How to verify an online gambling licence in five steps
A practical, regulator-first method for checking a gambling brand, company, domain and product licence without relying on a homepage badge.
The short answer
- Start with the local regulator, not the operator website.
- Match the legal entity and the consumer domain, not only the brand name.
- Check the authorised product and the review date before drawing a conclusion.
1. Identify the jurisdiction that matters
A licence is territorial. A brand authorised in Great Britain is not automatically authorised in Portugal, Germany or Ontario. Begin with the player location and the exact product being offered.
The useful question is not “Is this brand legal?” but “Is this domain authorised to offer this product in this jurisdiction today?”
2. Open the official regulator register
Use the public register or operator directory maintained by the local authority. Search results, review sites and operator footer badges can help you find clues, but they are not the controlling source.
- Look for a regulator-hosted register or downloadable licence dataset.
- Prefer a record with a company name, licence number, product and domain.
- Record the date of the register or the date you performed the check.
3. Match company, brand and domain
Consumer brands often sit under a different legal entity. One company may operate several brands, while the same brand name may use different companies across markets.
A company-level match is useful evidence, but a domain-level match is stronger. If the register lists only a legal entity, look for the trading name or approved website before assigning a brand-level status.
4. Confirm the product scope
Sports betting, casino, poker, bingo and betting exchange permissions may be licensed separately. A current licence for one category should not be presented as permission for every product on the website.
5. Classify the finding carefully
“Licensed”, “not listed”, “restricted”, “revoked” and “named in enforcement action” describe different findings. Absence from a register is not, by itself, proof of criminality or a global ban.
The Atlas keeps the jurisdiction, authority, source and verification date next to the status so readers can reproduce the check.
Primary sources
These links are maintained by the named authority. Open the current source before relying on a status.