UKGC seeks industry feedback to simplify gambling compliance
The UK Gambling Commission has asked licensed gambling firms across the country to identify regulatory requirements that raise costs or add unnecessary administrative difficulties. The effort, which is part of the Commission’s Business Plan for 2026-27, intends to streamline regulation while maintaining consumer protection, fairness, transparency, crime prevention, and responsible gambling principles.
Operators have been asked to provide feedback on areas where changes are needed in terms of reporting, technology, and compliance. According to the Commission, any comments received before the end of September will help shape future regulations and conversations between regulators and legislators. This comes as the UK gambling industry is experiencing reforms in terms of compliance and affordability regulations.
The Commission stated, “Legislation sits outside the Commission’s remit, but we are keen to understand what those constraints or restrictions may be and the impact they may have, particularly where there are interactions with our own requirements or guidance. Where proposals relate to issues beyond our remit are received, we will ensure these are passed on to the relevant bodies.”
Improving industry compliance
The Gambling Commission aims to make regulation more efficient while keeping Britain’s gambling sector safe and fair. Regulators face the challenge of balancing oversight with innovation, while too much regulation can slow investment and technological progress. To address this, the Commission is asking licensed operators to submit evidence-based proposals identifying rules that create disproportionate costs, along with practical solutions and ways to measure reforms.
This evaluation will aim to establish a balance between innovation and consumer protection. With the increasing use of technologies such as AI, machine learning, and digital identity verification, old regulatory frameworks may impede innovation or result in excessive reporting. The Commission wants to streamline operations while ensuring safety. Any changes will continue to serve its three primary goals: eliminating gambling-related crime, ensuring fairness and transparency, and safeguarding minors and vulnerable individuals.
Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, has stressed that the consultation is about making regulation more effective, not weaker.
Miller said, “This is an opportunity to identify tangible changes that support innovation while ensuring regulation remains effective, proportionate and focused on keeping gambling fair and safe.”
Seeking industry feedback
The Gambling Commission has recommended that licensed operators make organised and evidence-based suggestions, rather than broad complaints. Each recommendation must specify the rule causing problems for their business operations, its influence on operations, cost consequences, and potential solutions.
Operators have until the end of September 2026 to submit proposals through the Commission’s consultation process. These will be reviewed as part of the business planning cycle and discussed at the Operators Engagement Forum on 2 July 2026.
The Gambling Commission has set clear boundaries for the proposals it will consider in its consultation. Feedback on ongoing policy consultations or recently introduced regulations will not be included, as these measures need time to be evaluated before further changes are discussed.
Policies under consultation
The Gambling Commission’s consultation also contained the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). These LCCPs outline the fundamental duties that licensed gambling companies must comply with. They include consumer protection, anti-money laundering safeguards, social responsibility, and complaint resolution. Previously, licensed operators claimed that the regulatory environment had become difficult as a result of extra guidance. The current review is not intended to lessen the level of protection, but rather to identify redundant obligations.
The consultation procedure takes into account both technical standards and reporting obligations. Operators are increasingly relying on software and automation technology as online gambling becomes more prevalent. They provide better protection while also complicating operations. Many operators have mentioned the issue of reporting overlap and the same data being sent through multiple channels.
By reviewing these areas, the Commission is seeking ways to simplify processes without weakening safeguards, ensuring regulation keeps pace with digital transformation while remaining practical for operators.
The Gambling Commission’s consultation could deliver several practical benefits if industry proposals are adopted. The aim is not only to reduce administrative costs but also to create a regulatory environment that is more efficient and adaptable.
Recent UKGC enforcement efforts
The UK Gambling Commission has taken action against gambling software supplier Stakelogic BV after finding that several of its online slot games did not meet required speed standards. One game, Tiger Temple 88, was found to have a spin cycle of 1.97 seconds, below the minimum 2.5 seconds set under the Commission’s Remote Technical Standards.
Following this, Stakelogic reviewed its wider portfolio and identified 15 more games that also failed to meet the slot-speed requirement. The company agreed to pay £122,835 as part of a regulatory settlement.
While the settlement amount is relatively modest compared with other enforcement cases, this action is notable for focusing directly on the 2.5-second game-cycle rule. It may be one of the first public enforcement cases centred on this specific requirement, highlighting the Commission’s attention to detail in enforcing responsible product design standards.
UKGC reviewing financial risk assessments
The UK Gambling Commission has confirmed that no final decision has yet been made on Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs), delaying clarity on one of the most debated parts of the UK’s proposed gambling affordability checks under the Gambling Act White Paper, according to SBC News.
At a meeting on 21 May, the regulator reviewed next steps on FRAs, the stricter of the two affordability measures in the government’s reform plans. Despite speculation that timelines would be confirmed, the Commission said its board has not completed its review of the evidence. A spokesperson explained that an “extensive evidence base” had been presented, but the board has not yet completed its assessment.
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