GG.Bet leaves the UK market

• GG.Bet operator Rednines Gaming surrendered its UK Gambling Commission licences on 13 December 2025, ending operations after two and a half years.
• The platform stopped accepting new registrations and deposits from 12 December, with full closure scheduled for 9 January 2026.
• The withdrawal follows the UK government’s announcement of a 40% remote gaming duty increase from April 2026.

GG.Bet has officially withdrawn from the United Kingdom gambling market after operator Rednines Gaming Ltd surrendered its licences with the UK Gambling Commission on 13 December 2025.

The company ceased accepting new registrations, deposits and bets on 12 December, with complete closure scheduled for 9 January 2026.

According to the UKGC public register, Rednines Gaming surrendered both its Casino and General Betting Standard – Real Event remote operating licences after holding them since April 2020. The surrender marks the end of GG.Bet’s UK operations after approximately two and a half years in the market.

Customer notification and process

The operator posted a statement on its UK domain confirming the planned platform closure.

“We are managing this process responsibly to ensure every customer can withdraw their funds and receive full support before the closure takes effect,” the company stated on ggbet.co.uk.

GG.Bet has confirmed it will process all pending withdrawals promptly using the original payment method where possible.

All bets on events taking place before the closure date will be settled normally, while any unsettled bets on events scheduled after the closure date will be voided, with stakes automatically refunded to customer account balances.

The operator stopped accepting bets on slots, live casino games and sports from 12 December 2025, giving customers until 9 January 2026 to withdraw their remaining funds.

The company has not issued a public statement explaining the strategic rationale behind the UK exit.

Tax increases trigger market consolidation

The withdrawal comes just weeks after UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced sweeping gambling tax reforms in the November 2025 Autumn Budget.

The government confirmed that Remote Gaming Duty will increase from 21% to 40% from 1 April 2026, whilst General Betting Duty for online sports betting will rise from 15% to 25% from 1 April 2027.

The tax increases are expected to raise over £1 billion per year by 2031, with the government targeting the steepest increase on remote gaming such as online slots and casino games, which it considers more harmful than other forms of gambling.

Industry observers have warned that the tax hike could prompt consolidation amongst smaller operators struggling to maintain profitability in an increasingly challenging regulatory environment.

The Betting and Gaming Council described the measures as a “devastating hammer blow” to the industry.

Brief UK market presence

GG.Bet entered the UK market in July 2023 when Rednines Gaming acquired the rights to use the GG.Bet trademark in Britain. The company had previously operated under the Dr.Bet brand since securing its UKGC licence in April 2020.

Under the arrangement, all Dr.Bet customer accounts and active balances were transferred to the GG.Bet UK platform. The esports-focused operator targeted the growing UK esports betting sector whilst also offering traditional sports betting and casino games.

“The decision to purchase the GG.Bet franchise is an important step for the development of our company,” Sergii Mishchenko, CEO of GG.Bet UK, said at the time of the July 2023 launch.

“The UK betting market is highly competitive. As a result, we decided to continue operating under a strong international brand that will allow us to stand out among other bookmakers.”

Wider implications for UK operators

GG.Bet’s departure adds to growing concerns about the sustainability of Britain’s online gambling market for mid-tier operators.

The UK Gambling Commission has significantly intensified enforcement activity in recent years, imposing record fines and implementing stricter affordability checks, advertising restrictions and enhanced due diligence obligations.

Several international operators have either scaled back UK operations or withdrawn entirely in the past two years. Smaller operators increasingly struggle to justify the compliance costs associated with maintaining a UK licence.

Recent high-profile exits include Stake, which left the UK market in March 2025 following a Gambling Commission investigation, and Mr Green, which withdrew in September 2024 as parent company Evoke realigned its strategic focus.

The government maintains that the tax reforms are necessary to address gambling-related harm whilst generating revenue for public finances. By targeting remote gaming with the highest duty increase, officials aim to disincentivise operators from pushing consumers towards products considered more harmful.

As the planned closure date approaches, existing GG.Bet UK customers have been advised to withdraw their funds before 9 January 2026. The exit leaves British esports betting enthusiasts with fewer specialist options in what was once seen as a promising growth market.