IoL Conference 2025: UKGC’s Ian Angus on regulatory challenges reshaping the UK gambling landscape
At the IoL Annual Conference 2025, held on 27 November, Ian Angus – Director of Policy at the UK Gambling Commission – delivered an updated overview of the current state of gambling regulation in Great Britain, outlining the challenges ahead and the priorities set for 2026. During his address, Angus reinforced the idea that cooperation between the Commission and local authorities remains a cornerstone of the UK’s regulatory model, essential to ensuring a safer, fairer and crime-free gambling market.
The gambling market in Great Britain: key data and emerging trends
Angus opened his speech by presenting the latest findings from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), the largest study of its kind worldwide. According to the most recent data, 48% of adults participated in at least one form of gambling in the previous four weeks. Online play remains slightly more common than land-based activity (38% versus 29%), although this difference is largely driven by the popularity of online National Lottery draws. When lotteries are excluded, 18% of respondents gambled in person and 16% online, confirming the continuing importance of the physical channel.
The most popular activities remain those related to the National Lottery, with 31% of adults taking part at least once during the reporting period. These are followed by charity lotteries (16%), scratchcards (13%), sports betting (11%) and land-based slot or AWP machines (5%). These figures illustrate a diverse and mature market, where digital and traditional channels continue to coexist and attract different segments of players.
Industry statistics 2025: a sector still in expansion
The Gambling Commission’s annual statistics illustrate a sector that continues to grow. In the year to March 2025, the Gross Gambling Yield reached £16.8 billion, marking a significant increase on the previous year. Excluding lotteries, GGY stood at £12.6 billion, fuelled primarily by the remote sector, which alone generated £7.8 billion.
The remote segment – including online casino, betting and bingo – continues to record double-digit growth, with online slots representing more than £4 billion. Land-based gambling also retains a substantial economic role, generating £4.8 billion across arcades, bingo halls, betting shops and traditional casinos.
Across Great Britain, there are currently 8,234 licensed gambling premises, including 5,825 betting shops and 1,451 Adult Gaming Centres. Angus noted that despite rising revenues, the total number of physical venues has slightly declined, countering media narratives suggesting an uncontrolled expansion of gambling premises.
Local authorities: the driving force behind co-regulation
A central part of Angus’s speech focused on the role of local authorities. The UK system is built on a co-regulatory framework: the Gambling Commission does not replace local authorities but works alongside them to ensure compliance, consumer protection and effective territorial oversight.
The latest Licensing Authority Returns show a response rate of 94%, demonstrating consistent engagement across the country. However, around one-third of authorities carried out no inspections between April 2024 and March 2025. In total, 2,208 inspections were conducted, down from 3,203 in 2019/20 – a significant reduction.
Angus encouraged local authorities to make more active and strategic use of the powers and tools they already possess, including in anticipation of any future expansion of their responsibilities. Collaboration, he stressed, remains fundamental to maintaining high regulatory standards and preventing risks to both players and communities.
White Paper reforms and ongoing consultations
The year 2025 has been particularly intense from a regulatory perspective. Implementation of the 2023 White Paper is underway through a series of technical consultations aimed at modernising the regulatory framework and aligning it with current market dynamics.
The most significant change for the land-based sector concerns the review of the Gaming Machine Technical Standards. The initiative seeks to introduce new player-protection functionalities – such as time and spend limits – update outdated technical requirements, consolidate the current twelve standards into a single regulatory document and improve alignment between land-based and remote gambling rules. The consultation received over one thousand responses, and Angus expressed his hope that the first outcomes could be published in the new year.
Meanwhile, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is consulting on changes to stakes and prizes for Category D machines, the introduction of a new category of non-cash “slot-style” machines, and measures to distinguish Adult Gaming Centres more clearly from bingo halls, including a proposal for a mandatory designated bingo area. The Government is also exploring a legislative mechanism that would allow local authorities to use cumulative impact assessments when regulating gambling at a territorial level.
The Sheffield case and the regulatory influence of local authorities
Angus also referenced the recent case in Sheffield, where the City Council’s refusal to grant a licence for an Adult Gaming Centre was upheld in court in 2024. This case highlights the decisive role local authorities can play in shaping gambling activity within their communities, even without legislative changes.
The Gambling Commission is also reviewing its guidance for local authorities, informed by feedback gathered through a survey recently completed by stakeholders across the country.
A sector moving into a new regulatory phase
In closing, Angus reaffirmed the strength of the UK’s co-regulatory model and the need to keep it at the heart of national strategy. The overarching aim is to support a gambling market that continues to evolve but remains anchored to high standards of safety, transparency and integrity.
With the forthcoming publication of consultation outcomes and continued progress on White Paper implementation, 2026 could prove to be a pivotal year for the future architecture of British gambling regulation. For operators and stakeholders alike, the coming phase will demand adaptability, innovation and closer cooperation with regulatory bodies.
“Only together can we make gambling safer, fairer and free from crime,” Angus concluded, opening the floor to questions from the audience.
This article was first published in Italian on 2 December 2025.
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