UK withdrawal rules

Timeline

1. November 2014Licensed where you playAny operator offering gambling to people in Great Britain needs a Gambling Commission licence, wherever the company is based.
2. 7 May 2019Verify before playAge and identity must be verified before a customer can deposit or gamble, including on free-to-play games. This removed the old "verify when you withdraw" model.
3. 14 April 2020Credit card banLicensees may not accept credit cards for gambling, directly or through e-wallets.
4. 31 October 2021Reverse withdrawals bannedOperators must not let customers cancel a withdrawal and gamble with the money again. The ban covers every type of online gambling.
5. 18 July 2024Withdrawal expectationsThe Commission's chief executive set out that customers should be able to withdraw their deposit balance at any time without restriction, that friction at withdrawal is unacceptable, and that a refusal needs a full explanation.
6. 30 August 2024 / 28 February 2025Financial vulnerability checksLight checks against public records at £500, then £150, net deposits in 30 days.
7. 19 January 2026Bonus wagering capped at 10xWagering requirements are limited to ten times the bonus, and promotions mixing products such as betting and casino are banned.

What a licensed casino must do

• Treat you fairly and openly. Terms must be clear, and must not give the operator open-ended discretion to void or withhold winnings.
• Explain delays and refusals. You should be told why information is needed or why a withdrawal is held up.
• Not delay a payout purely for a welfare review. A safer gambling concern can justify pausing play, not holding your money.
• Run anti-money laundering checks as it goes, not only when you ask to withdraw.
• Handle complaints within eight weeks and offer free alternative dispute resolution if a dispute is still open.
• Tell you how your money is protected. Every licensee must say whether customer funds are held in a protected account if the business fails, using the not protected, medium or high rating.

Winnings and tax

In the UK, gambling winnings are not taxed for players, so a casino withdrawal arrives in full apart from any clearly stated method fee. The operator pays gambling duties on its side.