P2P gambling UK
Is P2P gambling legal in the UK?
Is P2P gambling legal in the UK? Yes: poker, bingo, betting exchanges and slot battles where players stake against each other are legal in Great Britain when the operator holds the right Gambling Commission licence. The licence depends on the game, and an offshore licence does not count.
Is P2P gambling legal in the UK? The short answer
Legal with a GB licence that covers the game, for players aged 18 or over. Any operator serving consumers in Great Britain needs that licence wherever the company is based, and the Commission states that operating without one is a criminal offence. A Curaçao, Anjouan or Tobique licence lets a company operate from that jurisdiction and gives no permission to take British players.
The Gambling Commission licenses gambling in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland). Northern Ireland is not covered by this guide.
Which licence each P2P game needs in the UK
There is no single P2P licence. The operator needs the Gambling Commission licence that matches each product it runs, and a licence for one product does not cover another.
| P2P game | Licence the operator needs | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| P2P poker | Remote casino | LCCP condition 3.1.1 sets rules for peer-to-peer networks. Sharing player pools with non-GB operators is allowed only under due-diligence conditions. |
| Betting exchanges (peer to peer betting) | Remote betting intermediary | The Gambling Act 2005 definition of a betting intermediary includes betting exchanges. The exchange is not a party to the bets between its customers. |
| Prediction markets | Remote betting intermediary | The Commission said in February 2026 that current products would appear to fall within this licence. |
| P2P bingo | Remote bingo | A separate licence type from casino. One licence can combine remote casino and bingo. |
| Slot battles and casino duels | Remote casino | The casino licence covers online slot games, so the slot stake limits apply to every spin in a battle. |
| Skin and case battles | A gambling licence for the game | In-game items that can be cashed out or traded count as “money or money's worth”, so staking them is gambling. |
| Backgammon, rummy and other skill games with dice or cards | Treated as gaming | Section 6 of the Act counts a game that mixes skill and chance as a game of chance, even where superlative skill can remove the chance. |
P2P betting in the UK: the betting exchange
A betting exchange is the established form of peer to peer betting in the UK: the Commission notes that exchanges have operated here since 2000. You either back an outcome or lay it, which means taking the bookmaker's side against another customer. The exchange matches the two sides, holds the stakes and charges commission on your net winnings in each market. It never takes a position itself, which is why it needs a betting intermediary licence rather than a bookmaker's licence.
As of October 2026 GB-licensed exchanges include these three. Betfair Exchange runs under TSE Malta LP, account 39561, a remote betting intermediary licence active since 1 November 2014. Smarkets (account 39173) charges 2% of net winnings per market by default, and Matchbook (account 39504) charges a standard 2%. Fees, tiers and promotions are compared in the P2P sports betting guide.
Betdaq closed on 21 October 2026. It stopped taking bets that day and keeps withdrawals open until 4 November 2026. Matchbook's operator, Triplebet, bought the brand but not the accounts, so Betdaq balances do not move across.
Prediction markets in the UK
The Gambling Commission set out its position in a blog post on 4 February 2026. Prediction markets “would appear” to fall within the definition of a betting intermediary, and their core features are “akin to” a betting exchange. A prediction market launching in Great Britain could not classify itself as a non-gambling product, and unlicensed operators “should take steps to ensure they are not targeting or transacting with consumers in Great Britain”.
In practice, Polymarket's international site blocks the UK and treats VPN use as a breach of its terms, and Kalshi's member agreement lists the UK as a restricted jurisdiction. UK players who want markets on politics or current affairs can use a licensed exchange such as Smarkets, which lists politics alongside sport. The mechanics are covered in the prediction markets guide.
Rules every GB-licensed P2P site follows
These apply to the operator, not to the format, so a P2P product on a licensed site carries the same protections as any other product on it.
Crypto gambling in the UK
UK law does not ban crypto as a payment method. A licensee that wants to take it must notify the Commission first and explain how it will handle price swings, insolvency and warnings to customers.
That leaves crypto P2P sites, from slot battles to crypto poker, outside the GB system. Every crypto site P2P Rivals lists either excludes the UK in its own terms or holds a licence that does not cover it, and none offers GAMSTOP or a UK complaints route. Skins count too: in-game items that can be cashed out are “money or money's worth”, so a case battle site serving British players without a licence is running unlicensed gambling.
How to check a P2P site's UK licence
The public register is the only source that settles it. A logo or a licence number in a footer means nothing until the register confirms it.
Find the account number
A GB-licensed site shows its Gambling Commission account number in the footer, usually next to the company name.
Search the register
Enter the number or the company name on the Commission's public register.
Match the activity
The licence must be Active and cover the product: Betting Intermediary for an exchange, Remote Casino for poker or slots.
Check the domain
Open the Domain names tab and confirm the exact web address you are using is listed. A missing domain is a fail.
P2P gambling outside the UK
Each country decides for its own residents. Ontario licenses poker and a betting exchange, Australia bans online casino games including poker, India has banned every real-money online game since 1 May 2026, and US rules change from state to state. The licence that counts is the one issued where you live.
UK legality questions
Is P2P gambling legal in the UK?
Yes. Peer-to-peer poker, bingo, betting exchanges and slot-based battles are legal in Great Britain when the operator holds the Gambling Commission licence for that game and you are 18 or over. A site licensed only in Curaçao, Anjouan or another offshore jurisdiction is not licensed to serve British players.
Is peer to peer betting legal in the UK?
Yes, through a licensed betting exchange. The exchange needs a remote betting intermediary licence, matches your bet with another customer and charges commission on net winnings. Betfair Exchange, Smarkets and Matchbook hold GB licences as of October 2026.
Are prediction markets legal in the UK?
Only through a GB-licensed operator. In February 2026 the Gambling Commission said prediction markets would appear to be betting intermediaries, like betting exchanges, and that unlicensed operators should not target or transact with consumers in Great Britain. Polymarket's international site blocks the UK.
Is crypto gambling legal in the UK?
Crypto is not banned outright, but a licensee must notify the Commission before taking it and explain how it handles price swings and insolvency. A crypto casino serving UK players without a Gambling Commission licence is operating illegally, whatever it accepts as payment.
Do P2P gambling sites have to be on GAMSTOP?
Every GB-licensed remote casino, bingo, betting and exchange operator must take part in GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme. A site advertised as “not on GAMSTOP” is a site without a GB licence.
What happened to Betdaq?
Betdaq stopped taking bets on 21 October 2026 and keeps withdrawals open until 4 November 2026. Matchbook's operator, Triplebet, bought the Betdaq brand but not the customer accounts, so balances have to be withdrawn.