United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC) Explained for Kiwis

Online casinos are the best place for any avid pokie-lover like myself, and Kiwis have the best range of casinos to choose from. With these online casinos comes special jurisdiction and licensing so that players can be safe and have fair gameplay when engaging in games. So the question is; who provides these licenses? In this article below, I run through one of the most notable bodies that provide licensing to platforms; the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.

What is the United Kingdom Gambling Commission?

The United Kingdom Gambling Commission, better remembered as UKGC, is a recognisable company based in Gibraltar that assists with safety at online casinos. Any casino operator licensed under this jurisdiction ensures that Kiwi, and global, players are looked after, and any fraudulent behaviours are limited and penalised according to their guidelines.

Benefits of UKGC for Player From New Zealand

The UKGC provides a range of services for online platforms under their licensing, which showcases a variety of benefits that put this jurisdictional company above most others. To help understand these benefits, I have conveniently provided a list of them below:

Operating Licenses

The UKGC offers more than just a simple license for online casinos. This company offers casinos licenses for each distinct gambling activity; for example, Betting, Casino Games, and Bingo each need their own licenses, and the UKGC offers these and more for ease of use.

Diligent

According to their website and other forums regarding their jurisdiction, the UKGC is one of the most diligent authorities across the globe. Kiwis can rest easy when playing at casinos licensed by the UKGC since this company offers fund protection, player protection, quality customer service, fair gambling practices, and secure player identification practices to ensure safety and privacy in all areas.

UKGC Services

UKGC offers a range of services for both gamers and companies within the iGaming sector, assisting both parties in keeping up with iGaming news and events from this company. I have provided a concise list below of their main services offered:

Toolkits

The UKGC’s website provides a range of ‘toolkits’ for a variety of categories that players and casinos can access. Some of these toolkits include Poker, Lotteries, Age Verification, among many others. These toolkits provide a range of information and guidance that casinos can follow to ensure they are remaining safe, fair, and secure.

Activity Licenses

As mentioned above, the UKGC provides different licenses for different gambling activities, such as Poker and Bingo. These different licenses allow casinos to provide the correct licensing and jurisdiction, so players are safe and secure. This also provides a level of responsibility for the casino operators to ensure they are following the UKGC’s guidelines.

Child Protection

To ensure children and vulnerable people remain safe from gambling mishaps and abuse, the UKGC implements regulators across all of their licensed casino operators to ensure players and their families are safe from harm. Age restrictions and identification metrics have been implemented throughout all of the guidelines and rules from the UKGC to assist with this mission.

Personal Licenses

The UKGC not only offers licensing for online casino operators, but also for personal use! These applications can be accessed via their website, and showcase options such as Personal Functional License, Personal Management License, and Annex A. Applicants can also check their application progress, update and manage details, download a license, or withdraw their form via this section. 

Top 5 UKGC-Licensed NZ Online Casinos

Choosing an online casino can be tricky, especially when trying to find one that is specifically licensed under the UKGC! To ease this situation for fellow Kiwi gamers, I have provided a concise list below of the top 5 best UGKC-licensed online platforms within New Zealand:

Conclusion

The UKGC provides a great range of licensing options for both individuals and online platforms, ensuring safety and security for all parties involved. Their additional services, such as vulnerable people protection, enable all to be safe when gambling is involved, whether it is the gambler themselves or their surrounding family members.

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