SOURCE DIRECTORY · UNITED KINGDOM
United Kingdom: official gambling regulation sources
Every official source a researcher needs for gambling regulation in Great Britain, checked on the issuing body's own site: the regulator and its register, its licence conditions, the advertising codes, direct marketing law, self-exclusion and support.
- Regulator: the Gambling Commission, which licenses operators in Great Britain under the Gambling Act 2005.
- Licence conditions: the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (online version in effect from 29 July 2026).
- Advertising: CAP Code section 16 (non-broadcast) and BCAP Code section 17 (broadcast), enforced by the ASA.
- Minimum age: 18 for online gambling. Self-exclusion: GAMSTOP. Helpline: National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133.
Gambling in Great Britain is regulated by the Gambling Commission, which licenses operators and publishes the conditions they must meet; advertising is governed UK-wide by the CAP and BCAP Codes, enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority; and direct electronic marketing must also comply with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations, overseen by the Information Commissioner's Office. The links below were checked on 24 October 2026; those our checker could not open are marked in the table caption. Northern Ireland has separate gambling legislation and is not covered here.
Regulator, register and enforcement
| Source | What it is | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Gambling Commission | Regulator's homepage | gamblingcommission.gov.uk |
| Register of gambling businesses | Searchable list of licensees by name, account number and status | Public register |
| Register of regulatory actions | Every published sanction, with decision date and breaches | Regulatory actions |
| Enforcement news | Public statements and releases on enforcement, 2021 onwards | Enforcement |
| Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (online) | Conditions and codes for remote licensees; version in effect from 29 July 2026 | Online LCCP |
| Statement of principles for determining financial penalties | How penalties and settlement payments are set; updated 22 July 2026 | Statement of principles |
| Affiliates and third parties | Commission guidance on licensee responsibility for marketing partners | Guidance |
Advertising and marketing rules
| Source | What it covers | Link |
|---|---|---|
| CAP Code, section 16: Gambling | Non-broadcast gambling marketing, including websites, social media, affiliates and paid search | CAP section 16 |
| BCAP Code, section 17: Gambling | TV and radio gambling advertising (rules 17.1 to 17.5) | BCAP section 17 |
| CAP and BCAP guidance: protecting under-18s | How the strong-appeal and targeting rules are applied; updated 14 October 2025 | Guidance |
| ASA gambling rulings | Published decisions on gambling ads | ASA gambling topic |
| ICO direct marketing guidance | Consent and PECR rules for email, SMS and other electronic marketing | ICO guidance |
Age, self-exclusion and support
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 for online gambling ("in most cases, the minimum legal age for gambling in Great Britain is 18") | Gambling Commission |
| Self-exclusion | GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme | gamstop.co.uk |
| Helpline | National Gambling Helpline, 0808 8020 133, 24 hours | GamCare |
Using these sources
Start with the LCCP for what a licensee must do, the CAP or BCAP section for what an ad may say, and the enforcement register for how both have been applied. Record each rule with its version date and a review date, as in our evidence record template, which uses CAP rule 16.3.12 as its worked example. Recent ASA decisions are in our ASA tracker.
Questions about UK sources
Where can I check whether a gambling operator is licensed in Great Britain?
On the Gambling Commission's public register of gambling businesses, which can be searched by name or account number and shows licence status.
Which code covers gambling ads on social media?
The CAP Code, section 16, which covers non-broadcast marketing including operators' own social media posts and paid social ads.
Sources
- All links in the tables above were checked on 24 October 2026.