New UK gambling licence fees take effect on October 1, 2026. The Gambling Commission has replaced its previous fee information with a revised schedule for remote casino operators. The change affects both application and annual charges, but the size of the bill depends on an operator’s licence activity and gross gambling yield (GGY).
UK gambling licence fees: the new remote casino bands
The Commission’s current remote casino schedule divides operators into nine GGY bands. It covers online casino games, including slots, roulette and blackjack. A business that serves customers in Great Britain may need this licence even if it is based elsewhere.
At the lower end, the published figures are:
F1, for GGY below £250,000: £8,185 to apply and £7,000 a year.
F2, for GGY from £250,000 to below £875,000: £14,483 to apply and £12,375 a year.
F3, for GGY from £875,000 to below £3 million: £25,628 to apply and £19,569 a year.
The bands continue upward. For example, G1 covers GGY from £3 million to below £10.5 million, with a £27,337 annual fee. These figures are not simple like-for-like increases on the old F1, F2 or F3 labels, because the GGY thresholds have changed too.
Why the 25% headline needs context
In June, the Commission said gambling licence fees would rise by 25% overall. It also warned that the change would differ by operating licence. Most licence types gain new categories. Society lottery fees stay at their existing levels, while personal licence fees rise by a flat 25%.
The regulator said operators’ 2025–26 regulatory returns would help determine their new fee categories. That makes the correct band, rather than the overall percentage, the useful starting point for a budget check.
What remote casino operators should check
Operators should compare their current GGY band with the revised schedule and confirm the activities on their licence. A licence that combines remote casino with bingo or virtual event betting carries an additional flat fee. The current page lists £2,100 for an application covering two of those activities and £6,250 in extra annual charges.
Timing matters as well. According to the Commission, the first annual fee falls due 30 days after a licence is issued and receives a 25% reduction. Later annual fees fall due before the licence anniversary. Those timing rules sit alongside the new band amounts.
For today’s fee change, the key document is the regulator’s live licence page, updated on October 1. Its band table gives operators the figures to check against their own GGY and licence mix.
