Casino Affiliate Marketing in the UK: The Rules

Casino affiliate marketing is legal in the UK. Affiliates don't need their own Gambling Commission licence, but you may only promote operators licensed by the Commission to serve British players, and your content is treated as gambling advertising. That means it must follow the UK advertising codes, the operator's rules and consumer protection law. Break them and you risk withheld commission, a terminated contract and a published ruling against your site.

This guide explains who's responsible for what, the rules that catch affiliates most often, and a checklist you can apply to every page.

This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current codes and your operators' requirements.

Do UK casino affiliates need a licence?

No. You need a Gambling Commission licence to provide gambling facilities: taking bets, running games or holding player funds. Affiliates that only publish content and refer visitors to licensed operators don't provide gambling, so they don't need one.

What you can't do is promote gambling operators that aren't licensed to serve British consumers. Advertising unlicensed gambling to people in Great Britain is illegal, and no legitimate UK operator will work with an affiliate who does it.

Who is responsible for affiliate marketing?

Responsibility is shared, and affiliates are directly in scope:

• Operators are responsible, under their licence conditions, for marketing carried out on their behalf, including by affiliates. The Commission has fined operators for affiliates' breaches, which is why operators audit affiliate sites and write strict compliance terms into contracts.
• Affiliates are treated as advertisers. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) applies the advertising codes to affiliate content and has ruled against affiliate sites directly.
• Platforms such as social networks, search engines and streaming sites apply their own gambling policies on top.

The advertising codes: what affiliates must follow

Gambling ads in the UK are governed by the CAP Code (non-broadcast, which covers websites, social media and email) and the BCAP Code (broadcast). The gambling rules that most often catch affiliates:

• No strong appeal to under-18s. Since October 2022, gambling ads must not be likely to strongly appeal to under-18s. That rules out many cartoon styles, youth-culture references, and footballers, influencers or streamers popular with young people.
• The 25+ rule. People shown gambling or playing a significant role in a gambling ad must not be, or seem to be, under 25.
• No money-solving claims. Never suggest gambling can solve financial problems, replace a job or provide financial security.
• No harmful associations. Don't link gambling to seduction, sexual success, toughness or personal status, or suggest it can make someone more attractive or successful.
• No exploiting vulnerability. Don't encourage chasing losses, gambling beyond your means, or gambling as a way to escape personal problems.
• No misleading claims about odds, winnings, bonuses or how "easy" it is to win.

Many operators also require affiliates to follow the industry's own code for socially responsible gambling advertising, which adds requirements such as prominent 18+ and safer gambling messaging.

Promoting bonuses: the rules in 2026

Bonus pages are where most affiliate complaints come from. Key points:

• Show significant conditions with the offer. Minimum deposit, wagering requirements, eligible games, expiry and maximum winnings must be clear before someone clicks, not hidden behind a link.
• "Free" must mean free. Don't call something free if the player must deposit or meet conditions they wouldn't expect.
• Wagering is capped at 10x. Since 19 January 2026, the Gambling Commission caps wagering requirements on bonuses at 10 times, so older copy advertising higher wagering is out of date.
• No mixed-product promotions. Since the same date, operators can't offer promotions that require using more than one gambling product, such as betting on sport to unlock casino spins.
• Keep offers current. An expired or changed bonus shown with old terms is misleading. Review bonus pages regularly and remove offers that have ended.

Disclosure: making your ads obvious

Marketing must be obviously identifiable as marketing. For affiliates that means:

• A clear affiliate disclosure on your site, explaining that you earn commission from some links
• Labelling paid placements and sponsored content (for example "Ad" or "Sponsored") where they appear, not only in a footer
• For streamers and social creators: disclosing casino deals and affiliate links up front, and disclosing when you play with funded or "house" money

Social media, email and streaming

• Social media: gambling ads must be targeted away from under-18s using the platform's age data, and each network has its own gambling policy. Several require prior permission for gambling promotion.
• Email and SMS: electronic marketing to individuals requires their consent under UK privacy law (PECR). Build your own opt-in list and make unsubscribing easy.
• Streaming: casino streams that promote brands are gambling advertising, so the same rules on age, disclosure and responsible messaging apply. See our guide on becoming a slot streamer.
• Cookies: analytics and tracking cookies need consent, so use a proper cookie banner.

Safer gambling on your site

• Show 18+ messaging site-wide and next to offers
• Link to support such as BeGambleAware and the GAMSTOP self-exclusion scheme
• Never target or retarget people you know have self-excluded or asked not to be contacted
• Promote only brands licensed for British players, and GEO-target so UK visitors don't see offers meant for other markets

What happens if you break the rules

• Operators act first: they can demand changes, withhold commission and terminate your contract, often across all their brands.
• ASA rulings are published, naming the advertiser, and can require the content to be removed.
• Platforms can remove content or suspend accounts and ad permissions.
• Serious or deliberate breaches, such as promoting unlicensed gambling to British players, can bring enforcement action.

Compliance is also good business. Operators increasingly choose affiliates by compliance record, and compliant sites keep their deals, and their income, for longer.

UK affiliate compliance checklist

CasinoAffiliateHost sites include GEO-targeted affiliate links, so each visitor only sees brands you've enabled for their country, along with responsible gambling pages and a cookie-consent-friendly setup. That makes this checklist easier to keep, but the content you publish is still your responsibility. Ready to start? Read our guide to starting a casino affiliate website.

Frequently asked questions

18+ only. Gambling can be addictive. This article is general information, not legal or financial advice, so check the rules for each market you target. If gambling is affecting you or someone you know, visit BeGambleAware.org.