What Happens to Your Online Casino Balance if an Operator Goes Bust?
If an online casino becomes insolvent, the balance shown in your account is not protected in the same way as money held in a UK bank account. The outcome depends on the operator’s customer-funds arrangements, what part of your balance counts as customer funds, and the insolvency process.
This guide explains the current rules for businesses licensed by the Gambling Commission to serve consumers in Great Britain. An overseas licence may use different categories and recovery procedures, so do not assume that the UK labels apply to every casino carrying an EU or other foreign licence.
The short answer
For a Great Britain-licensed remote casino:
- deposited money, winnings left in the account and bonus money already earned under the offer terms can count as customer funds;
- open bets are not treated as customer funds under the Gambling Commission’s published guidance;
- the operator must disclose whether customer funds have no, medium or high protection if it becomes insolvent;
- keeping customer money in a separate account does not by itself guarantee repayment; and
- the Gambling Commission does not insure player balances or monitor each licensee’s finances in real time.
The protection rating is therefore a risk disclosure, not a promise that every pound will be returned.
What counts as customer funds?
The Gambling Commission’s licence condition on segregation covers money held to a customer’s credit. It includes cleared deposits available for future gambling, winnings or prizes left with the operator or not yet paid, and crystallised but unpaid bonuses.
In practical terms, check your account record for:
- cash deposited but not yet staked;
- settled winnings still showing in the balance;
- withdrawals marked pending or otherwise unpaid; and
- bonus value that the terms say you have already become entitled to.
An open bet is different. The Commission defines it as a bet paid for before the event has happened and says money staked in an open bet is not customer funds for insolvency-protection purposes. Casino play may settle immediately, but the distinction matters if the same account also includes unsettled sportsbook, bingo or other wagers.
Save a dated copy of your balance and transactions. Our guide to your online casino account history explains which records to preserve before access changes.
The three Gambling Commission protection ratings
Great Britain-licensed operators that hold customer funds must state one of three ratings in their terms and conditions.
Not protected
The money would form part of the gambling company’s assets if it became insolvent. The Commission warns that a customer would be likely to lose money left in the account.
Since 31 October 2025, an operator using the not-protected rating must remind affected customers every six months. The reminder must include the amount held for the customer, and the customer must acknowledge it before using those funds for gambling.
Medium protection
The business has made arrangements intended to distribute customer-account assets to customers if it becomes insolvent. The arrangement might, for example, involve insurance. The Commission is explicit that repayment is still not absolutely guaranteed.
High protection
The money is held in a formal trust arrangement that is legally and operationally separate from the company, with controls involving an independent trustee or external auditor. The Commission describes this as the highest level and the best chance of recovery, not an unconditional guarantee of full or immediate repayment.
These ratings describe insolvency arrangements. They do not tell you whether a withdrawal will be approved, how long an administrator may take, or whether a separate dispute will be resolved in your favour.
Where to find the protection statement
For a Great Britain-licensed operator, start with the terms and conditions and search for phrases such as “customer funds”, “insolvency”, “segregation” or “protection”. The operator must explain:
- whether customer funds are protected if it becomes insolvent;
- the level of protection; and
- the method used to achieve that level.
The disclosure must be presented for acknowledgement on the first deposit and again after the first later deposit if the arrangement changes. A not-protected operator must also issue the six-month reminders described above.
Confirm that the company named in the terms is the same legal entity shown in the site footer and on the Gambling Commission public register. A brand name alone may not identify the company that holds your balance.
What to do if a casino stops operating
A temporarily unavailable website, suspended licence, business sale and formal insolvency are not the same event. Avoid guessing from a login error or social-media post. Work through the evidence in order.
- Record the account position. Save the balance, pending withdrawals, recent deposits, settled winnings, open bets, bonus status and transaction references.
- Save the applicable terms. Keep the customer-funds statement and the version or date shown. Also save any email or account notice about a change of protection level.
- Identify the legal operator. Match the footer company and licence number to the regulator’s register. Record the exact website or trading name attached to the licence.
- Use the announced channel. If the operator, regulator, administrator or liquidator publishes a claims route, follow that source and keep the confirmation. Do not send identity documents or payment details to an address copied only from an unverified post.
- Separate insolvency from a service complaint. A disputed withdrawal, account restriction or inaccurate balance may still require the operator’s complaint process. If the Great Britain-licensed business remains able to handle complaints, follow its procedure and retain the reference.
Our guide to complaining about an overseas casino explains how to identify the correct operator and regulator without assuming that UK rules apply abroad.
Does a separate bank account guarantee repayment?
No. Gambling Commission licence condition 4.1.1 requires most remote licensees that hold customer funds to keep them in a separate client bank account. However, the Commission’s public guidance says that segregation alone does not guarantee that customers will recover money if the business experiences financial difficulty.
The separate-account requirement and the protection rating answer different questions. Segregation explains where customer funds must be held during normal operation. The rating describes the additional insolvency arrangement, if any. Read both rather than treating the word “separate” as proof of reimbursement.
What changes with an overseas licence?
The Gambling Commission’s three labels and acknowledgement rules apply to businesses within its licensing scope. A casino licensed elsewhere may use a trust, guarantee, segregation rule or claims process defined by another jurisdiction—or may disclose no equivalent UK rating.
Before relying on a foreign licence statement:
- verify the company and exact domain in the regulator’s official register;
- read that regulator’s customer-funds and insolvency rules;
- identify who receives a claim if the company fails; and
- preserve the version of the terms that applied when the balance arose.
An “EU licence” is not a single cross-border authorisation. Our guide on whether an EU-wide online casino licence exists explains why the issuing regulator and licensed legal entity matter.
Questions to ask before leaving a balance
Use this checklist before depositing or leaving winnings in an online account:
- Which legal company holds the account?
- Which regulator licenses that company for the service offered to you?
- What protection rating or local insolvency arrangement is disclosed?
- Does the wording cover deposits, settled winnings and earned bonus funds?
- How are open bets treated?
- Where would an insolvency claim be filed?
- Can you download a current transaction history and the applicable terms?
The answers can change if ownership, licence status or terms change. Recheck the disclosure after a notice from the operator rather than relying on an old review or screenshot.
Bottom line
A visible casino balance is a claim against the operator, not a government-insured bank deposit. For a Great Britain-licensed business, the terms must disclose a not-protected, medium-protection or high-protection arrangement. The rating can help you compare insolvency risk, but none should be read as a guarantee of full or rapid repayment.
Check the legal operator, save your account evidence and follow only verified regulator, operator or insolvency-practitioner instructions. If the casino is licensed elsewhere, use that jurisdiction’s official rules instead of importing the UK categories.
Official sources checked
Sources checked 26 September 2026:
