Fake licences and clone sites
A licence number in a footer is a claim, not proof.
By Ryan Jessop. Last checked .
Key takeaways
- Numbers can be copied from real operators.
- Clone sites imitate real brands.
- The register lists each licence's domains.
- Check the address bar.
In shortA site can display a real operator's licence number without being that operator. The register lists the web addresses covered by each licence; the one you are on must be among them.
How the trick works
A fraudulent site copies the footer of a genuine casino, licence number included. Or it registers an address one letter away from a real brand.
The check that defeats it
- Look up the licence number on the public register.
- Open the list of domain names under that licence.
- Compare, character by character, with your address bar.
- If the address is not listed, leave.
Other licences
A licence from another country, shown alone, does not authorise a site to offer gambling in Britain.
Keep reading: Trusted casino apps UK, What happens if a casino goes bust, The licence and Coral Casino: trust report.
Go further: Trusted Three Card Poker sites UK, Trusted bonus terms red flags UK and Trusted European roulette sites UK.
More to read: UK online casinos list and Bingo sites UK.
Also: NetEnt casinos UK.
Why these sites pursue players in Britain
Operating without a licence avoids the costs and limits that come with one, and Britain is a large market. Such sites advertise exactly what licensed casinos cannot offer: no stake limits, very large bonuses, credit card and crypto payments, no verification and no GAMSTOP. Each of those selling points is a protection removed. People who have self-excluded are a particular target, which is why searches for these sites so often start from someone trying to stop.
Why this site lists five casinos
Because five is the number we have checked. Each has had its licence confirmed on the public register, its operator identified and its regulatory record looked up, and the offer terms read. Long lists of the top 20, 50 or 100 casinos are usually ordered by commercial arrangement and rarely give a licence number. The public register is the only complete list of UK casinos, and it is free to search.
Why this matters for trust
Trust in a casino is not a feeling; it is a set of things that can be checked. A licence makes the operator answerable to a regulator. Segregated funds, tested games, a named dispute service and safer gambling tools are conditions of that licence. Knowing how each works lets you tell a casino that is meeting them from one that merely says so, and lets you act quickly when something goes wrong.
Licences were confirmed on the Gambling Commission register; regulatory actions were checked against Commission announcements on 8 October 2026; offer terms on 5 October 2026. Items labelled "reported" come from independent reviews, and items labelled "not checked" we have not confirmed. How we check. 18+. Free help: 0808 8020 133 or safer gambling.
Frequently asked questions
Can a casino fake a licence?
It can display a number that is not its own.
How do I check?
Match the domain against the register.
What is a clone site?
An imitation of a real brand.
Is a foreign licence enough?
Not for Britain.
Why do unlicensed casinos target the UK?
To offer what the licence forbids, to a large market.
Why do you only list five casinos?
Because those are the ones we have verified.
Why does this matter when choosing a casino?
Because trust rests on things you can check.