Get the facts on gambling online with information supplied by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) setting out what is the legal status.
Internet Gambling - The legal position in Great Britain
Almost all relevant British gambling legislation pre-dates the Internet. Nobody had such a powerful communications system in mind when that legislation was being enacted. Consequently the existing law impinges on Internet gambling in ways unintended and unforeseen.
Gaming
Gaming Act 1968
Casino, bingo and machine gaming can be conducted only on licensed and registered premises and, in particular, the persons taking part must be on the premises at the time when the gaming takes place.
Section 5 of the Gaming Act 1968 prohibits gaming in a public place to which the public has access, as gaming is strictly forbidden to persons under the age of 18 years.
Section 2 prohibits bankers games and games which are, by their nature, not of equal chance unless conducted in licensed premises. Under section 12 of the Act, players have to be present on the premises in order to take part in the gaming. Participation by post or proxy is forbidden.
Hence no licence could be obtained by an operator who wished to offer such Internet gaming here and to set up such a site in this country would be illegal. The Gaming Board has made it clear that it would seek to take action against anyone who did so.
Who is liable
It is the operator who is guilty of committing any offence. Although it is illegal to set up and run a casino or bingo site from this country, it is not illegal for a person resident here to take part in Internet gambling. It would not, therefore, be illegal for someone on Britain to gamble on a site situated elsewhere in the world.
