UKGC Budgets Nearly £4M for Key 2024/25 Services
FOI data reveals spending on national survey, legal counsel, and consumer contact.
The UK Gambling Commission has disclosed budget figures totalling nearly £4 million for key services in the 2024/25 financial year. An FOI request reveals significant spending on the Gambling Survey for Great Britain and external legal services, highlighting the regulator's priorities. The data provides a transparent look at where operator licence fees are being allocated.
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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has budgeted nearly £4 million for key operational services during the 2024/25 financial year, according to data released under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. The figures, disclosed following a request on 9 June 2025, show significant investment in data collection and legal services.
Why This Data Matters
The UKGC is the regulatory body responsible for overseeing all gambling in Great Britain. It is funded primarily through the licence fees paid by gambling operators. This budget data provides consumers with a transparent view of how the regulator allocates its resources to fulfil its duties, from understanding gambling behaviours to taking enforcement action.
Budget Breakdown
A spreadsheet provided by the Commission details the budgets for four key services, with all figures including 20% VAT. The total disclosed budget amounts to £3,936,000.
The breakdown is as follows:
- Gambling Survey for Great Britain: £2,160,000
- External Legal Services: £1,200,000
- Contact Centre: £480,000
- Media Monitoring Services: £96,000
The FOI response noted that these are budget figures and do not necessarily represent new procurement, as existing contracts may be in place.
The request also asked for the budget for the National Gambling Treatment Service. The UKGC stated it does not hold this information, as the service is commissioned by the charity GambleAware and funded by voluntary industry donations.
Significance of the Spending
The allocation of funds highlights the Commission's strategic priorities. The largest single item, the £2.16 million budget for the Gambling Survey for Great Britain, underscores the regulator's focus on evidence-based policy. This comprehensive survey is designed to provide authoritative data on gambling participation, prevalence of harm, and consumer behaviour, which informs future regulatory changes.
The substantial £1.2 million budget for external legal services points to the complex and often litigious nature of gambling regulation. This funding likely covers costs associated with compliance investigations, enforcement actions against operators, and defending regulatory decisions against legal challenges.
For consumers, the £480,000 contact centre budget represents the direct cost of the frontline service for handling complaints and enquiries about gambling operators. This is a primary channel for the public to report concerns to the regulator.
Finally, the smaller but notable £96,000 for media monitoring indicates the Commission's need to stay informed about public discourse and industry news, which can influence regulatory focus and communications.