Legal casino gambling age in Alderney
The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown Dependency made up of three separate legal jurisdictions: Guernsey (with Herm and Jethou), Alderney and Sark. Each has its own legislature and its own gambling law. Guernsey regulates a small, mainly land-based and charitable gambling sector under a law dating from 1971. Alderney hosts one of the longest-established online gambling regulators, the Alderney Gambling Control Commission (AGCC). This guide explains both regimes, their relationship to the United Kingdom, the position of players, taxation, consumer protection and developments up to October 2026.
Key points
- The Bailiwick of Guernsey is not part of the United Kingdom. Guernsey, Alderney and Sark each legislate for themselves, and gambling law is made separately for each island.
- In Guernsey, gambling is governed by the Gambling (Guernsey) Law, 1971 and related Ordinances, administered by the Committee for Home Affairs. There is no Guernsey licence for online casinos.
- Alderney licenses online gambling under the Gambling (Alderney) Law, 1999, the Alderney eGambling Ordinance, 2009 and the Alderney eGambling Regulations, 2009. The AGCC issues Category 1 (business-to-consumer) and Category 2 (platform) licences and several types of certificate.
- At the end of 2025 the AGCC supervised 29 licensees and certificate holders, down from 36 a year earlier. Annual Category 1 renewal fees range from £35,000 to £400,000. The sources reviewed show no separate gambling duty; operators pay licence fees instead.
- An Alderney licence does not allow an operator to serve customers in Great Britain. Since 1 November 2014 such operators have needed a licence from the British Gambling Commission.
- Guernsey’s 2024 health impact assessment found that 79.9% of respondents had gambled in the previous year, and 0.9% were problem gamblers. Local support is available from the charity In-Dependence.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026.
Online casinos for Alderney
We may earn commission from links. Commission and paid placements do not affect casino ordering. Affiliate disclosure · How these listings work.
Vegas Casino Online
Sign Up400% up to
$500
Liberty Slots Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$259
Sloto'Cash Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$500
Tsars Casino
Sign Up100% up to
€300
+ 100 Spins
Slot Hunter
Sign Up100% up to
$/€1,000
+ 100 Spins
Casoo Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$/€300
+ 100 Spins
Vegas Casino Online
Sign Up400% up to
$500
Liberty Slots Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$259
Sloto'Cash Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$500
Tsars Casino
Sign Up100% up to
€300
+ 100 Spins
Slot Hunter
Sign Up100% up to
$/€1,000
+ 100 Spins
Casoo Casino
Sign Up100% up to
$/€300
+ 100 Spins
Historical development
Guernsey
Guernsey’s main gambling statute is the Gambling (Guernsey) Law, 1971. Bookmaking followed under the Gambling (Betting) Ordinance, 1973, which also limits the number of bookmakers in Guernsey, according to the States of Guernsey’s gambling licensing page. The regime has been adjusted rather than replaced. According to the Guernsey Press (20 June 2015), the States approved a range of modernisation proposals in 2007. In 2015 the then Home Department proposed further changes, including Sunday opening for bookmakers, indoor play of the traditional dice game Crown and Anchor and a licensing regime for some gaming machines. The Gambling (Betting and Crown and Anchor) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016, in force from 1 January 2017, revised licence fees and removed the requirement for Crown and Anchor to be played mainly at outdoor events.
The Channel Islands Lottery was founded in 1975, when the separate Guernsey and Jersey lotteries merged.
Alderney
Alderney’s modern regime began with the Gambling (Alderney) Law, 1999. According to the notes to the consolidated text of the Law, it came into force on 1 May 2000. Section 1 of the Law established the Alderney Gambling Control Commission, and according to Bailiwick Express the AGCC has operated since 2000. Online gambling was first regulated by an Alderney eGambling Ordinance of 2006. That Ordinance, and its 2007 and 2008 amendments, were repealed by the Alderney eGambling Ordinance, 2009 (section 31 and Schedule 1), which was made on 21 October 2009 and came into force on 1 January 2010, according to the consolidated text of the 2009 Ordinance.
Alderney’s status was for a time recognised in British law. Under section 331 of the UK Gambling Act 2005, the UK maintained a “White List” of non-EEA jurisdictions whose operators could advertise in Great Britain. The explanatory notes to the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 name four places on the list: the Isle of Man, Tasmania, the States of Alderney, and Antigua and Barbuda. The 2014 Act abolished the White List and required any operator whose facilities are used in Great Britain to hold a British Gambling Commission licence. Under an amending commencement order, the change took effect on 1 November 2014.
Sark
According to the Guernsey Press (8 March 2003), Sark’s gambling law had recently received Royal assent and the island aimed to establish itself as an e-gaming jurisdiction, but its own e-Gaming Committee found a drafting gap that it said must be rectified before any licences were issued. We found no evidence of a Sark online licensing regime in operation today.
Legal framework
The constitutional starting point explains the whole structure. According to the UK government, the Crown Dependencies “are not part of the UK but are self-governing dependencies of the Crown”. They have their own elected assemblies and legal systems, while the UK is responsible for defence and international relations. Gambling law is therefore made locally, separately for each island.
Guernsey legislation
The States of Guernsey’s gambling page and the 2016 amending Ordinance identify the main instruments:
- the Gambling (Guernsey) Law, 1971, the primary legislation;
- the Gambling (Betting) Ordinance, 1973, which governs bookmakers and betting offices;
- other Ordinances on specific types of gambling, such as the Gambling (Crown and Anchor) (Guernsey) Ordinance, 1983, which is amended by the 2016 amending Ordinance.
The same page shows how narrow the system is. Society lotteries need a free permit, must serve charitable or society purposes, and generally have tickets of no more than £1 and prizes of no more than £100. No one under 16 may buy or sell tickets. Promoters must be present in the Bailiwick, and tickets may not be sent by post or email. The page does not describe any route for licensing online casino games in Guernsey.
Alderney legislation
The AGCC’s legislation page lists three core instruments:
- The Gambling (Alderney) Law, 1999, as amended. Section 5 provides that all forms of gambling are unlawful except as provided by Ordinance, and that a person shall not “organise or in any way take part in unlawful gambling”. Section 13 makes a breach an offence punishable by a fine, up to two years’ imprisonment, or both. Section 20 defines a young person as anyone under 18.
- The Alderney eGambling Ordinance, 2009, which sets out when eGambling is lawful, the licence and certificate types, fees and sanctions. It defines eGambling as gambling where the transaction with a licensee or certificate holder is effected remotely by a customer “by means of a telecommunication device”.
- The Alderney eGambling Regulations, 2009, which contain the detailed operating rules, including advertising standards, handling of customer funds, identification of customers at risk and complaints.
Amending instruments followed in 2024 and 2025 (see below). The AGCC notes that the official text is held by the Greffier of the States of Alderney.
The Alderney regime is not confined to Alderney. The 2009 Ordinance applies its licensing requirements to persons located, registered or incorporated in Guernsey, and section 1 requires a Category 2 or Temporary eGambling licence for a person in Guernsey who effects gambling transactions. Gambling equipment must be located at premises controlled by the holder of an AGCC hosting certificate, or at other premises the Commission considers suitable and secure.
Regulator and licensing model
Alderney follows a licensing model: any company that meets the statutory conditions may apply for permission, as opposed to a monopoly (one operator reserved by law) or a prohibition. Under section 1 of the 1999 Law, the AGCC consists of a chairman and three to five other members, who may serve for up to five years. Section 2 requires it to keep gambling in Alderney under review, grant licences, supervise licensed gambling and investigate applicants. Under section 3A of the 2009 Ordinance, its licensing objectives include honest and fair eGambling free from criminal influence and the protection of young and vulnerable persons.
Licence and certificate types
The AGCC’s page on the eGambling licence and the 2009 Ordinance describe the following permissions:
- Category 1 eGambling licence. Authorises the organisation and preparation of gambling operations: registering and verifying customers, entering into contracts with them and managing their funds. In industry terms this is the business-to-consumer licence.
- Category 2 eGambling licence. Covers the operational management of a gambling platform located in an approved hosting centre, including effecting the gambling transactions themselves.
- Temporary eGambling licence. Available only to a foreign company (section 5(4) of the Ordinance), with its exercise governed by section 20; the annual fee is £10,000.
- Associate certificates. Category 1 and Category 2 associate certificates, and core services associate certificates for providers of services such as games or gaming software.
- Hosting certificates for premises approved to host gambling equipment, and key individual certificates for persons in key or managerial positions.
Category 1 and Category 2 licences may be granted only to an Alderney company. Licences run for an indefinite period unless surrendered, suspended, revoked or allowed to lapse, and a licence is deemed to have lapsed if the annual fee is unpaid one month after it falls due. Applicants must be fit and proper, and the Commission may refuse an application where Alderney’s reputation would be jeopardised. Sanctions include suspension, revocation and financial penalties of up to £250,000 or 10% of annual turnover, whichever is greater. Decisions can be appealed to the Court of Alderney within 28 days, and on points of law to the Royal Court of Guernsey.
Fees
The AGCC’s fee schedule, which summarises the fees as of 1 April 2015 under the Alderney eGambling (Amendment) Ordinance, 2015 (Schedule 3 of the 2009 Ordinance as substituted), sets annual Category 1 renewal fees by band of annualised net gaming yield (stakes less winnings paid out):
| Band | Annual net gaming yield | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|
| A | Under £500,000 | £35,000 |
| B | £500,000 to under £1 million | £60,000 |
| C | £1 million to under £5 million | £80,000 |
| D | £5 million to under £7.5 million | £130,000 |
| E | £7.5 million to under £20 million | £200,000 |
| F | £20 million to under £30 million | £290,000 |
| G | £30 million or more | £400,000 |
A first-year licence of either category costs £17,500 for a newcomer and £35,000 otherwise; Category 2 renewals cost £35,000. Category 1 and Category 2 associate certificates cost £50,000 on renewal (for Category 1 associates, plus the applicable band fee), core services associate certificates £10,000 a year, and hosting certificates nothing. Applicants also lodge deposits against investigation costs.
Number of licensees
The AGCC publishes lists of its licensees and certificate holders. Its 2025 annual report, dated 26 May 2026, gives the position at 31 December 2025: 19 Category 1 licences, 4 Category 2 licences, 15 Category 2 associate certificates and 4 core services associate certificates, held by 29 licensees and certificate holders in total. A year earlier, according to Bailiwick Express‘s account of the 2024 report, there were 36, with 9 Category 2 licences and 17 Category 2 associate certificates. Licence fee income was £4.47 million in 2025, against £4.67 million in 2024.
Online gambling and enforcement
The two islands take opposite approaches. Alderney licenses remote gambling as an export business. Guernsey has no local licence for online casinos.
Under section 1 of the 2009 Ordinance, eGambling is lawful when it does not involve a young person and is organised, promoted or effected by or with an appropriately licensed or certificated person. Section 3 allows Category 1 licensees, subject to their approved internal controls, to arrange for customers to gamble with persons outside Alderney and Guernsey.
An Alderney licence is not a passport to other markets: each country decides whether to accept foreign-licensed operators, and Great Britain requires its own licence.
Advertising by licensees is regulated by regulation 4 of the 2009 Regulations. Advertising must be truthful and not distasteful. It must not promote gambling by people under 18, must not encourage excessive participation and must not suggest unrealistic expectations of winning.
We found no evidence that either Guernsey or Alderney blocks gambling websites through internet service providers or restricts payments to unlicensed operators. Enforcement is directed at the AGCC’s own licensees. In 2025 the Commission inspected 28 operators; there were no regulatory hearings or revocations.
Position of players
For players in Guernsey, the official guidance does not address online gambling with foreign operators. We found no record of a Guernsey resident being prosecuted for playing on a foreign gambling website. Readers who need certainty should consult the 1971 Law or take local legal advice.
In Alderney, section 5(2) of the 1999 Law forbids anyone to “organise or in any way take part in unlawful gambling”, which on its face can apply to participants as well as organisers. We found no reported case in which an individual player was prosecuted under it.
Players who use AGCC licensees, wherever they live, have access to the Commission’s complaints procedure (regulations 238 to 240 of the 2009 Regulations). According to the 2025 annual report, the AGCC received 74 player complaints in 2025, against 142 in 2024.
The minimum age is 18 for eGambling under Alderney law and for the Channel Islands Lottery. Guernsey’s rules for private society lotteries set a lower age of 16 for buying and selling tickets.
Taxation
There is no gambling duty in Alderney. Neither the 1999 Law nor the 2009 Ordinance imposes a gaming tax; instead, operators pay the annual licence fees set out above, which the AGCC collects as agent for the States of Alderney. According to the 2025 annual report, the AGCC transferred £2.0 million from its retained surplus to the States of Alderney in 2025 (£2.4 million in 2024), bringing its cumulative contribution to £44.5 million. Bailiwick Express reported in 2022 that, under an arrangement agreed with the States of Guernsey, most of Alderney’s capital programme was funded from AGCC profits.
Companies are taxed under Guernsey’s income tax system, which covers the Bailiwick. According to the Revenue Service, the standard company rate is 0%. A 10% rate applies to listed financial services activities and a 20% rate to activities such as regulated utilities, large retail businesses and income from Guernsey land and property. Gambling is not among the activities listed for the higher rates.
The official sources reviewed for this guide do not address the tax treatment of individual players’ gambling winnings. Residents with significant winnings should check with the Revenue Service.
Consumer protection and responsible gambling
For AGCC licensees, the Ordinance names the protection of young and other vulnerable persons as a licensing objective (section 3A). The 2009 Regulations contain provisions headed “Identifying customers at risk” (regulation 236) and “Limitation on customer’s gambling activity” (regulation 237). We found no Bailiwick-wide self-exclusion register comparable to national schemes elsewhere, so limits and exclusions are arranged with each licensed operator.
Anti-money-laundering (AML) controls are a central part of the Alderney regime. The 2009 Ordinance contains AML and counter-terrorist-financing rules in Schedule 4, and the Alderney eGambling (Amendment) Ordinance 2024, in force from 13 March 2024, gave the Commission new powers to require information, make site visits and share information with other supervisors. The 2025 annual report records 1,232 suspicious transaction reports filed by licensees in 2025.
In Guernsey, the most detailed evidence on gambling harm is the gambling health impact assessment published on 22 January 2024. It was produced by Liverpool John Moores University from fieldwork in 2019-20. It found that 79.9% of respondents had gambled in the previous 12 months, compared with 57% in Great Britain in 2016. The Channel Islands Christmas Lottery was the most common activity (67.5%), and 46.3% had bought scratch cards. Using a standard screening scale, 6.7% of adults were classed as at-risk gamblers and 0.9% as problem gamblers, with at-risk gambling highest among 18 to 24-year-olds (18.9%). It recommended stronger support and consideration of policy and legislation to protect vulnerable islanders.
The charity In-Dependence supports people in Guernsey affected by their own or someone else’s gambling, as well as drugs and alcohol (telephone 01481 729000, [email protected]). Our responsible gambling guide sets out general steps for keeping gambling under control.
Recent and upcoming developments
MONEYVAL evaluation (2025). The Council of Europe’s anti-money-laundering committee assessed the Bailiwick in April 2024 and published its report in early 2025. According to the AGCC (3 March 2025), the report praised the two AML supervisors for a “very good understanding” of the threats and vulnerabilities in their sectors and described their outreach work as “abundant and remarkable”, with “no fundamental improvements required”.
Legislative amendments (2024 to 2025). Besides the 2024 information-gathering powers, the 2025 annual report states that the Alderney eGambling (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 removed the rolling reset of the €3,000 customer due diligence threshold. It also added a definition of promoting eGambling transactions, to help the Commission tackle arrangements structured to avoid licensing. The Regulations were amended to remove the requirement for paper applications.
A shrinking licensee base. The number of AGCC licensees and certificate holders fell from 36 at the end of 2024 to 29 at the end of 2025, and licence fee income fell by about 4%.
Leadership changes (2025 to 2026). Jeremy Thompson retired as a Commissioner on 1 October 2025. On 27 September 2026 the AGCC announced that Executive Director Andrew Gellatly was stepping down and that Gemma Fletcher, the AGCC’s supervisory leader (with the Commission for ten years, according to the announcement), had been appointed in his place. On 5 October 2026 it announced the appointment of Christopher Blythe OBE as a Commissioner. The 2025 annual report names Lord Faulkner of Worcester as chairman.
Guernsey policy. On publishing the health impact assessment, the States’ Trading Supervisory Board said it would research a major review of the Channel Islands Lottery. As of October 2026 we found no published bill to replace the Gambling (Guernsey) Law, 1971, and no proposal to create a separate Guernsey gambling commission.
Casino listings for players in Guernsey and Alderney
The listings below are generated automatically from our casino database. They do not by themselves show that an operator is licensed in Alderney or authorised in Guernsey, and an Alderney licence does not mean an operator may serve players in every country. Guernsey offers no local licence for online casinos. Before registering, check the operator and the exact website against the AGCC’s licensee lists.
Vegas Casino Online
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Liberty Slots Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 18
Sloto'Cash Casino
100% up to
∞
Tsars Casino
100% up to
€300
+ 100 Spins
Slot Hunter
20% up to
∞
Casino Extreme
200 Spins
Casoo Casino
100 Spins
22Bet Casino
100% up to
$/€300
+ 30 Spins
Lucky Tiger Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 55
Shazam Casino
Exclusive No Deposit Bonus
$ 50
Casino Brango
500% up to
$/€100
+ 500 Spins
1Red Casino
20% up to
∞
Red Stag Casino
25% up to
∞
Miami Club Casino
50 Spins
Rich Palms Casino
250% up to
∞
Lincoln Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 18
Omni Slots
50% up to
€200
+ 20 Spins
BitStarz Casino
100% up to
₿1
+ 180 Spins
Highway Casino
$ 30
Guts Casino
Yabby Casino
202% up to
∞
LOKI Casino
50% up to
€500
+ 60 Spins
Casino Classic
1 Spins
Uptown Aces
250% up to
∞
PlayCroco Casino
300% up to
∞
+ 60 Spins
Betsafe Casino
Fair Go Casino
200% up to
∞
Rizk Casino
Las Vegas USA Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Fruits4Real
125% up to
€125
+ 60 Spins
Zodiac Casino
CasinoCasino
100% up to
€100
Casilando
10 Spins
Omni Casino
75% up to
$/€150
Slots Plus
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
Sun Palace Casino
No Deposit Bonus
$ 20
EnergyCasino
100% up to
$/€200
+ 400 Spins
EmuCasino
100% up to
∞
El Royale Casino
230% up to
∞
Slotsroom Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Slots Empire
230% up to
$7,500
Gold Prize Casino
10% up to
$100
Slots And Casino
500% up to
∞
+ 150 Spins
Red Dog Casino
Casino Max
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
NetBet Casino
Luxury Casino
100% up to
$/€150
PokerStars Casino
JacksPay
200% up to
$2,000
House of Jack Casino
100% up to
€200
Villento Casino
100% up to
$/€150
Spinfinity Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Jackpot Capital
25% up to
∞
888 Casino
100% up to
€200
Wicked Plays
45% up to
∞
BlackJack Ballroom
100% up to
$/€150
Las Atlantis Casino
$ 2,500
Ripper Casino
25% up to
∞
North Casino
100% up to
$/€100
Scatters Casino
100 Spins
SlotsPalace Casino
50% up to
$/€200
+ 50 Spins
Slotastic
250% up to
∞
.jpg?x15984)
Eddy Vegas Casino
30% up to
∞
William Hill Casino
Roaring 21 Casino
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
Dreamz Casino
10% up to
∞
Playzee Casino
100% up to
$/€300
+ 100 Spins
Ozwin Casino
$ 10
Grande Vegas
150% up to
$300
21 Casino
21 Spins
Cherry Jackpot
400% up to
∞
+ 20 Spins
LadyLuck Casino
100 Spins
PlayOJO Casino
50 Spins
Grand Mondial
La Riviera Casino
5% up to
∞
DBbet Casino
100% up to
€100
Dafabet Casino
100% up to
$140
Casino Mate
Cadoola Casino
120% up to
$/€100
+ 150 Spins
Syndicate Casino
100% up to
€225
MELBET Casino
100% up to
€350
+ 50 Spins
Justspin Casino
100% up to
$/€100
777 Casino
100% up to
$/€20
Nomini Casino
100% up to
€500
+ 200 Spins
Slot Planet
100% up to
€222
+ 22 Spins
Wazamba
50% up to
∞
+ 200 Spins
Bet365 Casino
Slottica Casino
200% up to
∞
BetOnline Casino
100 Spins
CasinoClic
200% up to
€100
Jazz Casino
10% up to
$250
Betmaster Casino
SuperCasino
Betfair Casino
Related country guides
- Jersey gambling guide
- UK gambling guide
- Isle of Man gambling guide
- France gambling guide
- Ireland gambling guide
Sources and further reading
- UK Government, Crown Dependencies: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Guernsey, Gambling (accessed 13 October 2026).
- Guernsey Legal Resources, Gambling (Guernsey) Law, 1971: consolidated text (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Guernsey, Gambling (Betting and Crown and Anchor) (Amendment) Ordinance, 2016 (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Guernsey, Channel Islands Lottery (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Guernsey, Gambling Health Impact Assessment published (22 January 2024).
- States of Guernsey Revenue Service, Company tax (accessed 13 October 2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Legislation (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Alderney, Gambling (Alderney) Law, 1999 (unofficial consolidated text) (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Alderney, Alderney eGambling Ordinance, 2009 (unofficial consolidated text) (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Alderney, Alderney eGambling Regulations, 2009 (unofficial consolidated text) (accessed 13 October 2026).
- States of Alderney, Alderney eGambling (Amendment) Ordinance, 2024 (2024).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, eGambling Licence (accessed 13 October 2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Fees (accessed 13 October 2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Licensees (accessed 13 October 2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, Annual Report 2025 (2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, AGCC Welcomes Guernsey’s Positive MONEYVAL Report (3 March 2025).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, AGCC Announces Leadership Transition (27 September 2026).
- Alderney Gambling Control Commission, The AGCC announces the appointment of Mr Christopher Blythe OBE as Commissioner (5 October 2026).
- legislation.gov.uk, Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014: Explanatory Notes (2014).
- legislation.gov.uk, The Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 1) (Amendment and Consequential Amendments) Order 2014 (2014).
- Bailiwick Express, Focus: the AGCC’s 2024 report (10 June 2025).
- Bailiwick Express, £2m gambling profits hit Alderney’s bank account (5 June 2022).
- Guernsey Press, Home seeks changes to gambling legislation (20 June 2015).
- Guernsey Press, Sark must amend new gambling law (8 March 2003).
- In-Dependence, In-Dependence: drug, alcohol and gambling support in Guernsey (accessed 13 October 2026).
