DCMS Launch New Consultation into Funding of the UKGC

By Simon Wright, Last updated Mar 3, 2021

The UK Government department responsible for overseeing gambling in country, the Department of Culture Media and Sport ( DCMS ), have today launched a new consultation concerning the funding of the regulatory body the Gambling Commission.

The consultation will run until 25th March and one of the main areas being looked into is the providing of an uplift to Gambling Commission fees, which are based on proposals from the Gambling Commission to the Government.

Separate to the ongoing Gambling Act review which commenced in December 2020 and was announced by the Secretary of State for Culture Media and Sport Oliver Downden, the consultation into the ongoing funding of the Gambling Commission will give consideration to the proposed uplift in fees.

By taking this action, it in turn will enable the Gambling Commission to continue to recover its costs and tackle new challenges in regulation, including increasing technological developments and changes to the market.

Any such any changes made would be effective later this year from 1st October 2001. The consultation is based on the  recommendations made to the government by the UKGC and any changes would be brought in by secondary legislation. For full details of the consultation which have been published on the UK Government’s site, visit here.

The UKGC have welcomed the consultation, stating on their site: “We welcome this DCMS consultation as it will explore much needed changes to our fee income to enable us to continue to regulate effectively.  We would encourage everyone impacted by the proposals to have their say.”

“We are already making gambling safer – having strengthened age and identity verification, introduced strict new guidance for so-called VIP schemes and banning gambling with credit cards – but further resources will mean we are able to make greater and faster progress in making gambling safer and protecting consumers in the years to come.”

Earlier this week the UKGC took action against White Hat Gaming after assessing that they had demonstrated failings in their procedures covering social responsibility and anti-money laundering. Subsequently White Hat Gaming had to make a £1.3m regulatory settlement payment as a result.

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