Licensed Bookmakers

Online gambling operators have to go through strict regulations. Authorities are responsible for making bookmakers legit by providing them with a valid license. Gaining access to unauthorized websites might be banned, but not always. So it is important to know which operators are licensed. Here is a full list of brands that can legally provide online gambling services.

Bookie of the month
Licenze
Curacao, Cyprus
Bonus
€130
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
Malta, Germany, Bulgaria, Portugal, Brazil
Bonus
€80 + €20 FB
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
Curacao
Bonus
$1,000
Percent
200%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
Curacao
Bonus
€5000
Percent
125%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Bulgaria, Gibraltar
Bonus
£30
Percent
300%
New Customers only. Registration required. Bet £10* & Get £30* in Free Bets. Sign up, deposit between £5* and £10* to your account and bet365 will give you three times that value in Free Bets when you place qualifying bets to the same value and they are settled. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits. Min odds/bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. +18 | Terms & Conditions time limits & exclusions apply. #Advertisement
Licenze
Curacao
Bonus
€130
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Malta and other
Bonus
£10
Percent
100%
New customers only. This offer is valid for 7 days from your new account being registered. Min Deposit: £10. Free Bet awarded: £10. 1 x £10 must be wagered at odds of 1.75+ to unlock Free Bet. Debit Card deposits only (exclusions apply). Free bet will expire 7 days after the 1st deposit. 18+. BeGambleAware.org. Bet The Responsible Way. Full Terms apply | gamstop.co.uk
Licenze
UK, Gibraltar, Bulgaria, Malta
Bonus
£20
Percent
-
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Pace 1 sport bet (3+ selections) } Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min odds 2/1 (3.0) for each selection | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | T&Cs apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk
Licenze
Curacao, Kenya
Bonus
€122
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
Curacao Gambling Licence
Bonus
6 BTC / 1200 USD
Percent
-
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK Gambling Commission
Bonus
£/€30
Percent
-
#ad • +18 Min deposit £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expire after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Casino Bonus must be claimed within 7 days and expires after 14 days • Bonus valid on selected Casino games only • Bonus wins capped at £500, excluding Jackpot wins • You must wager Bonus amount x40 – this requirement varies by game Full T&Cs apply | begamblingaware | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Gibraltar
Bonus
£25
Percent
-
18+. UK Customers (Excluding NI) only. Cash stakes only. Min £10 stake required for initial £5 free bet. Min odds ½. Max £25 in free bets. Subsequent free bets equal 50% average of each 3 £5 max qualifying bets. 13 settled bets required to receive full £25 free bet. Qualifying bets must be placed on sportsbook within 30 days of opening account. Cashed out bets will not qualify towards your average stake. One free bet offer per customer, household or IP address only. Free bet expires after 7 days. Payment method restrictions apply. 18+. T&Cs apply. | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk
Licenze
Curacao
Bonus
$130
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Malta, Ireland, Denmark
Bonus
£100
Percent
100%
18+ begambleaware.org | T&Cs apply. New reg only. Claim by placing a min deposit £10 via "My Offers" page within 30 days. 7 days to stake max £10 in-play, min odds 1/1. Max. extra winnings £100. Once claimed, 30-day expiry. Cashed out, System & EW bets do not qualify. Other Promotional Play Restrictions Apply. (Full T&Cs apply) | gamstop.co.uk | LeoSafePlay
Licenze
Curacao
Bonus
€/$2000
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
United Kingdom, Gibraltar, Malta
Bonus
£40
Percent
100%
18+. BeGambleAware.org. New customers only. Min Dep £10. Debit cards only. Opt in for bonus funds. Wagering, sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Sports bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Valid for 7 days. Geographical Restrictions and T&Cs Apply. | 18+ | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
Curacao, Malta
Bonus
200 FS
Percent
-
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Gibraltar
Bonus
£20
Percent
-
18+ Eligible UK+IRE players. Paypal & some deposit & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 = 4 x £5 free bets. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. No cashout, restrictions + T&Cs apply. | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk
Licenze
Alderney
Bonus
€100
Percent
100%
18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly
Licenze
UK, Gibraltar
Bonus
£30
Percent
-
New customers using Promo Code R30 only. Min £10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 3 x £10 free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment methods/player/country restrictions apply. 18+ T&C apply | begambleaware.org | gamstop.co.uk | Play Responsibly

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Who Issues the Bookmakers’ Licenses in Your Country?

Each country has its own authority that issues licenses to the gambling operators. However, obtaining such a permit is not an easy task to do because the procedure is pretty long and might take months.

When a given brand decides to apply for a license, it has to file the needed documents to the regulating authority. The permit can be either for sports bets, for an online casino, or for both. The document is valid for five years after its issued. During that time, companies are obliged to comply with all regulations by the monitoring authority because otherwise, the permit will be revoked.


Why is it Important to Choose a Bookmaker with a License?

Make sure you always opt for websites that have a license from a certain regulating authority. That’s because if there is a dispute between you and the bookmaker, you will be able to seek help from the responsible authorities in your country. Here are the most common types of arguments that can arise while playing:

  • A delay in your payment
  • Blocking your account
  • Restricted access to your profile
  • Revokement of your profits

You probably understand that each of the situations mentioned above will be, to say the least, unpleasant. Choosing a bookie with a license does not guarantee that you won’t encounter these problems, but it will at least allow you to have an authority to go to if that happens. Picking up a legit betting site eliminates the risk of facing up with some of the brands from our blacklist of bookmakers.


Advantages of Bookmakers that have a License from Your Country

We’d like to point out some of the main advantages of bookies that operate legally. We will begin by saying that getting a license is something that has high costs. In a way, this is a guarantee that the company is wealthy and it’s unlikely that it will suddenly disappear and scam its customers.

On the other hand, when the activity of a given bookmaker is regulated, this guarantees that it will comply with all legal obligations. Be sure that these bookmakers are required to take precautionary safety measures to protect the personal information of their customers.

Banking needs to be monitored as well. Payment security is another priority for the operators that have a license. The responsible authorities are aware of the financial transactions that take place on these websites.


Will there be more Licensed Bookmakers in My Country?

There are many big names in the industry that are not yet available in all countries. The overall trend is that leading bookies aim to acquire licenses in as many jurisdictions as possible. However, only time will tell if international betting sites will completely dominate the local markets as well.

If, however, more local operator spring up, this will definitely make the iGaming industry more competitive, which means that players will get better deals.

Elica Martinova
Betting expert
Certified Betting Expert
Elica Martinova
Ellie is in charge of writing, editing, and publishing reviews in Bulgarian, English, and German. She has a long track record as a journalist and is passionate about writing. Also, she is quite experienced when it comes to bookmakers as well.
Published on 12 March 2020, last edit on 21 November 2022