To the best of Vixio's understanding, there is no specific list of games permitted in casinos.

The Gambling Commission has stated:“No games are prohibited at the moment but we can publish a list of games that must not be offered should [they] feel it is necessary.”

A casino is an arrangement whereby people are given an opportunity to participate in one or more casino games (Section 7(1), Gambling Act 2005).

“Casino games” means “a game of chance [that] is not equal chance gaming” (Section 7(2) of the act).

Section 172(3)-(5) of the act permits the use of certain categories and number of gaming machines on the casino premises, depending on the number of gaming tables in the casino and the size of the casino.

• Gambling Commission

Licensing information

There are four types of licences that casino businesses may need to apply for: three are issued by the Gambling Commission and one is issued by local licensing authorities. In some cases a business may need all four licences.

• Casino operating licence
• Premises licence
• Personal management licence (PML)
• Personal functional licence (PFL)

The two types of casino operating licences include:

• Non-remote 2005 Act casino operating licence
• Non-remote 1968 Act casino operating licence, for an operator operating casino premises under the previous Gaming Act 1968.

Applications for the gambling licence are being accepted by the Gambling Commission.

Casino operating licence under the Gambling Act 2005

Section 90 of the Gambling Act 2005 stipulates a casino operating licence, which authorises the provision of a casino game or any other game of chance.

Pursuant to Section 110 of the Gambling Act, the operating licence is valid for an indefinite period, unless and until it ceases to have effect in accordance with a determination under Section 111, or under Sections 113, 114, 115, 118 or 119 of the Gambling Act.

A licensee may apply for a renewal in case the licence is subject to a determination under Section 111 of the Gambling Act, as provided by Section 112 of the Gambling Act.

Premises licence

A premises licence (Part 8, Gambling Act 2005) is needed from a local licensing authority to run a premises-based gambling business; for example, a betting shop, bingo hall or arcade. Additional information is available in Part 7 of the Gambling Commission’s guidance to licensing authorities. Details of local councils can be found on GOV.UK.

Section 7(5-6) of the act states the number of gaming tables and casino games a casino may offer depends on the casino’s classification. Casinos are classified as follows:

• A regional casino.
• A large casino.
• A small casino.
• Below the minimum size for a licensed casino.

As stipulated in Section 174(1) of the Gambling Act, a casino premises licence may be issued only in respect of a:

• Regional casino.
• Large casino.
• Small casino.

A small casino has the following attributes:

• A small casino can be run only in the following local licensing authority areas and each area can have only one casino:
  • Bath and North East Somerset District Council.
  • East Lindsey District Council.
  • Luton Borough Council.
  • Scarborough Borough Council.
  • Swansea City and County Council.
  • Torbay Borough Council.
  • Wigtown Divisional Licensing Board in the area of Dumfries and Galloway Council.
  • Wolverhampton City Council.
• The minimum table gaming area is 500 square metres, and the minimum non-gambling area is 250 square metres.
• The maximum number of gaming machines from category B1 to D (excluding category B3A) is 80, subject to the 2:1 ratio of gaming machines to gaming tables.

From July 22, 2025, the following statutory instruments have taken effect, introducing changes for casino licensed premises, as proposed in the UK government’s April 2023 white paper:

• The Gambling Act 2005 (Commencement No. 6 and Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Order 2025.
• The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025.
• The Gambling Act 2005 (Premises Licences and Provisional Statements) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2025.
• The Gambling Act 2005 (Gaming Tables in Casinos) (Definitions) (Amendment) Regulations 2025.

A large casino has the following attributes:

• A large casino can be run only in the following local licensing authority areas and each area can have only one casino:
  • Great Yarmouth Borough Council.
  • Kingston upon Hull City Council.
  • Leeds City Council.
  • Middlesbrough Borough Council.
  • Milton Keynes Borough Council.
  • Newham London Borough Council.
  • Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
  • Southampton City Council.
• The minimum table gaming area is 1,000 square metres and the minimum non-gambling area is 500 square metres.
• The maximum number of gaming machines from category B1 to D (excluding category B3A) is 150, subject to the 5:1 ratio of gaming machines to gaming tables.

Personal management licence (PML) and personal functional licence (PFL)

Section 127 of the Gambling Act 2005 provides for a personal licence, which authorises an individual to perform the functions of a specified management office, or to perform a specified operational function, in connection with the provision of facilities for gambling or a person who provides facilities for gambling.

Per Section 131 of the act, a personal licence shall continue to have effect unless and until it ceases to have effect in accordance with Sections 113, 114, 115 or 119 of the act.

A PML is required for persons responsible for the following activities:

• Overall strategy and delivery of gambling operations.
• Financial planning, control and budgeting.
• Marketing and commercial development.
• Regulatory compliance.
• Gambling-related IT provision and security.
• Management of the licensed activity for a particular area in Great Britain where the operator has five or more sets of premises for which the operator holds a premises licence.
• Management of a single set of bingo and/or casino licensed premises.

A PFL is required to start work as a:

• Dealer or croupier.
• Cashier.
• Inspector.
• Pit boss or gaming supervisor.
• Security staff or monitoring surveillance related to gambling activities.

Licensing costs

Non-remote 2005 Act casino operating licence

The application fees vary according to the annual gross gambling yield, depending on the fee category:

• The fee is £41,243 for category A1 with annual gross gambling yield less than £5.5m, and for category B1 with annual gross gambling yield equalling £5.5m or greater, up to but excluding £27.5m.
• The fee is £54,431 for C1, D1, E1, E2 and E3 categories, for annual gross gambling yield including and above £27.5m.

The application fee for the ancillary remote licence, required for using remote communication on the casino premises, is £100. There is no annual fee for this ancillary licence. 

The annual fees vary according to annual gross gambling yield, depending on the fee category, and range from £24,971 to £658,763 plus £120,000 for each additional £150m of annual gross gambling yield above £400m.

Non-remote 1968 Act casino operating licence

The application fees vary according to annual gross gambling yield, depending on the fee category:

• For category A1 with annual gross gambling yield less than £5.5m, the fee is £9,373.
• For category B1 with annual gross gambling yield equalling £5.5m or greater, up to but excluding £27.5m, the fee is £13,930.
• The fee is £28,120 for C1, D1, E1, E2 and E3 categories.

The application fee for the ancillary remote licence, required for using remote communication on the casino premises, is £100. There is no annual fee for this ancillary licence.

The annual fees vary according to annual gross gambling yield, depending on the categories, and range from £19,221 to £575,674 plus £100,000 for each additional £150m of annual gross gambling yield above £400m.

Premises licence

Local licensing authorities in England and Wales are allowed to set the cost of a premises licence, depending on the type of premises. Detailed information is available in the Gambling (Premises Licence Fees) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007.

The fees for premises licences in Scotland have been set centrally, in accordance with the Gambling (Premises Licence Fees) (Scotland) Regulations 2007.

Personal management licence (PML) and personal functional licence (PFL)

The application fee for a PML is £370.

The application fee for a PFL is £185.

Licence conditions depend on the type of casino, the different rules applicable to the floor space, the number of machines and the number of tables that are permitted (Section 7(6), Gambling Act 2005).

Further information about operating casinos is available in the Gambling Commission’s sector information for casinos and in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP).

HM Revenue & Customs’ Gaming Duty Guidance stipulates the following: “Gaming Duty is paid on casino gaming profits where gaming takes place in the UK. It is paid on the gross gaming yield of premises (gross gaming yield is stakes received less winnings paid out and charges paid for gaming, such as fees for taking part in poker).”

The accounting period for the gaming duty is six months.

According to Section 81 of the Finance Act 2022, the gaming duty depends on gross gaming yield and is as follows:

• For the first £2.686m, the rate is 15 percent.
• For the next £1.852m, the rate is 20 percent.
• For the next £3.243m, the rate is 30 percent.
• For the next £6.845m, the rate is 40 percent.
• For the remainder, the rate is 50 percent.

Additional information regarding the gaming duty is available in the Gaming Duty (Excise Notice 453).

The Gambling Commission calculates gross gambling yield as: A + B - C, where:

• A: The total of any amounts that will be paid to the licensee by way of stakes in the relevant period in connection with the activities authorised by the licence.
• B: The total of any amounts (exclusive of value added tax) that will otherwise accrue to the licensee in the relevant period directly in connection with the activities authorised by the licence.
• C: The total of any amounts that will be deducted by the licensee in respect of the provision of prizes or winnings in the relevant period in connection with the activities authorised by the licence.

Casino premises licence holders are prohibited from giving credit, in connection with gambling authorised by the licence, to the player (Section 177(2)(a), Gambling Act 2005).

Licence Condition 6.1.2:

“Licensees must not accept payment for gambling by credit card. This includes payments to the licensee made by credit card through a money service business.”

The ban applies to the following:

• Online betting.  
• Online casino and bingo.
• Lotteries who accept online payments or payments over the telephone.  
• High street bookmakers and track bookmakers. 
• High street casinos, bingo halls and arcades.

Land-based operators must ensure they do not permit customers to use credit cards for any gambling transaction made on a card payment terminal, including transactions relating to “cashback”.

The ban on credit cards extends to payments for gambling made by credit card through any money service business (MSB) such as an e-wallet or other fintech and electronic money institutions that enable e-money transfers. Operators are required to ensure that the credit card ban is not circumvented by topping up an e-wallet or online money transfer account directly from a credit card, where those funds could be used for gambling.