Gambling regulators by country
Reference · Last updated: 2026-07-13
Every legal betting site or casino answers to a regulator — the body that grants its licence and keeps a public register you can check. The single most reliable way to know a site is legitimate is to find it on the right regulator's register. Here's who regulates the markets we cover, what they license, and exactly where to verify.
| Country | Regulator | What it licenses | How to verify | Our list |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) | Online casino, sportsbook, poker, bingo, lotteries | Search the operator on the UKGC public register; a valid remote licence looks like XXXXX-R-XXXXXX-XXX. |
UK sites |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | SPA / Ministério da Fazenda | Fixed-odds betting & online casino (since 2025) | Legal sites use a mandatory .bet.br domain and appear on the official SPA authorised list. |
Brazil sites |
| 🇨🇦 Ontario (Canada) | AGCO / iGaming Ontario | Online casino, sportsbook, poker | Operators hold an AGCO registration and an iGO agreement; check the iGaming Ontario operators directory. | Ontario sites |
| 🇺🇸 Pennsylvania | PA Gaming Control Board (PGCB) | Online casino & sports betting (21+) | Look for the operator on the PGCB's licensed-operators pages; sites show the PGCB logo. | Pennsylvania sites |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | Coljuegos | Online betting & casino | Legal operators run on a Coljuegos-authorised .co/.com.co site and appear on its list. |
Colombia sites |
| 🇺🇸 New Jersey | NJ Division of Gaming Enforcement (DGE) | Online casino under an Atlantic City licence (21+) | The site must appear on the DGE's approved internet gaming sites list. | New Jersey sites |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | DGOJ (Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego) | Online betting, casino, poker, bingo | Legal sites use a .es domain and are on the DGOJ operator register. |
How to verify (Spain) |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI) | New regime under the Gambling Regulation Act 2024 | Licensing is rolling out; verify on the GRAI's official channels as it publishes its register. | In progress |
How to verify any site in three steps
- Identify your regulator from the table above, and open its official website directly (not a link the site gives you).
- Search the brand or licence number on the register, and confirm the status is active and matches the company behind the site.
- Match the domain — a licensed brand serves your country from its licensed address, not a generic look-alike. See how to spot a fake site.
A licence means a site is legal and accountable in that market — not that it's risk-free or good value. Read the terms, and set your limits first. Gamble responsibly.
Prefer to search by brand? Our betting sites board shows which of these regulators each big-name brand is licensed by. Also see the advertising & affiliate rules by country and how to check a licence yourself.