UK Gambling Regulators, Auditors and Dispute Resolution Services

The following UK licensing and regulatory bodies ensure that gambling is safe and fair. These authorities are critical to be familiar with as they regulate the whole industry.

UK Gambling Commission

Official UK regulatory authority for the country's gambling industry. The British Gambling Commission are the people to talk to about safe gambling in the UK.

The British Gambling Commission (UKGC) came into being in October 2005. It was charged with the task of regulating casinos, bingo halls, gaming machines, and lotteries. The Gambling Commission took over the role of the now defunct Gaming Board for Great Britain.

Set up under the UK Gambling Act of 2005, the Gambling Commission is responsible for the regulation of betting and remote betting enterprises. It maintains an additional role in protecting children and vulnerable people in the community from being harmed or exploited through gambling. In addition to the above, the Gambling Commission also acts as advisor to local and central government bodies on all matters relating to gambling.

In its role as a non-departmental public body, the Gambling Commission is sponsored by the UK Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, and its remit is to operate fully independently of the UK government.

The UK Lotteries Council

Enjoy technical knowledge, legal guidance and practical lottery advice.

The Lotteries Council of the UK was formed some thirty years ago, by volunteers intent on promoting lottery fundraising activities. All money raised for this fine effort comes from the beneficence of donors working in the lottery industry. The reach of the Lotteries Council spans some 170 societies with large of numbers of players partaking.

Among others, many sports and charities as well as suppliers and printers are represented. Information is disseminated through online interaction with members and regular meetings at annual conferences. Further, members can enjoy all the exclusive benefits of draws, scratch cards, Internet, Raffles, sweepstakes and door to door collections.

Auditing and testing agencies protect British gamblers by ensuring that online gambling sites offer a fair and safe gambling experience. These agencies test game results and gambling site protocols constantly.

eCOGRA

International regulatory body that works to ensure that online games are free to play online in safe and secure Internet environments.

eCOGRA (e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance) is a non-profit organisation that sets standards for the online gambling industry. Its mission is to oversee gaming practice while monitoring cases of irresponsible casino operations. The organisation's key concern is the welfare of the general public, including gambling players and non-players alike.

This body is concerned with the abuse of personal and banking information by casino operators as well as the fair practice of licensed casino operations. The organisation is essentially in existence to ensure that online gambling websites are safe to play. If you encounter an online gambling site in the UK without the eCOGRA "Safe and Fair" seal of approval, then the chances are you'll be playing an unsafe game site.

eCOGRA is also charged with monitoring the quality of software systems employed by online casinos and gaming websites, which should all themselves be registered members of the eCOGRA organisation. In the event that a dispute does arise between a casino and an individual casino player, eCOGRA is able to provide a first class mediation service, with a Fair Gaming Advocate being appointed on the player's behalf.

QUINEL

While QUINEL is commonly known for independently auditing online casinos, it can also evaluate the operations of sportsbooks and land-based casinos.

QUINEL is a global company that was set up to independently test and inspect online and offline operators that serve the global gambling industry. After being active for more than a decade, QUINEL has now established laboratories in Argentina, Italy, Malta, and the UK.

Land-based

There are three primary service fields for QUINEL, including iGaming and online security, as well as land-based gambling. When it comes to land-based activities, the company sends out experts who can test physical gaming machines for game content and mathematics, communication protocol, random number generator (RNG), and global standards.

Online Security

QUINEL can also supply security engineers to perform a variety of evaluation services, including vulnerability assessment, intrusion prevention testing, review of network controls, internet protocol assessment, access point testing, local area network review, information security policy assessment, and encryption management review, among several others. 

iGaming Jurisdictions

Across the global iGaming industry, different geographical jurisdictions apply varying regulations, requirements, and standards. By working within multiple jurisdictions, QUINEL has developed a wide enough understanding of what it takes to acquire and maintain several operating licences. As such, QUINEL provides auditing services to inform operators of how they need to adapt to maintain compliance with licensors.

iGaming Testing

Starting with the platform, QUINEL can test the user interface, player accounts, statistical reporting, and gaming servers. Within games and mathematics, testing can encompass casino tables, video slots, and skill games, with RNGs audited for randomness. QUINEL can also go beyond online casino games to also evaluate live dealer tables and online sportsbooks. Security requirements and multi-jurisdiction compliance are also considered.

The following dispute centres can accept reports of unfair gambling practices, investigate them and take action. Gambling sites can resolve most issues by contacting their customer service; however, if you encounter any problems that support couldn't resolve, we advise you to use the report services listed here.

IBAS Dispute Site

The IBAS is an impartial disputes centre qualified to manage conflicts between customers and online casinos without prejudice. The adjudication panel carefully analyzes every relevant aspect of the dispute to make a correct final ruling.

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