Responsible Gambling
We are committed to player safety.
Gambling is a legal, regulated form of entertainment for the majority of adults in the UK. For a minority, it causes serious harm. This page sets out what responsible gambling means in the context of UK regulation, what tools licensed operators are required to provide, and how we incorporate player safety into every review we publish.
If you need help now, you can contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. It is free to call and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
What UK Regulation Requires
All operators licensed by the UK Gambling Commission are bound by the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP), the regulatory framework governing how licensed gambling businesses must operate. The LCCP sets out specific requirements around player protection, customer interaction, and harm prevention that operators must meet as a condition of holding their licence.
Key requirements currently in force include:
Deposit limits
Since October 2025, operators must prompt customers to set a financial limit before or at the point of their first deposit. Limits must be applied at account level, presented as the default option, and decreases must be actioned immediately. Customers who decline to set a limit must be reminded annually to review that decision.
Financial vulnerability checks
Since February 2025, remote gambling operators are required to carry out financial vulnerability checks when a customer’s net spend exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period. These checks are designed to identify customers who may be gambling beyond their means.
Customer fund transparency
Under LCCP Licence Condition 4.2.1, operators must clearly disclose to customers whether their funds are protected in the event of insolvency, using one of four categories: not protected with no segregation, not protected with segregation, medium protection, or high protection. Operators with no protection must remind customers of this fact every six months.
Self-exclusion
UK-licensed remote operators are required to participate in GAMSTOP, the national multi-operator self-exclusion scheme. A customer who registers with GAMSTOP is excluded from all participating operators simultaneously.
Socially responsible incentives
From December 2025, operators are prohibited from offering bonus structures that require customers to complete more than one type of gambling product, such as combining slots play with sports betting requirements.
Customer interaction
Operators are required to monitor customer behaviour using a minimum of seven categories of harm indicators prescribed in the LCCP, and to intervene proportionately when signs of potential harm are identified.
How We Apply These Standards
We do not simply take operator claims at face value. As part of every review, we test responsible gambling tools directly during live account testing.
This includes:
- Verifying that deposit limits are available, function as required, and that reductions are applied immediately rather than after a cooling-off delay
- Confirming GAMSTOP participation by cross-referencing the operator’s registration status
- Testing self-exclusion and reality check tools as a player would, not as a compliance checklist
- Checking that fund protection status is disclosed clearly at the point of deposit, in line with LCCP requirements
- Reviewing whether GamCare and BeGambleAware signposting is prominently displayed, not buried in footer text
Operators that fail any of these checks are flagged in their review. Operators with significant responsible gambling failures are not recommended, regardless of other factors.
Tools Available To Players
If you are concerned about your own gambling or that of someone you know, the following tools and services are available:
GAMSTOP — gamstop.co.uk — Free national self-exclusion scheme covering all UK-licensed online operators. Register once to be excluded from all participating sites for a minimum of six months, one year, or five years.
GamCare — gamcare.org.uk — Free information, support, and counselling for anyone affected by gambling harm. Operates the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133.
BeGambleAware — begambleaware.org — Independent charity providing information on safer gambling and referrals to support services.
Gambling Therapy — gamblingtherapy.org — Free international service offering online support for anyone affected by gambling harm.
GamAnon — gamanon.org.uk — Support for families and friends of people affected by problem gambling.
Deposit and spending limits — All UK-licensed operators are required to offer deposit limits. You can set or reduce a limit at any time through your account settings. Reductions must be applied immediately.
Reality checks — Operators must provide on-screen notifications during play to remind you how long you have been gambling and how much you have spent. You can set the frequency of these reminders in your account.
Taking a break — Most operators offer a temporary self-exclusion option, sometimes called a cooling-off period, ranging from 24 hours to several weeks. This is separate from the permanent or long-term exclusion available through GAMSTOP.
Our Position
We will not recommend an operator that lacks adequate responsible gambling tools, regardless of commercial relationships. We have downgraded and removed operators from our recommendations following responsible gambling failures identified during testing or reported consistently by players.
We treat responsible gambling compliance as a baseline requirement, not a bonus feature.
This page reflects current UK regulatory standards as of 2026 and is reviewed when material regulatory changes occur.
Get Help
National Gambling Helpline: 0808 8020 133 (free, 24/7) GamCare: gamcare.org.uk BeGambleAware: begambleaware.org GAMSTOP: gamstop.co.uk
Note: We are an independent publisher. We do not operate gambling services and do not accept player funds. This site is intended for adults aged 18 and over.