Guide

Poker With Crypto From the United Kingdom

Offering gambling in Great Britain needs a Gambling Commission licence, advertising unlawful gambling is an offence, and WePlay refuses UK residents.

The short answer

In Great Britain only operators with a licence from the Gambling Commission may offer gambling, and since 2014 that has applied to sites based abroad as well. The Gambling Act 2005 makes it an offence to provide gambling without a licence and to advertise unlawful gambling. A player who simply gambles is not taxed on the winnings. WePlay's terms refuse residents of the United Kingdom.

From the sources at the bottom of the page. We are players, not lawyers; this page is what the law and our sources say, not legal advice.

At a glance

The law: The Gambling Act 2005 covers England, Wales and Scotland. Section 33 makes it an offence to provide facilities for gambling without an operating licence.
Sites abroad: Since 2014, under the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, sites based abroad need a Gambling Commission licence to serve consumers in Great Britain.
Advertising: Section 330: a person commits an offence if he advertises unlawful gambling.
Tax: HMRC's position is that betting and gambling, as such, are not trading, so a player who simply gambles is not taxed on the winnings. An organised activity that makes profits out of the gambling public normally is trading.
Northern Ireland: The 2005 Act reaches Northern Ireland in only three sections: 43, 331 and 340.
The rooms: WePlay's terms refuse residents of the United Kingdom. Basepoker's terms name no countries; its licence is from Costa Rica.

Licensed gambling only

The Gambling Act 2005 sets the rules for England, Wales and Scotland. Section 33 makes it an offence to provide facilities for gambling unless you hold an operating licence from the Gambling Commission, and since 2014, under the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014, that has covered sites based abroad that serve consumers in Great Britain. Section 330 makes it an offence to advertise unlawful gambling.

Sections 33 and 330 are written for those who provide or advertise gambling. Northern Ireland is covered by only three sections of the 2005 Act.

Tax

HMRC's guidance starts from a case of 1925: betting and gambling, as such, are not trading, so a player who simply gambles is not taxed on the winnings. An organised activity that makes profits out of the gambling public normally is trading and is taxed.

What this means for a reader in the United Kingdom

WePlay's terms refuse residents of the United Kingdom. Basepoker's terms name no countries, and its licence is from Costa Rica. Under section 33, providing facilities for gambling without an operating licence is an offence, and since 2014 that covers sites based abroad that serve consumers in Great Britain. Advertising unlawful gambling is an offence under section 330, so this page links to neither room. We do not describe VPNs or other ways around any of this.

The sites licensed by the Gambling Commission are the legal way to play online in Great Britain. Our strategy pages, the odds chart and the calculators are free to read anywhere.

Time zones

The United Kingdom is UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer. A 20:30 start on WePlay's GMT+2 schedule, 18:30 UTC, is 18:30 in London in winter and 19:30 in summer. The Tonight page shows every start in your own time zone.

What runs tonight at WePlay and Basepoker, in your own time zone.

Sources

Questions

Is online poker legal in the United Kingdom?

In Great Britain, yes, at sites licensed by the Gambling Commission. Since 2014 sites based abroad also need that licence to serve players in Great Britain, and providing gambling without it is an offence under the Gambling Act 2005.

Do I pay tax on poker winnings in the UK?

HMRC's position is that betting and gambling, as such, are not trading, so a player who simply gambles is not taxed on the winnings.

Can I play on WePlay from the United Kingdom?

No. WePlay's terms refuse residents of the United Kingdom.