October Shakeup in UK Online Casino Licensing

From October 2014 onwards, all online casinos serving UK players are legally required to be licensed by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain. The upcoming legislation also requires that online casino operators pay taxes to the UK government. Consequently, some online operators have obtained their UK licenses while others have not and thus will be exiting the market.

Casinos Exiting the UK

Casino UK is one of the most notable online operators to have ceased trading in the UK. Existing players registered with the online casino are to be migrated to an alternative partner site that will be licensed to operate in the UK. Only existing UK players will be able to play at the casino. Beyond October, Casino UK has made the strategic decision to focus on foreign markets in the form of Australia, Canada, Germany, Eastern Europe, and New Zealand.

There many more casino sites that will be exiting the UK market come October. Some of the more familiar names include All Slots Casino, All Jackpots Casino, Casino Epoca, Gaming Club Casino, Jackpot City, Lucky Nugget, and Spin Palace. The impacted sites appear to those with less power and presence in the UK. Familiar high-street names have ensured that they will be ready.

William Hill Ready for October

William Hill Casino is one of the sites that appears on the British high-street and has obtained a license. The operator will now have to ensure that it complies with the three core objectives outlined by the Gambling Act 2005. These include the prevention of gambling activities associated with crime, promotion of fair gambling, and the protection of children and vulnerable individuals from gambling exploitation.