UKGC Data: Hundreds of Safer Gambling Checks

Article Content

Hundreds of Assessments on Key Player Protection Rules

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has conducted hundreds of compliance assessments into how operators protect vulnerable customers. The data, released following a request dated 1 September 2025, provides a partial snapshot of the regulator's activity since mid-2022.

The request focused on two critical provisions in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) designed to protect players:

• Provision 3.1.1: Combating problem gambling.
• Provision 3.4.3: Requirements for customer interaction with remote (online) players to identify and act on signs of harm.

According to the UKGC's response, its compliance activities included:

• 236 full assessments since June 2022 where compliance with Provision 3.1.1 would have been reviewed.
• 222 full assessments since September 2022 (when the rule came into force) where compliance with Provision 3.4.3 would have been reviewed.
• 37 follow-up assessments with remote operators specifically concerning customer interaction rules.

Why This Data Matters

These LCCP provisions are the bedrock of consumer protection in the UK gambling market. Provision 3.1.1 requires operators to have and implement effective policies to prevent gambling from becoming a source of crime or disorder, being used to support crime, and to protect children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling.

Provision 3.4.3, introduced in September 2022, sets out more prescriptive rules for online operators. It mandates that they must identify and interact with customers showing signs of gambling harm, tailoring their actions based on the level of risk.

The number of assessments indicates a significant level of regulatory oversight in these areas. However, the data released tells only part of the story.

Key Information Withheld by the Regulator

The UKGC declined to provide a complete picture of its compliance work. The regulator refused to state how many thematic or other targeted assessments had examined these provisions, citing Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. This exemption allows public bodies to refuse requests if the cost of retrieving the information would exceed £450, or 18 hours of staff time.

The Commission stated that determining if these LCCP requirements were part of other assessment types would require a manual review of a large number of records.

More significantly, the FOI request also asked how many assessments made findings related to the personal data processing and algorithms used in operators' electronic systems. This question is crucial for understanding how the UKGC scrutinises the technology that operators use to monitor players and identify harm.

The Gambling Commission's response did not address this part of the request. It neither provided the data nor cited an exemption for withholding it, leaving a critical question about the technological oversight of the industry unanswered.

What This Means for Consumers

While the data confirms that the UKGC is actively assessing operators against core safer gambling rules, the refusal to provide a full breakdown of its activities limits transparency. The lack of any response regarding the scrutiny of algorithms and data processing is particularly noteworthy.

For consumers, this means it remains unclear how deeply the regulator is investigating the automated systems that increasingly govern the online gambling experience. These systems are responsible for everything from marketing and bonuses to affordability checks and harm detection, making their oversight a key pillar of modern consumer protection.