No decision yet on UK affordability checks: Gambling Commission
The UK Gambling Commission has confirmed that a final decision on Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) has not yet been made, delaying clarity on one of the most debated elements of the UK’s proposed gambling affordability checks under the Gambling Act White Paper.
A meeting held on 21 May saw the regulator review the next steps on Financial Risk Assessments in the UK, the stricter of the two affordability measures outlined in the government’s gambling reform plans. However, despite widespread speculation that the meeting would confirm implementation timelines, the UK Gambling Commission said its board has not yet completed its review of the evidence.
UK Gambling Commission still reviewing financial risk assessments
In a statement to SBC News, the UK Gambling Commission said its board met to assess the next phase of Financial Risk Assessments, but no conclusion has been reached. A spokesperson told SBC News that the regulator had been presented with an “extensive evidence base” and that the board “has not yet fully completed its assessment” of that evidence. Further communication is expected in due course.
The update means both operators and bettors must continue waiting for a decision on whether the proposed gambling affordability checks in the UK will move forward in their current form.
What are financial risk assessments?
Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs) are the stricter version of the affordability framework proposed in the April 2023 Gambling Act review White Paper. These checks are designed to identify cases where customers lose significant sums in a short period of time, triggering additional scrutiny under the regulator’s affordability framework.
The Gambling Commission said it has not yet reached a decision on whether to implement so-called “affordability checks” on a wider scale. #affordabilitychecks #GamblingCommission https://t.co/wA9AnDXIjp
— NEXT.io (@nextdotio) May 22, 2026
FRAs are separate from the less intrusive Financial Vulnerability Checks, which came into force in February last year. Those checks initially applied when customers deposited £500 within a rolling 30-day period, before the threshold was reduced to £150 in August 2025. According to the UK Gambling Commission, both Financial Vulnerability Checks and any future Financial Risk Assessments UK are intended to affect only a small proportion of bettors.
The UKGC said the FRA system was designed to operate in the background using data from credit reference agencies. This, the Commission said, will avoid the need for most customers to submit sensitive financial documents. However, reports said the regulator has yet to publish comprehensive findings, and updates have remained limited, fuelling uncertainty among stakeholders.
Industry opposition to gambling affordability checks grows
Debate around gambling affordability checks UK has intensified, with critics often referring to the measures simply as “affordability checks.” Several industry stakeholders, political figures and horse racing representatives have opposed the proposed FRAs, arguing they could create friction for consumers and push bettors toward unregulated gambling markets.
Among those to criticise the measures are gambling reform advocate James Noyes, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, broadcaster Matt Chapman, and a group of MPs who have written to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy calling for a halt to implementation. This comes amid concerns about transparency, consumer impact, and broader implications for the regulated betting market. Earlier this week, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) warned that it may pursue a legal challenge if the full UK Gambling Commission affordability checks proceed.
The potential economic and behavioural impact of affordability checks has also become a focal point of the debate. Industry representatives, particularly within the horse racing sector, have warned that the measures could deter customers from engaging with licensed operators if they perceive the checks as intrusive.
Betting and Gaming Council welcomes delay
Following the regulator’s update, the Betting and Gaming Council welcomed the decision to continue reviewing the evidence before pressing ahead. The BGC said the regulator’s move was an important and constructive step and acknowledged that evidence from industry stakeholders and experts required careful consideration.
A BGC spokesperson told SiGMA News, “While the Gambling Commission has suggested these checks will be largely frictionless, the findings from the pilot so far raise serious questions about whether the system can work consistently and fairly in practice. The Gambling Commission should not implement them while so many outstanding issues remain unresolved.“
However, the trade body reiterated concerns that any future Financial Risk Assessments UK must be “frictionless, proportionate” and avoid driving customers toward what it described as the growing unsafe gambling black market.
No final decision yet on UK Gambling Commission FRAs
The UK Gambling Commission had previously clarified that no final decision was expected immediately following the meeting, despite lobbying efforts ahead of 21 May. The regulator has maintained that any future rollout of Financial Risk Assessments would be evidence-led, proportionate and introduced in a measured way.
Recently, a fresh intervention from shadow gambling minister Louie French pushed financial risk assessments back to the centre of the UK gambling debate, with the Gambling Commission insisting its pilot shows the checks can be targeted and frictionless. The Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup said the proposed system risked becoming too intrusive for ordinary bettors. Writing on 13 May, Louie French, the shadow gambling minister, said the test for any new regulation should be simple: “Does it actually work, and does it make people’s lives better?” He argued that the case for an additional layer of financial checks had not yet been made.
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