Is Fun Casino Hire Legal in the UK?
Yes. Categorically. The number one question we get from corporate event managers, charity fundraisers and wedding couples booking for the first time. The short answer is: fun casino hire is completely legal across England, Wales and Scotland. No gambling licence is required. No real money is ever involved. Here’s why.
What Is Fun Casino Hire?
Fun casino hire is an entertainment service, not a gambling service. Guests play casino games (roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker) using fun money tokens provided as part of the event. No real money is staked. No real money can be won. The fun money has no cash value before, during or after the event.
A fun casino hire company provides the tables, the equipment and the professional croupiers to run the games. Guests play for the enjoyment of the game, the social experience, the competitive element, the atmosphere, rather than for financial gain. At the end of the evening, the tokens are returned or kept as a keepsake, and that’s that.
It is, in legal terms, a form of entertainment. The same category as a photo booth, a magician or a DJ.
Why It’s Not Gambling
The legal definition of gambling requires two things to be present simultaneously: real money (or money’s worth) must be staked, and there must be the prospect of winning real money (or money’s worth) back.
Fun casino hire satisfies neither condition.
Guests do not stake real money. They receive fun money tokens to play with, these tokens have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for cash or goods at any point. There is nothing to win in financial terms. The only prize on a fun casino night is bragging rights over who finished with the largest stack of worthless tokens.
This is the critical legal distinction, and it is clearly established. The Gambling Commission’s own guidance makes clear that where no real money is at stake and no real money can be won, the activity falls outside gambling regulation entirely.
What Does the Law Actually Say?
The governing legislation is the Gambling Act 2005, which applies across Great Britain. The Act defines gambling as gaming, betting or participating in a lottery, all of which require real money (or money’s worth) to be staked for the chance of a real money return.
Crucially, the Act also contains specific provisions for non-commercial gaming. Under Part 14 of the Gambling Act 2005, certain categories of gaming are explicitly permitted without a licence, including gaming at events where no private profit is made and the proceeds go to a non-commercial purpose. This provision underlies the legal basis for charity casino nights in particular.
But the broader point is simpler than the charity carve-out: because fun casino hire involves no real money at all, it does not meet the statutory definition of gambling in the first place. It therefore falls entirely outside the scope of gambling regulation, not as an exemption to the rules, but because it simply isn’t gambling.
This applies to all fun casino events: weddings, corporate functions, birthday parties, charity fundraisers, school fairs and everything in between. No exemption certificate is needed. No special permission is required.
Do I Need a Licence?
No.
The venue does not need a gambling licence. The event organiser does not need a gambling licence. The hire company does not need a gambling licence to provide fun casino entertainment.
The only legal requirement, and it is absolute, is that no real money is wagered and no real money can be won. Every event we run is structured to meet both of these requirements as a matter of course. Our fun money has no cash value. Our croupiers are briefed accordingly. There is no mechanism by which a guest could exchange tokens for money at one of our events.
If a venue asks for documentation confirming the legal basis of a fun casino night, we are happy to provide a letter or put you in touch with our insurance provider. In practice, most venues are familiar with fun casino hire and do not require this.
What About Charity Casino Nights?
Charity casino nights are legal, well-established and one of the most popular formats in the fundraising calendar. Schools, sports clubs, community groups, hospices and national charities all use fun casino hire as a primary fundraising mechanism.
The model typically works as follows: guests make a donation to the charity and receive an allocation of fun money to play with. This is not gambling, the donation is a charitable gift, not a stake. The fun money received in return has no monetary value.
The Gambling Commission has issued guidance specifically confirming that this model is not classed as gambling, provided no real money is staked and no real money prizes are awarded. The model has been used by thousands of charities across the UK without legal challenge.
If you are organising a charity casino night and need to satisfy your trustees, your venue or a local authority, we can advise on documentation. See our Charity Casino Night page for more on how the format works in practice.
Common Questions
Do I need to tell the police or council?
No. There is no notification requirement, no permission process and no licensing application required for a fun casino hire event. It is not a licensable activity under the Gambling Act 2005 or any other legislation. You can book a fun casino night in the same way you would book any other entertainment.
Can we charge guests to play?
You can charge for entry to your event, and fun money can be included as part of the entry package. What you cannot do is charge guests additional real money specifically and exclusively to play at the tables, this risks crossing the line into regulated territory. The correct model is to include fun money as part of a broader event ticket or donation package. We’ll advise on the right format when you enquire.
Is fun casino hire legal in Scotland?
Yes. The Gambling Act 2005 applies across Great Britain, including Scotland. Fun casino hire is legal in Scotland on the same basis as in England and Wales.
If you have a specific concern about your event format, an unusual structure, a venue with particular requirements, or a question about how the donation model works for a charity night, contact us directly. We’ve been providing fun casino hire for years and have encountered most scenarios. We’re happy to talk it through, and we can put you in touch with our insurance provider if you need written documentation for a venue.
Related: Charity Casino Night | Fun Casino Hire London | FAQs