A Guide To British Casino Legislation

British Casino Legislation

Gambling laws are constantly changing around the world and if you like to play at casinos, poker rooms, bingo halls or take part in any other type of gambling they are something that you should stay on top of. Here's a breakdown of current-day gambling laws and an overview of how they made it to the point they're at today. It was a long and somewhat bumpy journey, but the UK is now one of the best places to live if you're a gambler.

Current Day Gambling Laws

As a resident of the United Kingdom you should know all about the current gambling laws if you want to play at a local casino or online. First of all it's legal to do both as long as you follow the rules, and there really aren't too many to remember.

Players must be at least 16 to participate in Football betting, lottery entries and things of that nature. Citizens have to be 18 to go to casinos and enjoy the services that they offer. Just make sure that you're old enough to enjoy these services and have an ID to prove your age and you won't have a problem.

Play At Licensed Casinos

It's important to play at only casinos licensed to operate within the UK and that means they have an active licence with the Gambling Commission. By doing this you not only make sure that you're playing somewhere that's safe and secure and that won't rip you off, but you're also remaining compliant with the current laws. Only registered legal casinos are allowed to work with players in the UK and playing at non-licensed destinations isn't in-line with the law exactly.

No Tax To Worry About

Taxes are a serious issue in some areas around the world such as the United States when it comes to gambling. They aren't an issue for anyone residing in the UK thankfully. If you win a major prize from one of the casinos online or offline you don't have to pay any taxes on those winnings. The same can't be said for the casinos collecting money from all the UK players though. They are expected to pay a tax in for all the money collected and that can amount to a pretty considerable amount.

Gambling Through The Years

Gambling has grown and evolved through the years to become what it is today in the UK. It's a diverse system that's both interesting and flawed in some instances. While most of the system functions well today there are constantly talks about new revisions and it's likely that some additional changes will happen in the future.

Betting And Gaming Act Of 1960

This set of laws made it legal to set up bingo halls, though they had to be private memberships that made money through membership fees and entrance fees into events rather than through the act of playing bingo itself. This set of legislation also made it possible for bookmakers for sporting events to take bets offsite. Bingo halls and sports betting locations sprung up around the United Kingdom at this time.

Gaming Act Of 1968

It wasn't until the Gaming Act of 1968 that true commercial casinos were allowed. Small casinos sprung up all around the UK but many of them had more than 10 slot machines and also included some table games. Things that weren't allowed before the legislation passed in the first place.

Gambling Act Of 2005

The Gambling Act of 2005 is the set of laws that are still in use today and dictate much of how casinos can be operated. It was the first set of laws that made it possible to open up a super casino like the ones in the United States, Macaw and other gambling hubs around the world. This also created the Gambling Commission that is still going today more than 10 years later.

The Gambling Act Of 2014

The most recent change to gambling laws will really affect how consumers in Britain interact with online casinos. Any casinos looking to operate within the country and offer services to its residents will have to obtain a licence from the Gambling Commission. This makes it more difficult for low quality casinos to get into the country and also helps the country prevent tax evasion from many of these countries that simply aren't paying taxes on the profits generated from players from the UK.