complaints procedure, ADR, IBAS

How do I complain about a UK casino in 2026?

The regulator does not settle disputes. Two other steps do.

IN SHORT

To complain about a UK casino in 2026, use the casino's own complaints procedure first and allow it eight weeks. If the dispute is still open, take it to the free Alternative Dispute Resolution provider the casino names, such as IBAS. The Gambling Commission does not decide individual complaints.

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THE ROUTE

A complaint in four numbers

8 weeksfor the casino to resolve it
8ADR providers approved by the Commission
£0what ADR costs you
£10,000up to which IBAS rulings bind the business

From the casino to an ADR provider, step by step

  1. Read the terms linked to your account or bet: most disputes turn on them.
  2. Complain through the casino's procedure with dates, times, amounts and evidence, and keep copies. The free tool Resolver can help, though not every business accepts it.
  3. Wait for the result: the business has eight weeks from receiving the complaint.
  4. Ask for a deadlock letter, which confirms you may go to ADR and names the provider.
  5. Submit the case to that provider. It costs you nothing.

If you are still unhappy after the final adjudication or an appeal, the Commission mentions the small claims court and advises independent legal advice first.

Which ADR providers are approved?

The Commission's list, last updated 15 January 2025 and unchanged when we checked on 11 October 2026, names eight providers:

ProviderSectors it covers
ADR GroupRemote (all), arcades, lotteries
Blexr LimitedRemote (all)
CEDRRemote (all), arcades, lotteries
eCOGRAAll sectors
IBASRemote (all), arcades, betting, bingo, casino, lotteries
Pegasus ADR ServiceArcades, bingo halls, pubs and clubs
ProMediateAll sectors
Tattersalls CommitteeAll sectors

Each casino picks its own provider; use the one in its terms or deadlock letter.

What will an ADR provider refuse to look at?

ADR settles disputes about a gambling transaction: whether you won, what you were paid, bonus terms, a voided bet. The Commission says providers will not take complaints about customer service, or about a business refusing a bet or your custom, because a business may choose whom it accepts bets from. A provider may also turn a case away if you skipped the casino's own process, if another ADR body already handled it, or if the claim is outside its value limits. Payout problems are covered on withdrawal rights.

How does IBAS decide a case?

On paper. Its adjudication panel reviews written submissions from both sides instead of holding hearings, and legal representation is not needed. Include your account number, username and any reference the casino gave you, with the one email or chat your dispute rests on. IBAS says a decision typically takes 8 to 10 weeks after submission. Serious rule-breaking, as opposed to a private dispute, ends up in the register of UKGC fines.

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What else people ask

Can the Gambling Commission help with my complaint against a casino?

Not with the dispute itself. The Commission says it does not resolve or make decisions on complaints about gambling transactions, and it has no access to customer accounts. It does want to hear when a casino breaks the rules, for instance by mishandling complaints, letting a self-excluded person gamble or ignoring signs of crime. Those reports go through its «Tell us something in confidence» service, and it gives no feedback on what follows.

How long does a UK casino have to answer a complaint?

Eight weeks from the day it receives the complaint. Code provision 6.1.1 obliges every licensee to have arrangements for you to refer the dispute to an ADR provider if it is not resolved within that time, as long as you cooperate with the process promptly. When the casino finishes its investigation it must tell you the outcome and what you can do next, including any route to someone more senior in the business.

Is IBAS free and is its decision binding?

IBAS is free for consumers, and the Commission requires every ADR service to cost the customer nothing. Its ruling does not bind you, so you can still go to court. It binds a registered gambling business up to £10,000, a level the Commission sets, and IBAS says few businesses have ever ignored one of its decisions, whatever the value. If a casino does not pay after a ruling in your favour, tell IBAS.

Which UK casinos get the most player complaints?

There is no official ranking. The Commission's public registers cover licences, regulatory actions and public statements, and none of them counts complaints by casino. The closest public record of serious failings is the regulatory actions register, which lists every sanction and settlement with the rules breached, the date and the amount. Treat any «most complained about» table elsewhere as someone else's estimate, not regulator data.

Can I complain about a gambling advert?

Yes, but not through the casino's ADR provider. Adverts are policed by the Advertising Standards Authority, which enforces the UK Advertising Codes written by the Committees of Advertising Practice. Gambling ads must be socially responsible and must not mislead; the Commission's example is an advert that hid the need to deposit £10 to get the free bonus. Complaints are made on the ASA website.
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