The UK Gambling Commission

Evolution of UKGC

When it was established, the UKGC had limited powers on the online casinos. The local online casinos – both existing and new ones – were required to obtain a gambling license from the regulator to operate within the region.

The offshore online casinos were subjected to a system of whitelisting. Offshore online casinos which were licensed by regulators deemed to be legitimate by the UK were whitelisted and allowed to cater to the UK players. These offshore casinos could operate in the UK and pay taxes only to the country where they were registered. This came with its own set of problems, primarily being the absence of consumer protection.

If whitelisted offshore casinos indulged in fraudulent or unfair practices towards players, then the UKGC found itself unable to compel the casinos or their licensing bodies to take corrective action.

To address this, among other issues, the UKGC’s powers were expanded in 2014 and it was given complete autonomy on all decisions related to online gambling. All online casinos – local and offshore – are now mandatorily required to obtain a gambling license from the UKGC to operate in the country.

Offshore online casinos were promptly categorised as illegal. So, if players bet their money on offshore sites, then their consumer rights are not protected by the UKGC.

Objectives of the UKGC

You already know that UKGC’s core objectives include the protection of consumer rights of the online casino players. Apart from it, the regulator also has several other objectives, as explained below:

• Prevention of criminal activity by the casino, its players, owners, or other stakeholders
• Protecting the gambling addicts from being taken advantage of
• Background verification of players to identify and prevent suspicious activities
• Prevention of minors from engaging in gambling
• Background verification of players, owners, investors, and other stakeholders to prevent illegal, criminal, or other people with unsavoury background from exploiting the casinos for illegal purposes

Complaint Resolution

To address online casino players’ complaints satisfactorily, the UKGC has put in place a meticulously designed process for the players to follow. Firstly, they are required to contact the online casino and explain their grievance to them. They must diligently follow through on the responses by the casino. Throughout the exchanges, the player must keep a record of their interactions and the steps they took.

If the casino fails to resolve their issue, then the player can raise a complaint with an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) party appointed by the UKGC. The list of ADR providers is available on the UKGC’s site.

If the ADR provider fails to resolve the issue to your satisfaction, you can approach the civil court system.

Licensing

Unlike some regulators, the UKGC does not offer a comprehensive gambling license that allows casinos to offer all types of gambling games. Instead, the casinos are required to apply for and obtain a separate license for each type of gambling games. In addition to operator licenses, the regulator also issues an Intermediary License for software developers.