Is online poker legal in the United Kingdom?

Yes, online poker is fully legal in the UK. The Gambling Act of 2005 made online poker legal as long as operators obtain a license from the UK Gambling Commission . The law ensures that online gambling, including poker, is conducted fairly and safely for all UK residents.

Are there any restrictions on UK players for online poker?

There are no significant restrictions for UK residents playing online poker, provided they use licensed and regulated platforms. The UK Gambling Commission ensures that all legal sites comply with its strict standards for player safety, fairness, and transparency.

Do UK residents have to pay taxes on online poker winnings?

No, UK residents do not have to pay taxes on their gambling winnings, including online poker. The government taxes the operators instead of the players.

Is live poker legal in the United Kingdom?

Yes, live poker is legal in the UK. It is regulated by the UK Gambling Commission (GC) under the Gambling Act of 2005 , which governs all forms of gambling, including poker. Any venue wishing to host poker games must obtain the proper licenses from the GC to operate legally.

Where can I play live poker in the UK?

The UK has several well-known poker venues, including: Dusk Till Dawn (DTD) in Nottingham, known for hosting major events like the WSOP Circuit and partypoker LIVE tournaments. Grosvenor Casinos , with multiple locations nationwide. Their flagship venue, The Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London (also known as “The Vic”), offers cash games and tournaments with buy-ins ranging from £37 to £1,100 .

Are there major poker tournament series in the UK?

Yes, the UK hosts several major poker tournament series, including: Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) : This is one of the best-known UK poker series, with events across the country. WSOP Circuit and partypoker LIVE : These international poker events often make stops at venues like Dusk Till Dawn .

United Kingdom Poker: Events, Venues, and Laws Explained

Callum JuryAuthor

Originally from the UK’s Lake District, Callum Jury has carved out a niche as a premier live reporter across the Southeast Asian poker circuit. Since 2025, he has delivered high-level coverage for major brands like the APT, PokerStars, and the WSOP, blending a background in business with a deep-rooted passion for storytelling. As a key member of the Somuchpoker team, Callum uses his sharp eye for photography and media to bridge the gap between technical hand histories and the raw human drama of a high-stakes deep run.

Updated: 2026.02.23

The United Kingdom remains a premier global poker destination in 2026, characterized by its mature regulatory framework, a massive network of land-based card rooms, and some of the world’s most prestigious tournament series. From the high-stakes action in London’s West End to the grassroots communities across the Midlands and Scotland, the UK scene is a sophisticated blend of professional “Mind Sport” competition and vibrant recreational play.

Iconic Venues: The Pillars of British Poker

The Poker Room at the Vic : Located at London’s Victoria Casino, “The Vic” is a legendary hub that regularly hosts the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT). It is widely considered the spiritual home of high-stakes live cash games in the capital.
Dusk Till Dawn (DTD) : Nottingham’s Dusk Till Dawn is Europe’s largest dedicated poker club. It remains the primary venue for massive multi-day festivals like the UK Poker Championships (UKPC), which featured a £500,000 guaranteed Main Event in January 2026.
The Hippodrome Casino : Situated in Leicester Square, this landmark venue houses the PokerStars LIVE London room. It offers 24/7 action and serves as a major host for the UK & Ireland Poker Tour (UKIPT) and various “Super Series” events.

🏰
PRIMARY HUB
London & Nottingham

🏆
KEY TOURS
GUKPT, UKPC, Goliath

⚖️
ADMISSION
18+ (ID Mandatory)

The 2026 Live Circuit & Regulatory Landscape

The UK circuit is defined by its consistency and diversity of buy-in levels, ensuring a healthy ecosystem for all players:

The Goliath Phenomenon: Held annually in Coventry, the Goliath remains the UK’s most iconic recreational event. For 2026, it is estimated to carry a £2,000,000 prize pool, maintaining its status as one of the largest live tournaments globally outside of Las Vegas.

National Poker League (NPL) Evolution: Grosvenor has expanded its NPL structure for 2026, introducing the G300 (£100,000 GTD) and G200 (£50,000 GTD) series to bridge the gap between regional play and major tour stops.

Online-Live Integration: Players heavily utilize platforms like GGPoker and 888poker to satellite into live stops. 2026 also saw significant regulatory shifts, including an increase in Remote Gaming Duty to 40% and stricter stake limits on online slots to promote a sustainable gaming environment.

2026 Key Dates & Events

UK Poker Championships (Jan 17 – 26, 2026): A major start to the year at Dusk Till Dawn, featuring the £560 buy-in UKPC Main Event with a £500,000 guarantee.

GUKPT London Leg 1 (Jan 8 – 18, 2026): The 20th anniversary season of the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour kicked off at The Victoria, London, with a £250,000 guaranteed Main Event.

Goliath 2026 (July 23 – Aug 2, 2026): The UK’s largest live tournament returns to Coventry, expecting thousands of entries for its low buy-in, high-guarantee format.

888poker LIVE London (Oct 8 – 18, 2026): A staple of the autumn circuit, featuring a £250,000 guaranteed Main Event in the heart of the capital.

Online Poker in United Kingdom

Online Poker Legislation in the United Kingdom

The Gambling Act of 2005 essentially made online poker fully legal in the country, granted the company offering poker gets a licence from the Gambling Commission, the regulatory body which was set up by this legislation. Amendments added to the bill in 2014 allowed even foreign companies to apply for licences, which means that UK residents truly have 100% freedom of choice if they wish to play some cards online.

There is an abundance of online poker rooms to choose from, the biggest ones being pokerstars.uk and Natural8-GGNetwork. There are some that are specifically for UK and Ireland players only, such as Sky Poker.

Best Online Poker Sites in United Kingdom

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Live Poker in United Kingdom

Live Poker Legislation in the United Kingdom

The Gambling Commission states in its guidance for licencing that “poker is a card game which involves elements of both chance and skill and is therefore classified as a game of chance”.

Thus, you need to have permission from the GC to host poker in your casino. Other venues that don’t hold a gambling licence can get so-called “temporary use notices” (TUN’s) if they wish to put on an occasional poker tournament.

The piece of legislation pertaining to casino gaming in effect today is the Gambling Act of 2005, last amended in 2014.

Live Poker Venues in the United Kingdom

The best known British poker club is probably Dusk Till Dawn, located in Nottingham. Owner Rob Yong frequently plays high stakes cash games and tournaments against the best players in the world, drumming up publicity for his casino in the meantime.

DTD offers £1/£1 and £1/£2 cash games running 24/7 – the games types available are No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Dealers Choice. The highest stakes tables are £10/£25, although there isn’t always a game running on those stakes.

The casino also hosts WSOP Circuit and partypoker LIVE events – two of the biggest poker tournament series in the world.

Grosvenor Casinos is a big gambling franchise with an online and dozens of land casinos across the UK, including in London, Coventry, Manchester, and Newcastle. The biggest venue in the franchise is The Grosvenor Victoria Casino in London. There, you can find NLHE cash tables from £1/£1 up to £50/£100, as well as PLO (£1/£1-£10/£25) and Dealers Choice (£1/£3-£10/£25) tables.

They put on 1-2 tournaments a day. They are exclusively NLHE and the buy-ins range between £37 and £1,100. One of the best known UK poker tournament series is hosted by the same company, the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour – events are held in numerous cities in Great Britain year-round.

Other popular live poker rooms in the country are in the Empire Casino in London; and the Aspers Casino in Stratford City.