10th May, 2024
When you sign up to an online casino that’s fully licensed and regulated by the United Kingdom Gambling Commission, you must prove you are who you say you are to comply with the KYC (Know Your Customer) process by sending in the necessary documentation.
It’s to prevent underage gambling, false accounts being opened in your name, multiple accounts being opened by the same person, and other fraudulent activity. The KYC process can also check if you are currently self-excluded from UK online casinos.
Here are the types of documents that you generally have to send to get verified by the casino’s account verification department.
What documents must I send to my online casino to get verified?
As soon as your new online casino account has been activated, you will be able to make a deposit. However, you will need to get yourself verified by uploading certain documents before you can withdraw.
The types of documentation usually accepted during the KYC process are the following:
- Proof of address – energy bill, for example, a gas, electricity, or mobile phone bill. A mortgage or bank statement will also work. It must be less than three (12 weeks) old and clearly show your name and address. The address must match the one that you supplied to the casino during the sign-up process.
- Proof of identification (ID) – passport, driver’s license, or nationally accepted ID card. This document must clearly show your face and other important details. It must be valid (i.e., not expired), not be blurry/fuzzy/out of focus, and match the details you provided the casino during the sign-up process
Can my documents get rejected?
Yes, your documents can get rejected, prolonging the verification process. You must upload scanned colour copies and not black & white copies. If the information can’t be read, it will be rejected, meaning you will have to upload it again, but this time with much clearer images.
If the ID has expired, it will get rejected. It will also get rejected if the bill/bank statement is older than 12 weeks. If you have moved, your new address might be different to the one on your ID/proof of address, so it will be rejected. In other words, make sure the information is all up to date.
How can I speed up the account verification process?
To speed up the account verification process, the best thing to do would be to have your documents ready and stored locally in a file on your preferred smartphone, tablet, desktop computer or laptop. As soon as you sign up anywhere, get your account verified ASAP.
Log in to your account, head straight to the ‘My Account’ section, and then look for the appropriate section where you can upload your documents. If you can’t seem to find this area, get in touch with the toll-free player support, and they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Do I have to complete the verification/KYC process, and what happens if I don’t?
To comply with UK regulations, you must complete the KYC process. It can take anywhere from a few minutes up to usually no more than 48 hours to get verified, and if you don’t get your account fully verified, temporary restrictions will likely be placed on your account.
For example, you might be able to log in, but you won’t be able to withdraw. In other words, upload your account verification documents as soon as you log in for the first time.
When the account verification department has verified your documents, any temporary restrictions placed on your account will now be lifted.
Final thoughts
When your online details have been verified, you will have full, uninterrupted access to your online casino account. The best thing to do now would be to head to the ‘safer gambling tools’ section to set a range of account controls to protect against overspending.
Popular tools to consider include win/loss limits, session time reminders, and deposit limits.