News

Gambling Commission Tightens Rules for No-Account Casinos

07 November 2026

The Gambling Commission is increasing requirements for identity verification and anti-money laundering (AML) controls at online gambling operators, focusing on improving customer checks and preventing financial crime.

Under current rules, online casinos must verify a customer's name, address and date of birth before allowing them to gamble. The Commission now states these identity checks must occur before a customer can deposit funds, with operators required to clearly explain what documents are needed.

"ID checks before play are not sufficient by themselves," said Neil McArthur, the Commission's CEO. "We expect checks earlier - prior to that initial deposit - and we want operators to be transparent about what information they require from customers and how verification will work."

This focus on early, transparent identity checks forms part of the Commission's wider effort to address money laundering and terrorist financing risks in gambling.

Enhanced scrutiny for high-risk cases

The regulator's April 2024 guidance specifies that in higher-risk situations - including customers from high-risk jurisdictions or politically exposed persons (PEPs), as well as unusually large or complex transactions - casinos must implement stricter "enhanced customer due diligence" measures with ongoing monitoring.

This involves collecting additional information, obtaining senior management approval for the account, and conducting closer monitoring of activity.

"Pre-paid cards and vouchers represent higher-risk payment methods due to their anonymity, so we will be closely examining their use," the Commission's October 2025 guidance states. "Operators cannot rely solely on third-party payment processors for customer verification without conducting their own proper checks."

The new requirements, effective from October 2025, represent a significant change for "no-account casinos". These operators, which enable customers to gamble immediately without registration, must now implement robust identity verification systems despite the absence of traditional account setup.

"We offer convenience and simplicity for our customers," explained Tom Mason, Chief Compliance Officer at Spinata Grande. "This doesn't remove our responsibility to know who is using our platform and monitor for suspicious activity. We're investing significantly in facial recognition technology to enable instant verification when customers first access our site."

The Gambling Commission also plans to introduce basic financial vulnerability checks for customers depositing more than £150 monthly. Commission sources indicate these checks may precede more comprehensive affordability assessments later in 2025.

While customers will notice the stricter verification process, the Commission states this balances user experience with consumer protection and crime prevention.

Research from 2024 shows 68% of consumers consider identity checks important for customer protection, with 53% agreeing it's reasonable for gambling sites to request financial information for large withdrawals. However, concerns persist about complex verification processes potentially excluding vulnerable individuals.

A revised version of the Commission's digital identity guidance is expected in March 2026, with promises of tougher action against operators failing to meet identity verification standards that result in money laundering breaches.