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Information companies must give you about your account

Gambling businesses must provide you with, and make clear, information on the following:

  • transactions you can make
  • the time you have spent gambling
  • how you can set limits on the amount you deposit or spend
  • how to request a ‘reality check’ (taking a break from playing)
  • any consequences of an interruption to play.

They should also provide information about the game you are playing, including:

  • the rules
  • a game description
  • the probability of you winning.

Other information companies must give you

Players' guides

Different types of businesses may also need to provide players’ guides to their games. For example, a casino must offer a player’s guide to the house edge.

An online gambling business must provide a player’s guide to each gambling product that they offer. This includes each:

  • bet
  • game
  • lottery.

Account fees

Companies can charge fees for accounts that you no longer use, called ‘dormant accounts’.

At least 12 months must have passed since you last used your account for it to be classed as ‘dormant’.

Fees must be reasonable and clearly set out in the company’s terms and conditions. Any charges must reflect the costs that the business pays to maintain your account.

The company must:

  • try to return your money before charging you
  • remind you 30 days in advance that a fee will be charged from a specific date.

Fees and charges on dormant accounts can bring your balance to zero.

How your money is protected

Any business you make a bet with must tell you in the terms and conditions how your money is protected in case they go bust. You can find out more about the levels of protection and what this means for you.

Gambling safely

Gambling businesses must make information available on how to gamble safely. This includes how to find information or support for problem gambling.

Terms and conditions

Gambling businesses must make sure that any terms and conditions they use are not unfair and must be made available to you in plain and simple language. They must also let you know in advance if they make any significant changes to their terms and conditions.

When you make a gambling transaction you're entering into a contract with the gambling business. Consumer law, such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (opens in new tab), protects your rights when you enter into a gambling contract. It protects you against wording in contracts which could be used to give a business an unfair advantage.

The Consumer Rights Act requires the wording in contracts to be:

  • fair, so that the contract is not weighted unfairly against the consumer or hidden from them
  • transparent, so that the consumer can make a decision based on facts and information.

You can learn more about the Consumer Rights Act on the Citizen's Advice website (opens in new tab).

Complaints and disputes

All licensed gambling businesses must have procedures for handling customer complaints. This includes The National Lottery.

They must also have arrangements for you to refer a complaint to an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) provider if they can't resolve it within 8 weeks. You can find out more about the complaints process.

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Last updated: 14 December 2023

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