Without a doubt, this is a great time to be involved in the world of online bingo sites. The industry is growing at a quicker rate than ever and new sites are launching all the time. Obviously, for some people it doesn’t beat the in-person experience that die-hard players love to enjoy, so it is no wonder that they will search for ‘bingo near me‘ online rather than play it digitally, but for others, they are happy to do it all through their phones, computers, tablets, etc.

Although exciting, the sheer number of sites coupled with what can be daunting elements such as bonuses, deposit methods and more, can be worrying for some players.

The reality is that, for many newcomers, the world of online bingo can be somewhat confusing at first. As a result, plenty of advice sites have launched to help players better understand the industry and you can learn more about new bingo sites by clicking here.

In the UK, bingo sites need to be regulated and licensed to provide their services to British players. In this article, we will look to answer the question of how are new bingo sites regulated by looking at the primary requirements sites must meet to get certification to trade from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC).

So, without further conjecture, let’s take a peek at the first requirement in our rundown.

United Kingdom Gambling Legislation: The Basics

In 2005, the Gambling Act was set out in order to prevent UK bingo sites from becoming a hive of criminal activity, as many were when the industry was still in its infancy. The act said that gambling had to be fair and that providers had to stop the most vulnerable from falling into online gambling pitfalls.

In fact, the UKGC was created as a result of this act. By 2014, updates to the act looked to put an end to suspect advertising by all forms of online gambling sites including new bingo sites.

Bingo sites regulated in the UK say that bingo may only be provided when fully-licensed software is used. Another key element in the updates lay in stopping the advertising of sites not licensed in the UK from advertising to UK players either online or elsewhere. This was designed to stop maliciously intentioned sites from across the globe taking advantage of British players.

Another element of the 2014 Act stated that UK bingo sites need to find out where players are from and how old they are. This means that, whenever you play at a UK bingo site, you will need to identify your nation and age.

How can new bingo sites ensure they get UK licensing?

Those new bingo sites seeking UKGC licensing must meet a very high standard. First of all, the protection of money and separation of incomes must be strictly observed in order to ensure that the new bingo site is legal and legitimate.

Perhaps the main thing to remember is that, for sites wanting a UK license, all software used must also be fully licensed by the UKGC. That is, the developer who created any given game on the site in question must be UKGC certified.

In addition, sites must follow special anti-money laundering rules that prevent criminal activity in the world of new bingo sites. As this is the UKGC we are dealing with, it is also key to remember that new bingo sites need to observe the highest standards when it comes to fair play for all players as well as legal, responsible advertising campaigns and strategies.

Can Brits play new bingo sites from overseas?

Luckily for businesses and players, not every site operating legally to UK players needs to be UKGC licensed. In fact, the body created a special list of other authorities it deems reputable and therefore able to offer the services of its licensees to UK players. These include EEA nations as well as Gibraltar, the Isle of Man and more.