How Casino Government Regulations & Laws Affect Players?

Playing at regulated mobile casino might not be something you think about when you look to join a site. After all, surely all new online sites are regulated

Well, sadly no. There are some sites in the UK that exist outside of government regulations. People are able to access them even though they are considered outside the regulatory arm of the UK government – and because of that they can be considered dangerous.

Unfortunately players still seek unregulated casinos for various reasons. In this article we’ll explain why it’s important to play at regulated site, why you should steer well clear of unregulated sites, and steps you can take to join a safe, legal, official casino today.

UK Government Implemented Gambling Laws

A regulated casino is one that operates within UK government regulations. All casinos in the UK – whether they be high street casinos, luxury hotel , beach arcades – must adhere to the country’s gambling laws.

These laws are being updated, but they still regulate what sites can and can’t do. The regulation keeps sites in check, ensures they are safe for players, protects accounts against fraud and encourages safe gambling.

Regulated casinos offer players account protection and safety

Who regulates casinos?

UK casinos are regulated by the UK government under the 2005 Gambling Act. The UK Gambling Commission oversees much of the implementation of the Act, and makes recommendations to the government about what changes are needed.

Crucially, the UKGC is also able to hand out fines to companies that breach the regulations. They can also suspend and excel licences, and have the power to grant any UK casino its licence.

Why regulation matter?

The reason casino regulations matter is because is it an industry that, if left unregulated, can be exploited by criminals to the detriment of normal people. Money is, of course, big business in the gambling world but with that comes a lot of responsibility. Casinos need to show they can handle the care of their customers, the safety of their accounts, and the security of their takings.

The main areas of focus are:

• Player safety – Ensuring players can gamble in a safe and secure environment, and have access to problem gambling resources if they need.
• Account safety – Ensuring players, especially online, can trust updated account security software provided by sites, so that their personal information is secure.
• Anti-fraud detection – Some criminals try to game the system through fraudulent activity, such as cheating on games and hacking into the accounts of other players. Regulated sites must prove their fraught detection systems are working and reliable.
• Anti-money laundering – Regulated sitemust prove they are not being used as a vehicle for money laundering.
• Honouring payouts – UK casinos must pay out the prizes they promise to deliver, should players win on a casino game or in a sports bet. There is no protection for players at an unregulated if said site decides to simply keep your cash.

All of this is covered in the Gambling Act and the UKGC regulates how sites operate. So, if you’re playing one of the top live casinos regulated by the UK, you can be sure to have all these protections in place.

How to join a regulated casino

Now you know the difference between a regulated and unregulated site , it’s time to make sure you join the right one. Unfortunately unregulated sites can look deceptively like real, regulated sites. It’s therefore hard to fully determine the true ones from the fake ones.

However, there are some immediate tips when checking the legitimacy of your chosen site. First, all sites must showcase on their homepage the UKGC logo and link, and provide licensing information. You can then check their licence number and get a guarantee that the casino is legit. A non UK regulated casino won’t have that number.

It’s also worth asking friends or family what casinos they use. And if you spot a brand you’ve seen advertised on TV then that means it’s passed the UK advertising authority’s standards, and is legit.

You can also use a trusted site like Top Mobile Casino and discover not only well regulated UK sites, but also some of the best mobile casinos available in the country! Our reviewers take deep dives into each site, look over absolutely everything, and provide a 5-star score that you can then compare with other sites.

We only deal with regulated  sites and casino apps, so why not check out the latest offerings today?