Will UK online poker rooms accept cryptocurrency?

UKGC and Cryptocurrency in Poker: Opening the Discussion

The UK Gambling Commission started discussions on how cryptocurrencies could be legally introduced into British online poker rooms. Executive Director Tim Miller stated that a working group is examining the possibility of creating a “secure and controlled pathway” for crypto payments.

The reasoning is straightforward: player interest in digital currencies continues to grow, and part of the traffic is shifting to offshore platforms where Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are accepted. However, these talks remain preliminary—cryptocurrencies are still prohibited for use by UK-licensed gambling platforms.

What factors does the UKGC rely on?

The main law regulating the digital asset market in the UK is the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023. It gives the government the authority to create and adopt more detailed regulations on cryptocurrency, and entrusts the Financial Conduct Authority with oversight of their implementation.

What this means in practice:

• Websites that accept cryptocurrencies must comply with the same regulations as regular payment methods.
• AML and KYC procedures, source-of-funds verification, and regulatory reporting are all mandatory.

Without full compliance with these requirements, the UK Gambling Commission will not consider approving crypto payments in gambling. In addition, operators in the country are governed by the Gambling Act 2005, which mandates measures to prevent money laundering and financial crime through payment systems.

Poker rooms that wish to offer cryptocurrency options to British players would therefore need to meet the same regulatory standards.

Who is better prepared for change?

There are practically no operators in the UK market with hands-on experience in handling cryptocurrency. The main exception is GGPoker UK. Its global platform, GGPoker, has long supported deposits in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Tether, and Ethereum.

For other poker operators, this could become a serious challenge. They would need to rapidly implement crypto payment infrastructure and adjust their AML/KYC frameworks to remain competitive with GGPoker.

What will happen to the European market?

The British approach to regulating the gambling industry is widely regarded as a benchmark for other countries. If the UK Gambling Commission successfully introduces crypto payments into the iGaming sector, it could become a reference point for European regulators who are already debating whether to allow gambling operators to use digital assets.

At the same time, the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) has been in force across the EU since 2024, and many of its rules align with UK regulatory principles. As a result, a successful implementation of cryptocurrencies in UK poker rooms could encourage other European countries to amend their legislation and follow a similar path.

Conclusion

The UKGC is still at the discussion stage regarding the potential legalization of crypto payments, and actual changes to licensing requirements are likely years away.

For the UK online poker market, however, the eventual integration of cryptocurrency into the cashiers of licensed poker rooms would mark a historic shift. It could significantly increase the appeal of regulated platforms, making them more competitive with offshore sites that already offer digital asset payments.