Sports Betting Laws in the United Kingdom
The sports betting industry in the United Kingdom has the most developed gambling regulations in the world. The UK was the first country in the world to get a Sportsbook when Ladbrokes came into being way back in 1886. The British sports betting community was also the first to produce sports betting exchange – this is where gamblers do not bet against the bookies but bet against fellow gamblers. Below we are going to take a closer look at the sport betting laws in Britain.
Online Sports Betting Options in the United Kingdom
When it comes to sports betting online, it is safe to say that British sports betting fans really are spoiled for choice. All in all, there are around 500 online bookies that British gamblers can sign up with and this number is growing with each passing year. While it is always great to have a large selection, it can be a bit of a hindrance too as it can make it really difficult to find the best betting site for you. Thankfully, there are plenty of betting sites out there such as https://www.mybettingsite.uk/ that will provide you with all the information that you need to make the best choice. One of the good things about having a saturated market is that bookies have to try and stand out, and one way that they achieve this is by trying to offer the best Welcome Bonus. Therefore, British sports betting fans get to take advantage of some of the best bonuses around.
UK Sports Betting Legality
Brick and mortar bookmaker shops and online bookmakers are both completely legal in the UK. Land-based bookies such as William Hill and Ladbrokes have existed in England for decades, and there are now more than 9,000 betting shops scattered throughout the UK. In 1960, the Betting and Gaming Act was put in place to legalise brick and mortar UK sports betting companies. In 2005, the Gambling Act was set, and this placed new sports betting regulations and also saw the establishment of the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. This establishment is there to enforce gambling legislation and regulate all gambling activities.
Any gambling company that wants to operate within the UK has to obtain a gambling license from the UK Gambling Commission or hold a license from another territory that the commission has white-listed. This licensing requirement was introduced to make sure that gambling companies act in accordance to the 2005 Gambling Act. Online betting sites that do not fully comply with this act will see their license taken away, which means that they will no longer be in business.
The most serious offences that a gambling company can commit in the UK is to offer services with not license or allowing those under the age of 18 to bet. This is why online betting sites require every player that signs up with them to verify their account. If the betting site has any reason to suspect that you are underage, then they will not hesitate to give you back your money and close your account. It is just not worth the risk for them. So, although the verification process might be annoying to you, it is something that betting sites are required to ask for by law. There will be strict restrictions on your account until you have verified it.
How Safe is Sports Betting in the UK?
The UK gambling laws have been put in place to ensure that all punters are treated fairly by gambling companies and have someone to turn to should there be a dispute between them and the company that they gamble with. In fact, one way to make sure that a bookmaker is reliable, safe, and honest is to check whether they have been licensed by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. If they have, then you can rest assured that your money and all of your personal details are completely safe.
What Do the Best Online Sportsbooks Offer UK Gamblers?
If an online sportsbook wants to survive in the United Kingdom, then they have to offer a nice Welcome Bonus as well as entertaining promotions. It is all well and good getting new players to sign up, but the next job is to get them to stick around. This is where promotions such as free bets come into play. As well as this, they should offer a wide variety of sports, plenty of betting markets for these sports, and competitive odds. They should have plenty of payment options and a great customer support team. You can find out if a sportsbook has all of the above simply by taking the time to read some in-depth reviews.
