How do I check a UK casino licence?
Start with the UK Gambling Commission Public Register, search for the legal company or trading name, and then match the exact casino domain to the record. A familiar brand name by itself is not enough. The useful check connects the legal entity, trading name, domain and licensed activities to the live website.
Record what the casino footer says before opening the register. This makes it easier to spot a different company name, an old licence reference or a domain that does not appear where expected.
Licence check: step by step
- Copy the legal operator name and any licence reference from the casino footer or terms.
- Search the public register using the company name, trading name or reference.
- Open the record and check its current status.
- Look for the exact domain in the listed trading names or website details.
- Review the remote activities shown on the record.
- Note any public regulatory information that affects how the page should describe the operator.
- Compare the result with the privacy, complaints and account terms on the live casino.
Which details need to match?
| Detail | Why it matters | If it does not match |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Identifies the company responsible for the licensed activity | Check whether the site uses a trading name or has changed operator. |
| Domain | Connects the licence record to the website being reviewed | Do not assume a group licence covers every similar-looking URL. |
| Status | Shows whether the record is current | A historic reference should not support a present-tense claim. |
| Activities | Explains what the permission covers | Separate casino, betting and other product claims. |
| Trading names | Links consumer-facing brands to the legal company | Search the brand and entity separately before drawing a conclusion. |
Does one licence prove a sister-site relationship?
A matched licence can be strong operator evidence, but the relationship still needs precise wording. Brands can share a parent group while using different legal operators, or share technology without sharing ownership. State only the connection supported by the record and current brand sources.
When checking a page such as Ladbrokes sister sites, connect the brand-level evidence to its relevant operator network page. Do not use the wider group page as a substitute for checking the named casino’s own domain and terms.
Common licence-check mistakes
- Matching a similarly named company rather than the legal entity in the footer.
- Quoting an old or historic record as if it were current.
- Assuming a parent company’s record automatically covers every brand URL.
- Confusing a non-UK licence with permission to target Great Britain.
- Checking the brand name but not the exact domain.
If the record and the website do not line up, describe what is visible and what remains unclear. The register is the starting point; the live footer, terms and domain match complete the check.
