Tim Miller Defends Financial Risk Checks as UKGC Explores Crypto Payments

UK Gambling Commission Executive Director Tim Miller used his speech at the Ethical Gambling Forum to defend the regulator’s controversial financial risk check proposals. He also signalled the UKGC’s increasingly ‘innovation-friendly’ approach toward crypto payments.

The speech touched on several major themes currently shaping the British gambling sector, including:

• Illegal gambling: The regulator issued 741 cease-and-desist notices during 2025-26 and disrupted 1,134 websites.
• Tax pressures: Calling the industry ‘one of Britain’s big commercial successes’ and warning taxation must remain proportionate.
• Gaming machine reforms: Currently weighing consumer benefits against implementation costs for operators.
• Ongoing rollout of measures from the 2023 White Paper: said the Commission has ‘nearly completed’ reforms, with financial risk assessments remaining.

Two areas stood out most clearly: the Commission’s determination to continue pursuing financial risk assessments and its willingness to begin discussions around regulated cryptoasset gambling payments.

Financial Risk Checks Remain Central

Financial risk assessments formed the core of the speech, with Miller directly addressing ‘ill informed or inaccurate’ commentary surrounding the proposals.

The Commission has faced months of criticism over affordability checks, from all areas of the industry - racing groups, bettors, and operators. Concerns are around friction and privacy, as well as the potential migration toward unlicensed platforms.

Miller attempted to draw a distinction between affordability checks and the proposed financial risk assessments. He argued they are designed purely to identify financially vulnerable customers rather than determine what consumers can afford to spend.

Importantly, Miller stated the checks would not require bank statements or financial documents for the vast majority of customers. He even described current document-based approaches as ‘outdated, inconsistent and disproportionate’.

According to pilot data shared during the speech:

• Fewer than 3% of active gambling accounts would trigger assessments
• 97% of those assessments would be frictionless, using credit reference data
• Only 0.1% of accounts would fail to receive a frictionless assessment

Miller also explained that the pilot identified vulnerable consumers who are currently being missed by existing operator checks. These customers were significantly more likely to have debt management plans or recent defaults.

UKGC Opens Door to Crypto Payments

Away from the ongoing affordability debate, one of the more surprising announcements involved cryptoassets.

Miller confirmed the Commission has started discussions with its Industry Forum. These talks have focused on creating a framework that could allow cryptoassets to be ‘more easily used’ as a payment option within Britain’s regulated gambling market.

While details remain very limited, the comments suggest a notable shift in tone from the regulator. Historically, crypto gambling has existed largely outside the UK regulated market. This is in large part over concerns around anti-money laundering controls and consumer protection.

Miller framed the discussions as part of a wider effort to support innovation alongside protecting consumers. The hope is to improve the consumer experience without compromising on safety, something he feels the UK gambling industry is ready to achieve.