- Government publishes consultation response on increases
to Gambling Commission fees
- Increase see a 55 per cent uplift in fees for online
operators
- New fees will deliver additional resource for Gambling
Commission to address industry concerns
The Government has today published its response to a
consultation on proposals to increase the fees payable by
gambling operators to the Gambling Commission.
The increased fees announced today, which were last revised
in 2017, will help the Gambling Commission respond to new
risks and technological developments, as well as the
increasing cost of its existing regulation.
The revised fee structure will also help it to address
areas for improvement identified by the National Audit
Office and the Public Accounts Committee, such as improving
its use of data and intelligence, and ensure effective
regulation of the gambling industry.
The changes include a 55 per cent increase in the fee bands
for annual operating licences for online operators, which
will take effect on 1 October 2021. Fee bands for
land-based operators will increase by 15 per cent, with
these increases coming into effect on 6 April 2022 in
recognition of the impact that COVID-19 closures have had
on these businesses.
The uplift in fees will provide the Gambling Commission
with greater resources to tackle new challenges such as
product and payment innovation. This new structure will
mean that the Gambling Commission is better equipped to
deal with the changing landscape of the gambling industry
which has become increasingly global in nature. The
regulator will also be better placed to address the risks
associated with unlicensed operators and the need to
protect consumers and the industry from ‘black market’
encroachment.
In addition to the rises to fee bands for annual operating
licences, all application fees will increase by 60 per cent
and discounts for being licensed for multiple activities
will be removed.
The ongoing Review of the
Gambling Act 2005 is looking at the Commission’s powers
and resources to ensure the regulatory framework around
gambling is fit for the digital age.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
-
The consultation ran from 29 January to 26 March 2021
and received responses from a cross-section of the
gambling industry, as well as academic and clinician
researchers and the House of Lords group Peers for
Gambling Reform.
-
A statutory instrument will be laid to bring these
changes into effect.
-
The Gambling Act Review call for evidence closed in
March and responses are currently being carefully
considered. A White Paper setting out findings will be
published by the end of the year. The Review will also
consider the future flexibility of the Gambling
Commission’s fees.
