History of gambling in the UK
Understanding regulation helps explain why every operator we compare must hold a UKGC licence — and why tools like GamStop exist nationwide.
1960s — betting shops legalised
The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 allowed licensed betting shops to open away from racecourses. High-street presence normalised sports betting while casinos remained tightly controlled.
1990s — National Lottery
The National Lottery launched in 1994 under dedicated regulation, bringing a state-franchised draw game to millions of households and expanding public familiarity with remote gambling products.
2005 — Gambling Act
The Gambling Act 2005 modernised the framework for casinos, bingo, arcades and remote gambling. It created the UK Gambling Commission as the unified regulator and shifted emphasis toward consumer protection.
2014 onward — point-of-consumption
Remote operators serving UK customers must hold UKGC licences regardless of where servers sit. Advertising standards tightened, age verification strengthened, and self-exclusion schemes including GamStop became central to licensed operation.
Online casinos today
Licensed sites must segregate customer funds, publish RTP information for games where required, and offer safer-gambling tools from registration. Comparison sites like ours sit outside that chain — we inform, we do not operate games.
