UK Gambling Commission seeks industry proposals to cut regulatory burdens

The UK Gambling Commission is seeking proposals from operators and suppliers on ways to reduce unnecessary regulatory and administrative burdens without weakening consumer protections or the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005.

The request, announced last week, follows the commission’s 2026-27 Business Plan, launched in April, which committed the regulator to supporting consumer-focused innovation, improving guidance for stakeholders, advancing digitization of licensing services and reducing data reporting requirements where feasible.

Submissions may address the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, technical standards, statements of principles, reporting processes and the interaction between different regulatory obligations placed on gambling businesses.

The commission said it is particularly interested in suggestions linked to market changes, examples from other markets or developments in other regulations that may have made some processes obsolete, excessive or unclear.

Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy, said: “We want to hear from the industry about where regulation can be improved or streamlined without compromising the protections that consumers rightly expect.

Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy

“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.”

Stakeholders must use a standardized online form to explain the current regulatory position being addressed and how the effectiveness of any proposed change could be evaluated. Submissions will be accepted until September 25, 2026, and the issue will be discussed at the Operators Engagement Forum on July 2, 2026.

The commission said the exercise is not a formal consultation. Proposals will be assessed partly on whether they are realistic within the regulator’s resource limits. Matters outside the commission’s remit will be forwarded to the relevant bodies, while submissions tied to ongoing consultations or recent policy changes still under review will not be considered.

That restriction means financial risk assessments are likely to fall outside the scope of the process. The commission has not yet made a formal decision on whether to fully implement the checks after a pilot trial last year. The proposal has faced industry opposition in recent months despite assurances that the checks would be frictionless.

The regulator recently told operators they would not need to request additional financial documents from players when an assessment is triggered. In May, a coalition of cross-party MPs signed an open letter to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport urging the minister to push back against the assessments.

The commission said it remains focused on keeping compliance costs proportionate to consumer risk while keeping crime out of gambling, ensuring gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and protecting children and vulnerable people from harm.