# Check a bookmaker's licence

> How to check that a UK betting site holds a Gambling Commission licence: what the public register shows, which checks to run and how licence records change.

Source: https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/
Updated: 2026-11-07

Before you deposit, check that a betting site holds a UK Gambling Commission licence. The public register lets you search by business name, trading name, domain or account number, and shows the licence status, the activity and the dates. This section explains the checks and links to our dated register snapshot.

## What the register shows

The Gambling Commission publishes its register of gambling businesses online. We read it on 6 November 2026.

**Public register facts · source: Gambling Commission public register · read 6 November 2026**

| Item | What the register says |
|---|---|
| Businesses listed | 2,630 records, updated 6 November 2026 |
| Activity for sports betting | General Betting Standard – Real Event Remote |
| Licence status values | Nine: Active, Suspended, Surrendered, Revoked, Revoked (Non payment of fee), Lapsed, Expired, Forfeited and Pending |
| Search by | Business name, trading name, domain name or account number |
| Licence statement | A licensee must show a licence statement, its account number and a link to the register (LC 8.1.1) |

Domain and trading names are entered by the business itself, so a mismatch is worth a second look. The register is at [gamblingcommission.gov.uk](https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/public-register/businesses).

**The short version:** only a record with status Active, for the activity you are using, counts as a current licence.

## Why the licensee name matters

A brand and the company that holds the licence are not always the same, and the licensee can change.

The register shows a change of licensee for Sky Bet: Bonne Terre Limited (account 38718) is recorded as Surrendered on 31 October 2025, and SBG Sports Limited (account 67370) as Active from 6 October 2025.

Our entry on [Sky Bet's licence](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/sky-bet-licence/) explains how to read such a change, and the dated [register snapshot](https://eachwayatlas.uk/data/licence-snapshot/) shows what we have checked.

**The short version:** check the licensee behind the brand, not only the brand name.

## What is in this section

### Learn the check

Follow the steps in [how to check a bookmaker is licensed](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/how-to-check-a-bookmaker-is-licensed/), then run the [ten-point licence checklist](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/licence-checklist/). To spot a copied badge, see [genuine licence or just a logo](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/licence-genuine-or-just-a-logo/). The rule behind the footer text is in [what a licensed site must show](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/licence-statement-rule/).

### Register entries for single brands

We write up individual records, such as [bet365's licences](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/bet365-licences/) and [Betano UK's licence and white label status](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/betano-uk-licence/). Each entry is dated and links to the register.

### Protecting yourself

Read [age and identity checks](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/age-and-id-checks-rule/), and [how to set a deposit limit or block your accounts](https://eachwayatlas.uk/licence/set-a-deposit-limit-or-self-exclude/).

## How we checked

The register figures above come from the Gambling Commission's register pages and the licence conditions, read on 6 November 2026 and recorded here on 7 November 2026.

We have not yet run a bookmaker-by-bookmaker check, so every brand-level cell elsewhere on this site reads Not verified until [the licence snapshot](https://eachwayatlas.uk/data/licence-snapshot/) is filled.

18+ only. Gambling can be harmful. National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133 is free and open 24/7.