Questions & answers
More questions, answered properly
Longer answers to questions that come up regularly — on UK licensing, how bonuses work, RNGs, live casino and responsible gambling tools.
Licensing & Safety
What does a UKGC licence actually require an operator to do?
A UK Gambling Commission licence isn't just a permission to operate — it comes with ongoing obligations. Licensed operators must keep player funds separate from company funds (so your balance is protected if the operator runs into financial trouble), participate in GamStop self-exclusion, offer deposit and session limits, provide access to an approved alternative dispute resolution service if there's a complaint you can't resolve directly, and submit to regular audits of game fairness and financial compliance. The UKGC can suspend or revoke a licence if an operator breaches these conditions.
Can I check if an operator's UKGC licence is genuine?
Yes. The UKGC maintains a public register of all licensed operators at gamblingcommission.gov.uk. You can search by company name or licence number. Any operator legally accepting UK customers must appear on that register. If a site claims to be UKGC-licensed but doesn't appear in the register, that's a serious red flag.
What's the difference between self-exclusion from one site and GamStop?
Self-excluding directly with an operator removes you from that specific site. GamStop is a national scheme that, with a single registration, excludes you from every participating UK-licensed online gambling site. Every UKGC-licensed online operator is required to participate in GamStop. A direct self-exclusion with one operator doesn't prevent you using others — if you want broader protection, GamStop is the more effective option.
What happens to my account balance if an operator loses its licence?
UKGC licence conditions require operators to protect player funds in one of three categories — basic, medium or high protection. Higher protection means funds are held in accounts that ring-fence them from the company's general finances. In practice, the level of protection varies by operator. You can check where each operator sits by looking up their licence details on the UKGC register.
Bonuses & Wagering Requirements
What is a wagering requirement and how does it work?
A wagering requirement (also called a playthrough requirement) specifies how many times a bonus amount must be turned over in bets before it can be withdrawn. For example, a £50 bonus with a 30x wagering requirement means you need to place a total of £1,500 in bets before any winnings derived from that bonus are available to withdraw. Not all games count equally — slots often count 100%, while table games and live casino typically contribute far less or nothing at all.
What should I read before accepting a welcome offer?
Before accepting any bonus, check: the wagering requirement (lower is better — above 40x is high), which games contribute toward clearing it, the time limit for clearing the requirement, any maximum bet restriction while the bonus is active (betting too much per spin can void a bonus), and whether the bonus is applied to deposits, winnings, or both. Reading the full terms takes a few minutes and can save significant frustration later.
Are free spins always truly free?
The word 'free' refers to the fact that you don't pay per spin. But free spins almost always come with wagering requirements on any winnings they generate. A set of 50 free spins on a slot might produce £10 in winnings, and if that comes with a 30x requirement, you'd need to wager £300 before withdrawing it. Some offers have a maximum conversion cap — a limit on how much of those winnings can ever become real money regardless of how much you wager.
Games & Technology
How do online slots decide outcomes — is it genuinely random?
Online slots use a Random Number Generator — software that produces a continuous stream of random numbers, thousands per second. The moment you press spin, the current number in that stream is used to determine the outcome. No spin is influenced by previous spins, and there is no cyclical pattern of wins and losses. The randomness is real, and UKGC-licensed operators are required to use RNGs that have been independently tested and certified by approved testing laboratories.
What is a live casino and how is it different from standard online games?
A live casino streams real-time footage of actual dealers at physical tables — roulette wheels, card tables, game show sets. You place bets through the interface, but the outcome is determined by a real physical action (a wheel spin, a card deal) rather than software. The experience is closer to a physical casino environment. Live casino games are typically supplied by specialist studios — Evolution Gaming and Playtech are the two most prominent suppliers to UK-licensed operators.
What does 'return to player' (RTP) actually tell me?
RTP is a long-run theoretical figure. A 96% RTP means that across an enormous number of spins, the game pays back 96p for every £1 wagered. It's a mathematical property of the game's design, not a promise about any individual session. In practice, a single session can produce results far above or below the stated RTP. The figure is useful for comparing games (higher RTP = better theoretical return over time), but it shouldn't be taken as a prediction of what will happen to you in any given play session.
What is game volatility and why does it matter?
Volatility (sometimes called variance) describes the risk profile of a slot. A low-volatility game pays out frequently but in smaller amounts — you'll see regular small wins and your balance tends to be relatively stable. A high-volatility game pays out less often but the wins, when they come, tend to be larger. High-volatility games carry a higher risk of depleting a bankroll quickly, but also a higher potential for significant wins. Neither is inherently better — it depends on what kind of experience you're looking for and your appetite for risk.
Responsible Gambling
What's the most effective way to stay in control?
The most practical step is to set a deposit limit before you play, not after you've started. A deposit limit is the strongest single lever you have — it caps how much you can put in during a given period and, under UKGC rules, reducing a limit takes effect immediately while increasing one requires a waiting period. Beyond that: treat your gambling budget as entertainment spending with a hard limit, use time reminders to avoid losing track of how long you've been playing, and don't chase losses.
If I self-exclude and then try to access a site, what happens?
If you've self-excluded through GamStop, UKGC-licensed operators are required to prevent you from logging in or registering. In practice, operators use identity matching — your name, date of birth and email — to identify excluded players at registration and login. It isn't infallible, but it's a serious compliance requirement and operators face significant regulatory consequences for allowing excluded players to gamble.