How to check a gambling website before you deposit
Before you send money or identity documents, compare the site’s own claims with the official public register and read the rules that affect deposits, bonuses and withdrawals.
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At a glance
- Do not rely on a copied badge, logo or licence claim by itself.
- Licensed gambling businesses must display their licensed status and link to the public register.
- The register can be checked by business name, trading name, domain name or account number.
- Read product, withdrawal, bonus and customer-fund terms before depositing.
Practical check
Five checks before sending money
The safest first step is to match what the website says about itself against the Gambling Commission public register. This page does not certify any named site. It shows the checking route you can use before you share money or personal details.
Find the licence statement. Look for the licensed status, account number, operator name and any register link shown by the site.
Open the official register yourself. Do not rely only on a badge or copied text on the gambling website.
Search the official register. Check by business name, trading name, domain name or account number.
Compare the exact details. The domain, trading name and current status should match the site you are using.
Read the terms before depositing. Pay attention to product rules, withdrawals, bonus restrictions, customer funds and the complaint route.
The live Gambling Commission public register is the right place for current status. A saved screenshot or old claim is not enough for a decision today.
Mismatch handling
What to do when details do not line up
Stop before depositing if you see this
- The register does not show the domain you are on.
- The trading name on the site does not match the register entry.
- The site pushes you to deposit before you can read terms.
- The page talks about a foreign licence as if it replaces GB checks.
What to do instead
- Keep the register open and compare exact wording.
- Look for the official link from the site to the public register.
- Read restrictions before accepting any offer.
- Leave the site if the basics stay unclear.
Fair and transparent terms are an expectation for licensed operators. That does not mean every term is easy to read, so slow down when a page hides key rules behind vague language.
Before deposit
Terms that deserve a careful read
| Area | Question to ask | Where to go next |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and withdrawals | What is verified before gambling, and what may be requested later? | Read about ID checks and withdrawals. |
| Bonus restrictions | Do the rules explain eligibility, play restrictions and withdrawal conditions clearly? | Review bonus terms and customer funds. |
| Privacy and marketing | Does the site explain data use, cookies and marketing choices clearly? | Check privacy and marketing choices. |
Safety boundary
When checking a site is the wrong next step
If you are doing these checks because you are blocked, self-excluded, chasing losses or feeling pressure to keep gambling, pause the commercial checks. A licence register can answer a status question, but it cannot make gambling safer when the main issue is loss of control.
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Bonus terms and customer funds: checks before taking an offer
Getting help if gambling feels hard to control
