# Checking a casino licence: seven steps in the register > Look up a casino in the Gambling Commission register in seven steps: find the entry, read the status and activity, check the domain and trading names, then the actions. Source: https://seatcheck.uk/how-to-check-a-casino-licence/ Updated: 2026-11-13 Checking a casino licence takes seven steps and either the brand name or the web address; start at the Gambling Commission's register of gambling businesses. You read the entry, its status, the activity, the domain and the actions. The mistake to avoid is stopping at the brand name and never reading the domain status. ## What you need - The brand name and the exact web address from your browser bar. - The [register of gambling businesses](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register/businesses). - The licence statement at the foot of the casino's page, to compare against. Our [licence check helper](https://seatcheck.uk/licence-check-tool/) builds the links for you, and the aim is a check that takes about five minutes for a brand with one entry. A brand that sits under two licensees needs the steps twice. **Takeaway:** have the web address ready, because the domain is the step people skip. ## The seven steps ### Step 1. Find the business - **Do:** search by business name, trading name, domain name or account number. - **You see:** a list of matching entries. - **Mistake to avoid:** searching only the brand. Try the web address too, since the licensee can trade under another company name. ### Step 2. Open the entry - **Do:** open the entry and read the account number and the account name. - **You see:** the licensee behind the brand, and its head office. - **Mistake to avoid:** assuming the licensee name matches the brand. Compare it with the licence statement in the casino's footer, as [that statement's required content](https://seatcheck.uk/licence-statement-in-the-footer/) explains. ### Step 3. Read the licence status - **Do:** read the status field. - **You see:** Active, or one of eight other values: Suspended, Surrendered, Revoked, Revoked (Non payment of fee), Lapsed, Expired, Forfeited or Pending. - **Mistake to avoid:** reading an old entry. When a brand moves between licensees, the former entry stays in the register as Surrendered. ### Step 4. Read the activity and the dates - **Do:** look for Casino Remote in the activities, then read the From and To dates. - **You see:** whether the licence covers online casino games on the date you check. - **Mistake to avoid:** accepting a sports betting entry. General Betting Standard covers betting, not casino games. ### Step 5. Check the domain names - **Do:** open the domain names page of the entry and find the casino's address. - **You see:** the address with a status of Active, Inactive or White Label. - **Mistake to avoid:** ignoring Inactive. A brand can appear under an Active licensee while its domain is Inactive. White Label means you should read the operator's own entry as well. ### Step 6. Check the trading names - **Do:** open the trading names page. - **You see:** the brand name as it is shown to players. - **Mistake to avoid:** treating a missing trading name as a clerical gap. Domain and trading names are supplied by the business, so a gap needs explaining before you rely on the entry. ### Step 7. Read the regulatory actions - **Do:** open the regulatory actions page. - **You see:** any action recorded against the licensee, with dates. - **Mistake to avoid:** reading an action as a verdict on a table. It records a licensee's failure, not a table's quality. **Takeaway:** pass all seven or treat the casino as not checked. ## An example of a changed licensee Our preparation read on 6 November 2026 recorded that Sky Bet's former licensee, Bonne Terre Limited, showed Surrendered from 31 October 2025, while SBG Sports Limited was Active from 6 October 2025. A search that stopped at the first entry would have given the wrong answer. Re-read any entry before relying on it. **Takeaway:** the newest entry for a brand is the one that counts, so read both. ## If it does not work out If the register finds nothing, write down the date and treat the casino as not found on that date. Do not deposit. Compare what the site claims with the [warning signs of an unlicensed casino](https://seatcheck.uk/unlicensed-warning-signs/). A studio's logo is never a substitute for an entry, which is why [studio logos and licences](https://seatcheck.uk/does-provider-logo-mean-licensed/) is a separate page. Our own readings of candidates are on the [register snapshot](https://seatcheck.uk/licence-register-snapshot/). Before you register anywhere, run through the [checks before registering](https://seatcheck.uk/live-blackjack-site-checklist/). The way we apply these steps is described in [how we check operators](https://seatcheck.uk/how-we-check-operators/). **Takeaway:** no entry on the day means no deposit. ## 18+ only Gambling is for adults and can be harmful. Support: [GamCare](https://www.gamcare.org.uk/get-support/talk-to-us-now/), [GambleAware](https://www.gambleaware.org/) and [Gamstop](https://www.gamstop.co.uk/). ## FAQ **Where do I look a casino up?** In the Gambling Commission's register of gambling businesses. You can search by business name, trading name, domain name or account number, and each business has its own entry. **Which licence do I need to see for casino games?** An entry with the activity Casino Remote and the status Active. An entry that covers only sports betting does not show that casino games are covered. **Is the licence statement in the casino's footer enough?** No. Operators must show their licensed status, account number and a link to the register, but you still confirm it in the register itself. Compare the number and the licensee name. **What does White Label mean in the domain list?** The site runs under another business's licence. Read the entry of the business that actually operates it, because that licensee is responsible for the white label. **What should I do if I find nothing?** Treat the casino as not found on that date and do not deposit. Try the web address and the trading names first, and read the warning signs of an unlicensed site.