The Gambling Commission reports that operators have finally “received the message”

Since the beginning of 2022, the Gambling Commission has levied fines totaling £76 million, as revealed by the head of policy during a speech at the Westminster Media Forum, discussing the Commission’s recent enforcement efforts.

During a keynote speech at the Westminster Media Forum, Ian Angus, head of policy at the Gambling Commission, emphasized that operators are finally “getting the message” after the Commission’s recent string of high-profile fines. Angus mentioned the recent record £19.2 million fine imposed on William Hill for social responsibility and money laundering failures, and stated that the Commission’s expectations are clear and unwavering, with no plans to relax enforcement.

Angus stated, “Where we find operators failing to meet our standards we will continue to take unrelenting action. We think the action we are taking makes clear what our expectations are. And at the volume we’re now broadcasting them, we are pretty sure those operators who were still deaf to them a year or two ago, are now getting the message.”

He also emphasized that raising the standards of gambling operators through compliance and enforcement efforts remains a priority for the Commission. However, the Commission also aims to collaborate with the industry to enhance consumer protections and improve the evidence base for regulation as a whole.

Angus’s review of the statistics highlights the significant increase in the Gambling Commission’s enforcement actions, showcasing a much stricter approach. Since the beginning of 2022, the Commission has imposed a substantial £76 million in fines across 27 enforcement cases, in stark contrast to the £1.7 million penalties resulting from only three investigations during the 2016/17 financial year.

Angus explained, “The reason we’ve had to escalate our enforcement action in recent years is because each failure is not just a violation of our rules, but also a failure that impacts ordinary people, some of whom have suffered severe harms as a result.”

Angus reiterated the Gambling Commission’s previous calls for the industry to collaborate with the technology sector in developing a Single Customer View (SCV). He expressed belief that the Commission’s collaboration with the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) on this initiative will help mitigate the risk of serious gambling harms.

He emphasized that “better data, better research, and better evidence” are crucial for effective regulation. Additionally, he highlighted the Gambling Commission’s commitment to collaborating with international gambling regulators to ensure that their work transcends national borders.

He stated, “Where strong relationships already exist between regulators, we are increasingly observing the exchange of information on the bad practices and behaviors of licensed and unlicensed operators. This enables us to scrutinize the practices and operations of these operators within our own jurisdictions. It’s important to note that no operator should desire to be in this position. No operator should want to be the subject of discussions between regulators from different parts of the world.”

Angus did not extensively discuss the UK government’s gambling white paper, which is anticipated to be published soon after the government’s review of the 2005 Gambling Act. However, it is noteworthy that the oral evidence session of the DCMS Select Committee on gambling regulation, initially scheduled for April 24, was postponed, potentially indicating that the publication of the white paper is imminent.