UKGC Contact Centre Has Just 12 Agents

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A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), the country's gambling regulator, operates its public-facing contact centre with a team of just 12 agents.

The data, obtained by Saferwager from a request dated 25 November 2022, provides a rare glimpse into the operational scale of the body responsible for overseeing the UK's multi-billion-pound gambling industry.

What the Data Reveals

For consumers and industry stakeholders who need to contact the regulator, this information highlights the capacity and channels available. The UKGC's contact centre is based at a single site and, crucially, does not offer modern contact methods such as website live chat or integration with social media applications.

This means the public is limited to traditional phone and email channels when seeking information or raising concerns. The entire organisation, which supports these functions, consists of approximately 350 email users.

Key findings from the FOI response include:

• Contact Centre Staff: 12 agents at 1 site.
• Available Channels: Phone and email only. No live chat or social media support is provided.
• Core Technology: The system runs on a cloud-based Microsoft Teams Phone solution, with a client interface called Touchpoint, manufactured by Enghouse.

Contracts and Spending

The FOI request also sought details on the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) contracts underpinning these services.

The UKGC disclosed two key contracts:

1. Inbound Network Services: A three-year contract with Koris365 for the core telephony platform, costing a total of £37,368. This contract is set to expire on 5 December 2025 and will be reviewed in September 2025.

2. Contact Centre Software: The Microsoft Teams Phone licences are procured through a reseller, Insight, as part of a wider Microsoft E3 subscription. This three-year contract expires in December 2024, with a review scheduled for August 2024. The UKGC did not provide a specific annual spend for this service, stating it was part of the overall E3 plan.

Significance for Consumers

The scale of the UKGC's contact team and its limited communication channels are significant for consumers. With only 12 agents and a reliance on phone and email, the regulator's capacity to handle a high volume of simultaneous public enquiries is clearly defined.

While the use of modern cloud-based telephony indicates a recent technological upgrade, the absence of widely adopted customer service tools like live chat may be seen as a gap in its public-facing service infrastructure.

The disclosure also highlights the limits of transparency. The UKGC declined to provide the name or direct contact details of the person responsible for these contracts, citing data protection exemptions under Section 40(2) of the FOIA. It also did not isolate the specific cost of the contact centre software from its larger IT subscription, leaving the exact expenditure unclear.