Two different checks sit behind the phrase 'affordability checks'. The first, a financial vulnerability check, is already in force at every UK-licensed online casino: it looks at public records once your net deposits pass £150 in a rolling 30 days. The second, a Financial Risk Assessment for high spenders, was confirmed by the Gambling Commission on 7 July 2026 but does not have a start date yet.
The £150 Financial Vulnerability Check
Financial vulnerability checks have been required since 30 August 2024. Since 28 February 2025, an operator must run one when a customer's deposits minus withdrawals exceed £150 in a rolling 30-day period. From August 2024 until then, the threshold was £500. There is no second, higher tier running alongside it.
The check is limited to public records. Operators look for a bankruptcy order, county court judgment, individual voluntary arrangement, High Court judgment, administration order or debt relief order. The Commission has said credit reference data may not be shared as part of the check, and because it relies on public records you are not asked for payslips or bank statements.
What happens next depends on the result. Operators must weigh the findings against everything else they know about you, take proportionate action where they see risk and record their reasons. The Commission has told operators that a single county court judgment on its own does not require heavy-handed steps such as automatically stopping an account.
Financial Risk Assessments: The July 2026 Decision
Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) are aimed at customers who spend far more. The Commission will introduce them in stages, starting with the largest operators. At Stage 1, an assessment is triggered when net deposits exceed £5,000 in a rolling 24 hours for customers aged 25 and over, or £2,500 for under-25s. The Commission says fewer than 0.5% of customers go above the £5,000 level.
At the final stage, the triggers fall to £1,000 in 24 hours or £3,000 over 90 days for over-25s, and £750 in 24 hours or £2,000 over 90 days for under-25s. Interim stages have not been set, and the Commission will confirm the Stage 1 timetable after working with the industry.
The assessments will be document-free, carried out through credit reference agencies with no impact on your credit score. In the pilot, 97% of customers above the thresholds could be assessed without friction. During the early stages the Commission will not take enforcement action where an operator fails to act after an assessment, although all other licence rules still apply.
What Players Should Know
Most players will not notice either check. Keep your account details accurate and up to date, and if an operator restricts your account after a check, ask it to explain what it found and what you can do next.
If you think a check was handled unfairly, complain to the operator first. If the complaint is not resolved within eight weeks, you can take it to the operator's alternative dispute resolution provider, such as IBAS or eCOGRA.
Updated 23 September 2026: replaced outdated threshold proposals (£125, £500, £1,000 and £2,000) with the current £150 financial vulnerability check and the Financial Risk Assessment thresholds confirmed on 7 July 2026, checked against Gambling Commission guidance.
