Regulation

UKGC Affordability Checks in 2026 — What Actually Changes

The Gambling Commission's phased affordability regime now applies at every UK-licensed casino. What the £150-a-month and £500-a-month thresholds mean for real players.

From early 2026 every UKGC-licensed casino applies a light-touch financial vulnerability check when a player’s net monthly loss crosses £150, and a fuller assessment at £500. The checks are frictionless in most cases — a soft credit reference and a request to confirm employment status — but they can escalate to bank-statement review for larger players.

What this means in practice: at PlayOJO, MrQ, Sky Vegas, 888 Casino and every other UKGC brand on our shortlist you should expect a short verification prompt if your monthly deposit history rises materially. The check is designed to be invisible for most sessions and to bite only where affordability signals warrant it.

What it does not mean: mandatory tax-return uploads at £100 loss, or blanket deposit blocks. Both were widely rumoured; neither is in the final regime. If a casino requests documents that feel disproportionate, complain to the operator first, then to the UKGC — and let us know.