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You are here: Home / News Features / Is gambling legal in England? Those are the things you have to know!

Is gambling legal in England? Those are the things you have to know!

Nov 21, 2022 By Jonathan

Gambling is booming in England. Many people especially prefer digital gambling and play nearly every day. Considering this, there is a need for numerous gambling laws in England. They contribute to the permanent protection of participating players. At the same time, they open up the market for reputable providers and make gambling more attractive.

When deciding on a provider, English players only settle on safe providers. The 888 Casino is particularly popular. Players can find out more about it and the interesting 888 Casino no deposit bonus by reading guides and reviews.

Still there are a lot of questions regarding the gambling industry in England. Some of those are not that easy to answer. In part, the information on the internet is confusing. So let’s find out how gambling in England is really regulated these days.

The beginning of gambling in England

As early as 1960, there were heated debates about gambling. They inevitably led to new laws. In 1960, the first Betting and Gambling Act came into force. At that time, bingo was very popular. Therefore, England allowed bingo halls with winning possibilities. Only one year later, the law was extended. The licensing of betting shops in 1961 marked the beginning of a ground breaking development.

The opening of betting shops brought many advantages. Classic bookmakers from the street could no longer stand up to the law. They did not meet the new requirements. Eventually, this led to their ousting. In addition, the law required the payment of a start-up fee for the legal opening of betting shops. Some were unable or unwilling to make the payment. From then on, they too belonged to history.

The amount of required start-up capital put a strain on the bookmakers in the early years. This had an effect on the players. They were looking for a nice ambience in betting at that time, unsuccessfully. It was not until the beginning of the 1980s that this was to change. Due to the high turnovers of past years, bookmakers pushed the developments forward. From then on, they equipped local betting offices with high-quality furniture and the necessary technology.

In 1968, another milestone in history occurred. Now, the operation of commercial operators with table games was permitted. Soon these regulations were not enough. Thus, the internet was to pose challenges to the gambling industry once again. In 1981, an adjustment to the casino development on the internet took place. However, online gamblers have only been able to play legally in England since 2005.

The legal situation since 2005

2005 marked a turning point for previous gambling services on the internet. Earlier regulations were dropped altogether. The legal situation should soon be geared towards legalization and licensing of games on the internet. A licence is important to offer gamblers the highest level of security. Currently, there are various licences. The regulations behind them are similar, even if they are not congruent. That is why licensed online gambling halls are considered safe.

In 2005, the regulation of the online market produced many benefits. Gaming arcades with unfair structures and illegal practices fell through the cracks completely. The state understood their actions as a criminal offence. The consequences were high fines in addition to court proceedings. In addition, providers of this kind can no longer continue their work.

Today, the law requires that all English gambling providers have a valid licence. Without one, they are liable to prosecution. Advantage for gamblers: You can see in the footer of the provider’s page whether a licence is available or not. Safe companies always display this. Players should click on the licence symbol on the provider’s page. If they then reach the licensor, the symbol is genuine.

Gamblers with their first residence in England have the permanent right to participate in virtual gambling since the promulgation of these regulations. This includes live games and table games in addition to spinning on slot machines. In addition, British players can look forward to easy and legally secure access to sports betting on the internet. Of course, they have to make sure that the provider actually has a licence.

Regulations for international gambling operators

For some years now, the whole world has been networked. Across borders, players can register and place bets directly with UK gaming venues. Conversely, this is also true for British gamblers. For example, residents in and around London often gamble at an arcade outside England. Since 2014, the Gambling Commission has also made a clear statement on this, which only affects foreign players to a limited extent.

Travellers to London can still gamble in their home gambling hall outside England without any problems. While travelling through London on the bus, they switch on their app and log into mobile gaming arcades. This way, waiting times at the trendiest places in the trendy city don’t seem so long to them.

It’s a bit different for the English population. The law requires the presence of a licence when providers make their slots available to English people. Gamblers from England therefore play it safe. They only play in licensed gambling halls. This way, they are also protected and do not have to expect any unpleasant consequences.

The current legal situation and conditions for gambling halls

In England, minors have no access to games with the possibility of winning. In this way, the Gambling Commission wants to protect children and young people from gambling. Players must be at least 18 years old. This is currently only possible thanks to the identification procedure. Operators check the age of the new player by looking at the identity card. In addition, they wish to see the user next to the document. A webcam transmission is necessary for this.

Players agree to this procedure. When registering with a reputable house, they have their personal documents ready and identify themselves with them. The operator then activates the player profile. Bets can now be placed freely according to the player’s own wishes. Gambling halls offer a choice of different payment service providers for this purpose. Gamblers are thus not tied to one provider.

Won? In England, there is no tax on gambling winnings. Players can therefore keep all their winnings and do not have to hand any of them over. This is worthwhile if the winnings are high. This regulation suits players very well, so that they feel encouraged to gamble frequently. England ranks among the top countries in the world in terms of the enjoyment of gambling.

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About jonathan

Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.

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