Source of Funds Checks 2026: Why Casinos Ask for Payslips
Rachel Doughty
Updated
Casinos are legally required to carry out several types of ID verification checks and, rightly or wrongly, many customers see this as an intrusion on their privacy, particularly when it occurs at the same time as, or soon after, a request to process a withdrawal.
- £2,000where money laundering law makes a casino check you
- 60 of 75big UKGC penalties since 2021 that involved money laundering failures
- £135.6mpaid in those 60 cases
- 700IBAS disputes about customer ID in 2024-25
Source of funds checks and the three other checks people confuse
Below, we will explain the different types of checks carried out by casinos, and tell you what the impact of each will be for you as the customer.
| Check | Why | When | What it uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID verification | Age, identity and self-exclusion (licence condition 17) | Before you can gamble at all | Databases first; passport, driving licence or a bill if those fail |
| Source of funds | Money laundering law | Transactions of £2,000 or more, counting linked payments in and out, or whenever the casino sees a risk | Bank statements, payslips and other proof of where the money came from |
| Financial vulnerability check | Safer gambling (licence condition 3.4.4) | £150 net deposits in a rolling 30 days | Public records only, such as bankruptcy or county court judgments. No documents from you |
| Financial risk assessment | Safer gambling, being introduced in stages | Stage one: £5,000 net deposits in 24 hours, at the largest operators; start date not yet set | Credit reference agency data, with no documents and no effect on your credit score |
The Commission states that financial risk assessments are intended to lessen the reliance on checks that the Commission describes as unpopular with many customers, and states that the large majority of customers will not be required to carry out a financial risk assessment.
If a check has made you notice how much you are paying in, a deposit limit caps it, and lowering one takes effect straight away.
Why UK casinos ask for source of funds
In the opinion of the Commission, it is incumbent on the casinos to ensure that customers are not spending money that they are not entitled to spend.
- Entain, £17 million in 2022
This is evidenced by one customer who deposited £742,000 over the course of 14 months and by another customer who deposited £186,000 over a period of six months.
- 888, £9.4 million in 2022
A customer had one of his 11 accounts restricted due to insufficient source of funds checks, and then opened a further three accounts.
- Casumo's former licence holder, £6 million in 2021
The Commission concluded that source of funds checks carried out by the casinos were inadequate.
- Videoslots, £650,000 in 2025
In several instances, the Commission concluded that the casinos assumed that customers were spending money that they had previously won, when in fact they should have been carrying out source of funds checks.
Of the Gambling Commission fines of £50,000 and over in our list, 60 related to money laundering failures and total £135.6 million. If a casino fails to perform a source of funds check, then that casino risks its operating license. A source of funds check is considered an adequate safeguard by the Gambling Commission; thus, an automated risk score may cross the threshold and trigger a request for documents.
The Videoslots case also shows why "it is all winnings" does not end the check. The casino still has to see evidence of how the account was funded.
What documents a casino source of funds check asks for
The request to verify will vary depending on the source of the funds.
- Bank statementsThe most common request. They show the money arriving in your account and going to the casino.
- Payslips or a P60For money from a job. Self-employed? A tax return or accounts do the same job.
- Savings or investmentsStatements showing the savings the money came out of.
- A one-off sumA house sale, inheritance or redundancy payment. The Commission gives a pending house sale as an example casinos may ask about.
- Earlier winningsYour account history, plus the statement showing a previous payout arriving from another operator.
- ID and the card you usedOften asked at the same time: photo ID, proof of address, and the payment card with the middle digits covered.
Bank statements
Payslips or a P60
Savings or investments
A one-off sum
Earlier winnings
ID and the card you usedAs a broad term, a funds source may be requested for a casino account. For example, in its terms and conditions, Duelz requests, and is authorized, to verify funds for account deposits of £2,000 or more.
How to send source of funds documents safely
The request to verify must be fulfilled to the extent required by the casino.
- Upload through your account
To verify documents, use a casino’s internal request to verify process.
- Ask exactly what is needed
A description of the contents of the document to be verified.
- Cover what is not relevant
When supporting documents, such as bank statements, contain extraneous information, cover the information that is not relevant to the request to verify. Ask for support to confirm that obstructing information is acceptable. On cards, cover the middle digits of the number. Never disclose the security code.
- Keep copies and dates
Log when you sent each document. Keep a copy and request receipts. If the process is taking too long, this can help you prove your case later.
What happens if you refuse a source of funds check
You can refuse further action and they can stop you from gambling.
In the meantime, your account can be restricted or closed. This is allowable, as the casino can legally suspend your account until it can complete the required check.
You can keep your deposit. The Commission states that, in its fair terms guidance, the balance should not be forfeited. However, if money laundering is suspected, the balance can be frozen and the casino can be legally required to report the transaction.
A late ID request is a breach. If the casino asks for ID at withdrawal that it could have asked for earlier, the Commission says that may breach licence condition 17. Source of funds checks are different, because the legal trigger can arrive at any time.
If a casino is taking weeks to complete ID checks and you believe the process is unjustified, you should lodge a formal complaint and use the dispute resolution process. IBAS has raised questions about the large number of ID-related complaints. Consult our page on what to do if a casino is not allowing you to make a withdrawal, as well as our casino complaints page.
Source of funds checks: questions
Why is an online casino asking for my payslips?
Usually, the Money Laundering regulations come into play with transactions of £2,000 or more. These transactions include deposits and withdrawals. Casinos will investigate transactions if their risk-determination systems flag them. Several operators have been fined for not carrying out the necessary investigations.
How far back do casino source of funds checks go?
There are no specific time limits set by the regulations. Each Casino will set their own limits based on risk. Answer the requests only for the time period the Casino specifies and provides a justification for.
Does a casino affordability check affect my credit score?
The Financial Assessments carried out by the casino will not impact your Credit Rating. The Financial Vulnerability Assessments are carried out at £150 per month and will be based on publicly available information.
Can a casino refuse to pay me until I send documents?
It can hold a withdrawal while a legally required check is completed. It should not ask for ID at withdrawal that it could have asked for earlier, and it must not confiscate your deposit balance because a check was not completed.
Can I just say my money is winnings?
You can, but the casino still needs evidence, such as your account history or statements showing earlier payouts. The Commission fined Videoslots in 2025 for assuming a customer's play was funded by winnings without checking.
Is it safe to send bank statements to a casino?
You may cover unrelated transactions when a casino allows it. Never send documentation to a casino at their request if the request is unverified.
Rachel Doughty
Editor, Casino Warnings · Bristol
Rachel reads the Gambling Commission's registers and enforcement notices, and the terms casinos publish for British players, then writes them up in plain English.
- Sources
- Money Laundering Regulations 2017 reg 27; Gambling Commission guidance on age, ID and financial verification and on fair terms; its 7 July 2026 announcement on financial risk assessments; its enforcement notices for Entain (2022), 888 (2022), Casumo (2021) and Videoslots (2025); IBAS ADR report 2024-25; Duelz terms 5.3.
