UKGC Invites Industry to Help Cut Regulatory Burdens

The UK Gambling Commission has invited operators to submit proposals on how gambling regulation could be streamlined. Does this signal what could be the next phase of the regulator's post-White Paper approach?

Rather than consulting on specific rule changes, the Commission has announced an ‘open call’, asking the industry itself to identify areas where unnecessary regulatory burdens could be reduced. The aim is to cut superfluous rules, without weakening consumer protections, or undermining the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005.

The initiative, outlined in the Commission's 2026/27 Business Plan, invites suggestions covering:

• The Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP)
• Technical standards
• Reporting processes
• Wider interactions with the regulator

Stakeholders have until the end of September to submit their proposals. These will then be reviewed as part of the Commission's current business cycle.

Speaking on this open call, Executive Director for Research and Policy Tim Miller said:

‘We want to hear from the industry about where regulation can be improved or streamlined without compromising the protections that consumers rightly expect… 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.’

Refining the White Paper

Since its publication in 2023, most of the news around regulatory reforms has been linked exclusively to the Gambling Act Review White Paper. In those three years there have been significant reforms, some popular, some not so, for operators including:

• Financial vulnerability checks
• Online slot stake limits
• Customer interaction requirements
• Huge marketing changes
• Updated technical standards - and more.

The Commission's latest announcement suggests it is now turning its attention away from implementation and instead towards ensuring these new requirements remain proportionate.

While the Commission frequently works in collaboration with operators and industry bodies on refining already drafted proposals, this one is different. Here, operators are asked to identify where regulation, guidance or operational processes could be improved across the framework. They have free reign.

The only ‘rules’ are that any changes must continue to support its three statutory licensing objectives:

1. Keeping crime out of gambling
2. Ensuring gambling is conducted fairly and openly
3. Protecting children and vulnerable people from harm

An Approach the Industry Has Long Called For

The Commission's announcement is something it hasn’t done in this form before, but it’s not something that hasn’t been suggested. The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has repeatedly argued that gambling regulation should remain proportionate, evidence-led and focused on reducing harm without creating unnecessary burdens for licensed operators.

Over the past two years, the trade body has consistently warned that the cumulative impact of new compliance measures could place increasing pressure on the regulated sector. This in turn could make the licensed market less competitive. With that, we could potentially be encouraging some consumers to migrate towards illegal gambling websites.

The Commission’s willingness to invite such open-ended suggestions is a change in tone. After several years focused on implementing new rules, it’s nice to see a call to industry without the threat of reducing consumer protections, of course.

The wait for proposals will be an exciting one. This exercise offers operators one of their clearest opportunities in recent years to influence how gambling regulation develops beyond the White Paper reforms.