Online Casino Compliance
Online casino compliance is of the utmost importance to us at OnlineCasinos.co.uk.
Any advice that we offer through our reviews, guides, blog posts, and various other types of content is rightly subject to specific compliance procedures to ensure that the information is clear, accurate, and helps to keep you safe while you’re gambling.
This guide explains all the key online casino compliance matters that our site respects:
Rules we follow
Practices we abide by
Organisations that regulate us
Safe online gambling institutions we promote
Compliance rules that online casinos follow
There are a number of compliance rules that online casinos are subject to.
Marketing/advertising rules and regulations for online casinos
The UK Government provides detailed instructions on the marketing/advertising rules and regulations that online gambling sites are required to follow.
The full instructions are contained in provision 5 of the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) published by the UK Gambling Commission in January 2020.
You can also refer to the Gambling Commission’s webpage, Advertising/marketing rules and regulations, for further information.
Contact rules for online casinos
The LCCP contains a section that concerns the contact rules that we must adhere to regarding “direct electronic marketing consent.”
The relevant section is Social Responsibility code provision 5.1.11 and it stipulates that:
“Unless expressly permitted by law consumers must not be contacted with direct electronic
marketing without their informed and specific consent.
“Whenever a consumer is contacted the consumer must be provided with an opportunity to withdraw consent.
“If consent is withdrawn the licensee must, as soon as practicable, ensure the consumer is not contacted with electronic marketing thereafter unless the consumer consents again.
“Licensees must be able to provide evidence which establishes that consent.”
GDPR for online casinos
The Gambling Commission published a paper, Gambling regulation and the General Data
Protection Regulation (GDPR), in 2018 that outlines the specific responsibilities online casinos have in respect of GDPR.
This paper was released prior to the introduction of GDPR on 25 May 2018, but it clearly covers the expectations that were introduced subsequent to GDPR coming into law.
You can find an overview of GDPR and gambling on the Gambling Commission website – specifically, the page called General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Compliance rules for informational/review/affiliate websites
Alongside the compliance rules we’ve explained that online casinos are required to follow, there are also rules outlined that concern the promotion of online gambling.
Marketing rules for informational/review/affiliate websites
The promotion, advertising, and marketing of online gambling fall under the remit of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) – with information concerning this being available on the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) webpage Online Affiliate Marketing.
Of particular relevance is the point made by ASA regarding the compliance obligations placed on affiliate marketing sites – something that is of absolute relevance to us at OnlineCasinos.co.uk because we include affiliate links in our content.
ASA states:
“The CAP Code applies to affiliate marketing within the categories of communication outlined in the Scope of the Code (see ‘Remit: General’).
“This includes content on an affiliate’s own website and social media if it’s directly connected to the supply or transfer of goods, services, opportunities and gifts (see ‘Remit: Own websites’ and ‘Remit: Social media’).
“This connection is usually by virtue of the inclusion of a hyperlink, a promotional code or other means by which a new customer or sale can be attributed to a specific affiliate.”
Further information on the obligations of affiliate websites can be found on the following websites, web pages, and papers:
Maxi Affiliates – UK Compliance Guide For Affiliate Partners.
ASA – 16 Gambling
ASA – Broadcast Code
ASA – Gambling Advertising Guidance (non-broadcast and broadcast)
ASA – Bespoke Copy Advice
OnlineCasinos.co.uk abides by all the gambling compliance rules & best practices
OnlineCasinos.co.uk is serious about the obligations we have to our readers – to provide them with compliant information that’s accurate and transparent.
We abide by all the laws and rules of every gambling organisation we’re subject to, along with promoting safe and responsible gambling within our content.
As we stated earlier in this article, we make affiliate income from links that we include to online casino sites and associated entities.
This means that we follow all the necessary guidelines that are relevant to the production of affiliate marketing content for the gambling industry.
OnlineCasinos.co.uk is also accredited by/recognises the following gambling organisations:
Gambling Portal Webmasters Association (GWPA)
Credit: GWPA
The Gambling Portal Webmasters Association (GWPA) seal of approval confirms that a gambling webmaster operates a reputable website. You can find the GWPA icon at the footer of all of our web pages.
Casino Affiliate Programs
Credit: Casino Affiliate Programs
The world’s largest affiliate marketing community for online gaming and gambling, it helps to connect gambling sites and online casinos.
OnlineCasinos.co.uk regulators, licensing bodies, & compliance organisations
We display a number of icons at the footer of our web pages (shown in the screenshot below) confirming the regulators and licensing bodies we abide by.
Below we list the key regulators, licensing bodies, and compliance organisations for the gambling industry, including details about them and how they can be contacted.
UK Gambling Commission
Credit: Gambling Commission
The Gambling Commission is an executive non-departmental public body of the UK Government. It’s responsible for licencing and regulating all gambling activities in the UK, including the supervision of all associated laws.
You can get hold of the Gambling Commission in the following ways:
Phone: 0121 230 6666
Email: info@gamblingcommission.gov.uk
Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association (GBGA)
Credit: GBGA
GBGA (Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association) is a trade association that represents most of the online gambling operators that are licensed in Gibraltar.
You can get hold of GBGA in the following ways:
Phone: + 350 200 68450
Email: info@gbga.gi
Complaints form: GBGA complaints form
Government of Gibraltar
Credit: Wikipedia
The Government of Gibraltar is the democratically elected government of Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory. Any gambling site or online casino licensed in Gibraltar is regulated by the Government of Gibraltar.
You can get hold of the Government of Gibraltar via their contact page.
Spelinspektionen
Credit: Spelinspektionen
Spelinspektionen is the Swedish Gambling Authority. Any online casino or gambling site that’s licensed or that operates in Sweden is regulated by Spelinspektionen.
You can get hold of Spelinspektionen in the following ways:
Phone: +46 (0)152-650 100
Email: registrator@spelinspektionen.se
GamblingCompliance
Credit: GamblingCompliance
GamblingCompliance provides “independent legal, regulatory and business intelligence to the global gaming industry.” While it has no legislative authority, it’s a trusted resource for online casinos and gambling sites to use to ensure they are compliant.
You can get hold of GamblingCompliance in the following ways:
Phone: +44 (0)207 921 9980
Contact page: GamblingCompliance contact form.
OnlineCasinos.co.uk promotes safe online gambling
Our priority as an informational, advisory, and affiliate online gambling site is the promotion of safe online gambling.
There are a number of organisations that promote safe online gambling and online casinos display the icons of said organisations to confirm their commitment to protecting online gamblers.
GamCare
Credit: GamCare
GamCare is a UK charity that provides help to people who think they might have a gambling problem.
You can get hold of GamCare in the following ways:
Phone: 0808 8020 133
Webchat: GamCare live chat
GambleAware
Credit: GambleAware
GambleAware is a UK charity that works with the NHS and other expert organisations to minimise gambling-related harm.
You can get hold of GambleAware in the following ways:
Email: info@gambleaware.org
When The Fun Stops
Credit: WhenTheFunStopsStop
WhenTheFunStopsStop is a campaign run by GambleAware to help gamblers make the decision to stop gambling if they think they may have, or may be developing, a problem with gambling.
IBAS
Credit: IBAS
IBAS (Independent Betting Adjudication Service) is an organisation that helps to resolve disputes between gambling operators and gamblers.
You can get hold of IBAS in the following ways:
Phone: 020 7347 5883
Email: adjudication@ibas-uk.co.uk
OnlineCasinos.co.uk supports self-exclusion
Self-exclusion is the act of notifying online casinos of your request for them to exclude you from their gambling platforms.
Gamblers self-exclude for a period of time of their own choosing and during this time they will be blocked from the online casinos notified of their intent to self-exclude.
OnlineCasinos.co.uk supports self-exclusion and if gamblers wish to self-exclude then they can do so via the following UK organisations.
GAMSTOP: self-exclusion from online casinos
Credit: GAMSTOP
Gamblers can self-exclude an online casino by getting hold of GAMSTOP in the following ways:
Phone: 0800 138 6518
Email: helpdesk@gamstop.co.uk
Webchat: GAMSTOP live chat
SENSE: exclusion from land casinos
Credit: SENSE
Gamblers can self-exclude land casinos by getting hold of SENSE in the following ways:
Phone: 0203 409 2047
Email: sense@bettingandgamingcouncil.com
Multi Operator Self Exclusion Scheme: exclusion from betting shops
Credit: Self-exclusion
Gamblers can self-exclude from betting shops by getting hold of Multi Operator Self Exclusion Scheme in these ways:
Phone: 0800 294 2060
Bacta: exclusion from arcades
Credit: bacta
Gamblers can self-exclude from UK arcades by getting hold of bacat in the following ways:
Phone: 020 7730 6444
Email: info@bacta.org.uk
Email contact form: bacta email contact form
The BINGO ASSOCIATION: exclusion from bingo halls
Credit: The Bingo Association
Gamblers can self-exclude from UK bingo halls by getting hold of The Bingo Association in the following ways:
Phone: 0808 8020 133
Email contact form: The Bingo Associatio email contact form
Online Casino certifications that support safe & compliant gambling
Alongside the national gambling bodies that exist to provide regulatory, legislative, and social support and authority, there are some organisations that support safe & compliant gambling via certification.
You can find details of these organisations below:
eCOGRA
Credit: eCOGRA
eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) is an internationally recognised testing and certification body that’s based in the UK. It offers regulatory and compliance services to gambling websites that are based in the UK and other nations.
iTech Labs
Credit: iTech Labs
iTech Labs is an independent lab that offers certifications and testing for online gaming, across the world.