Gambling Policy Commission Opens Review of UK Gambling Act 2005, Chaired by Cambridge Economist Jagjit Chadha

The Gambling Policy Commission (GPC), an independent body chaired by Cambridge economist Jagjit Chadha, announced on 9 November 2026 a review of the UK gambling legislative framework, with a call for evidence open until 12 February 2027.

The commission will ask whether the Gambling Act 2005 remains fit for purpose and whether Britain needs new primary legislation. It is not a government body, so its conclusions are recommendations rather than policy.

What the Gambling Policy Commission will examine

The core question is whether the Gambling Act 2005, the statute that underpins licensing and regulation of gambling in Great Britain, still works for a market that has moved heavily online. According to Intergame, submissions may cover the reforms set out in the 2023 gambling white paper, gambling taxation and illegal gambling.

Yogonet reports that the review also covers recent changes to gambling duties and how they interact with the statutory levy, the mechanism that funds research, education and treatment. For background on the government's own post-reform work, see Gamingo's earlier report on the impact evaluation of the Gambling Act.

Chadha told reporters, as quoted by Next.io, that the last comprehensive independent review of gambling legislation was "a quarter of a century ago". That points to the Budd Report, published in 2001, which made 176 recommendations, many of which were carried into the Gambling Act 2005, according to iGamingExpert.

Who sits on the commission

Jagjit Chadha OBE, professor of economics at the University of Cambridge, chairs the commission. James Reade, professor of economics at the University of Reading, is chief economist. Next.io says the membership is drawn from law, health, economics, public policy, academia and sport. Tom Savill, director of Plumpton Racecourse, is named as a member in several trade reports.

The mix matters for operators. The group is multidisciplinary rather than an economists' panel, and it includes a racing figure alongside health and legal expertise. Gambling businesses should expect questions that draw on harm evidence, fiscal policy and sport integrity in equal measure.

Who can submit evidence

Next.io and Intergame say the call is open to a wide group:

• researchers and consumers
• operators and trade bodies
• treatment and prevention groups
• sports bodies
• regulators and policy-makers

That breadth gives licensed operators, suppliers and affiliates a formal channel to put commercial data and compliance experience on the record before the 12 February 2027 deadline. Operators already working with the regulator through bodies such as the Gambling Commission's industry forum will recognize the format, but this process sits entirely outside the regulator.

Independence, status and the political question

The GPC says it operates independently of government, political parties and the gambling industry. According to iGaming Express, its terms of reference set no predetermined conclusions and allow it to back existing arrangements rather than recommend change.

SBC News describes the body as self-appointed and notes it has no direct bearing on public policy. It also points out that the government's own review of the Gambling Act ran from 2020 to 2023. Soloazar and GamblingNews say the commission's recommendations are due before the next UK general election, which would put them in front of parties drafting manifestos.

Market context for operators

The review lands after a period of rapid regulatory change. Gamingo has tracked new consultations on penalties and reporting from the Gambling Commission, the statutory regulator for gambling in Great Britain, and online revenue growth under new stake limits.

Yogonet cites a Gambling Commission survey, published shortly before the review, finding that 2.5% of adults in Great Britain who had gambled online in the past year had used an illegal gambling website in the previous four weeks. Illegal gambling is one of the topics submissions may address, so evidence on the black market is likely to feature.

What to watch next

The commission has not changed any rules. The practical steps for the sector are to decide whether to submit evidence before 12 February 2027, and to follow the commissioned research planned through 2027. Any shift toward new primary legislation would depend on government and Parliament acting on the 2028 report.

Status reviewed on 9 November 2026. Details come from trade coverage of the commission's announcement. More regulation news and EMEA coverage.