Online gambling markets worldwide is a fast-growing market, and the UK is one of the strongest players in this domain. Also because of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), the regulation is quite loyal offering a mature scenario of online gambling. The gambling culture has remained static over the years with a growing population in the country.

Over the period, online gambling has become an entertainment medium for people residing in the UK. The ease of access to these online gambling sites in the UK, gambling technologies and the internet are the primary reasons for its popularity across the country.

Since the UKGC came into existence in 2007, it has been regulating fair and safe gambling practices in the UK. The country is also regarded as one of the safest countries for both operators and players with gaming affiliate networks. License and compliance requirements are adhering to the safe gambling experience.

The UK online gambling market is legalised and well-regulated under the Gambling Act of 2005 by the UKGC. This act helped regularise the online casinos, lotteries and sports betting in the country. Moreover, the operators who want to start with gambling business in the UK need to attain a licence from the UKGC.

It also helps with fair play, player protection and responsible gambling which is well related to the role of UKGC. The players are not only protected through this body but it also ensures that there are null criminal activities including money laundering, one of the common demerits of online gambling. Through this well-regulated environment, the online gambling industry has attained trust and growth.

Yes, there are well-formed laws for the UK’s online gambling industry, find out about them below:

• The National Lottery Act 1993: This act is regulated under the UKGC but it is different from other forms of gambling. It regulates the national lottery of the UK.
• The Gambling Act of 2005: This act has been the base of the gambling legislation. It has also legalised and regulated online gambling and also established the UKGC,
• The Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014: Through this act, the remit is extended under the UKGC to comprise any gambling company that is providing services to the players of the country. It will also be valid even if the company is based out of the country.

Payment methods decide the success or failure of any business and online gambling is one such domain which requires the apt method of payment. The UK is well-established in terms of online gambling, so check for the factors which are regarded for popular payment methods below: 

• Security and fraud prevention
• Fast transaction processing
• Reputation and customer support

Check out the popular payment methods below:

• Debit Cards (Visa, Mastercard): Debit cards be it Visa or Mastercard are widely accepted for online gambling payment. However, credit cards for gambling are prohibited.
• Bank Transfers: Bank transfers are used for longer transactions while they also take time to process but are a widely accepted method.
• E-Wallets (PayPal, Skrill, Neteller): With the security features, this payment method also has a quick processing time.
• Pay-by-Phone (Boku, Payforit): This method lets their users deposit funds via their mobile phone bill. It is quite popular among the mobile phone users.

Mobile gaming has been rooting its feet deeper since they have been created. They are also popular in the online gambling market because of the high penetration of smartphones and fast internet speed. It has enhanced the growing mobile traffic for UK players to access their preferred casino and betting platforms.

The popularity of online gambling is such that many online casinos have optimised their website for mobile phone use or formed apps specifically for iOS and Android. As per trend research, a large part of traffic recorded by the iGaming operators in the UK is through mobile gambling. This trend also highlights that there are no signs of this growth going down.

The future of UK gambling is seen to reach higher rates with the strictly regulated and legalised protocols. It is also one of the stable and booming markets for the gambling operators. Under the UKGC, the safety of players is improved while also focusing on gambling addiction. So, there are compulsory affordability checks and stricter rules & regulations for advertisement.

These regulations come around as challenges for the operators of the gambling business but are necessary for the integrity and sustainability of the market. With the growing rate of the UK iGaming industry, more innovations are coming in for mobile gaming and technology-driven responsible gambling measures.

With the focus on player protection and expanding mobile traffic, the iGaming market in the UK remains a safe shield both for the players and operators.