The online gambling sector of the UK is arguably the most important market in Europe and globally. Good growth for the gambling sector has occurred in recent years due to both historical interest in gambling by Englanders and the clarity of state policy regulating this sector. For detailed reviews about online betting platforms, check this Novibet bookmaker review to learn more about the enormous features it offers.
The British Gambling Commission never required operators until November to get hold of licenses in Great Britain. Thus, almost every operator decided to go for a cheaper license from Malta or Gibraltar, while at the same time being able to accept rates from UK players. However, a law was passed requiring all operators who accept bets from UK players or have their equipment located in the UK to obtain a UKCG license and to pay taxes to the UK treasury at the rate of 15% of their income.
If you intend to launch a remote gambling service (for example, online gambling) or advertise to consumers in the UK, and/or if any part of your remote gaming equipment is based in the UK, you will need to obtain two types of licenses from the UKGC-a remote operating license and a personal manager's license.
Small operators employing up to three people in decision-making roles do not need to hold a personal manager's license, provided that all of them are named under the existing license. All other operators shall each have the personal license for any personnel in their organization responsible for any of the following functions:
- Overall strategy and execution of gambling operations;
- Financial planning, control, and budgeting;
- Marketing and commercial development;
- Compliance with regulatory requirements;
- IT support and security;
- Appointed manager for combating money laundering and related matters for casino operators.
Individuals performing more than one of these managerial functions only need one personal license. The cost of this license is ?370, and it is subject to review every five years.
The categories of remote licenses are determined by the kinds of gambling the operator offers.
- Betting
- Bingo
- Casino games
- Slot machines
- Gambling software
- Lotteries
To apply for a licence, you first need to participate in the registration process on the UKGC website: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk and then fill out the online application form. If you will be providing different types of games, you should mention this in the application form. Additionally, you are required to upload or mail either original or notarized copies of the documents mentioned below:
- Supporting (primary) documents;
- Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application form for those living or working in England or Wales, or the Disclosure Scotland form for those living or working in Scotland;
- Personal license or completed Appendix A (Individual Declaration, including personal data of employees) for small operators;
- Personal identification documents or legal entity registration documents;
- Application fee payment;
- Financial information, including available sources for funding the project, a business plan, and financial forecasts for the next 12 months;
- Contact information in the UK for non-resident companies.
The fee structure of the UKGC may be differentiated by the number and type of UKGC licenses and the gross gambling revenue of the licensee. Just for the one-off application fee, it is in the range of ?600 up to ?70,000, and according to the annual licensing fee, somewhere from ?1,000 to ?155,000.
Public Opinion on Casinos
Public opinion on gambling seems divided. According to UKGC's survey in 2016, 78% of citizens feel that there are just too many casinos and betting shops - hence there are more than enough opportunities for gambling. Some 69% of citizens consider gambling to be a direct threat to family life, while only 0.7% of all respondents recognized themselves as gambling addicts - these being only British citizens who had placed bets in casinos or betting shops within the past year before taking part in the survey.
According to the study, 44% of women and 53% of all men have placed bets in casinos or betting shops at least once in their lives. The last month has seen respondents visiting gambling establishments (or websites) at a rate of 48%, but only 23% were familiar with all the rules for players.
