking for the relevant documents.
However, there is one area where the rules differ slightly. The minimum gambling age in the UK for lotteries, some scratch cards, and the football pools, is 16 years of age.
The Laws for Offline and Online Gambling
Online and offline gambling have some significant legal differences in the UK, but they also have a number of similarities too. Both are subject to taxes, responsible gambling requirements, as well as consumer protection laws.
Online Gambling
Online gambling operators require a licence from the official regulator of gambling activities in the UK, the Gambling Commission. The granting of the licence ensures online gambling sites adhere to strict rules around the protection of players from money laundering, fraud, underage gambling, and other potential harms.
Online gambling platforms also need to verify the identity, age, nationality or residence status of their customers. This usually involves the presentation and checking of a customer’s ID documents.
To make sure you select a legal online gambling platform, you can use a site such as Gambling.com who have a list of legal casinos available in the UK for players to review, as well as the promotions and bonuses on offer.
Offline Gambling
Surprisingly, offline gambling does not always need a licence from the Gambling Commission, as it depends on the type and size of the activity involved. For instance, charitable or non-commercial lotteries, bingo nights, and raffles, do not require a licence.
However, commercial offline gambling activities, including casinos, bookmakers, arcades, etc, do need a licence, and therefore have to follow similar rules as providers of online gambling sites.
The Regulation of Online Casinos
The UK Gambling Commission’s job is to make sure online casinos follow strict standards of quality, security, and social responsibility. That means that customers playing at a UK licensed online casino can relax and can enjoy a fun gaming experience without any concerns.
The Future of Gaming Legislation in the UK
Online gambling has transformed the gaming sector and brought with it new and exciting ways for customers to experience gaming. It has also meant an adjustment in gaming laws in the UK.
As technology continues to evolve and cultural attitudes towards gaming change, there’s no doubting that new gambling regulations will continue to evolve too.
However, one thing is certain, and that is the continued popularity of gambling in the UK. The highly competitive industry is worth billions of pounds annually and it will continue to adapt and innovate to meet the needs and demands of its growing customer base.
