FOI: UKGC Sets No Annual Inspection Targets
Response reveals local authorities, not the national regulator, are primarily responsible for on-site premises checks.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed the UK Gambling Commission does not have annual targets for inspecting gambling premises. The regulator clarified that its work involves a range of tools and that local authorities are responsible for inspecting the venues they license.
Article Content
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) does not set an annual target for the number of gambling premises it inspects.
The response, published following a request dated 3 July 2025, clarifies the division of regulatory responsibilities and highlights the key role of local authorities in overseeing land-based gambling venues.
Why This Matters
For consumers, this information clarifies who is responsible for the day-to-day compliance of physical gambling locations like betting shops and arcades. While the UKGC regulates the industry at a national level, the oversight of individual premises falls primarily to local councils. This distinction is crucial for understanding how the industry is policed and where to direct concerns about a specific venue.
Breakdown of the Findings
The FOI request posed three questions to the regulator:
- What is the Gambling Commission's annual inspection target?
- How many times has a local authority flagged a premise for inspection by the UKGC?
- How many of these flagged premises have been inspected?
In its response, the UKGC stated that it held no recorded information for any of the questions, but provided detailed context for why this was the case.
No Inspection Targets
The Commission confirmed it "does not set an inspection target." It explained that its regulatory work uses "a wide range of different regulatory tools, of which inspections is just one." The UKGC stated that it applies a regulatory approach tailored to the specifics of each issue, and therefore setting a target for a single tool like inspections "would not be appropriate."
The Role of Local Authorities
The UKGC also clarified that local authorities do not "flag premises for inspection by us." Instead, the regulatory framework gives local authorities their own powers to inspect any gambling premises that they license within their jurisdiction.
The response noted that the licence fees collected by local authorities are intended to fund their regulatory activities, which includes carrying out these inspections. The Commission directed the requester to data published by local authorities themselves for information on local inspection numbers.
Significance for the Industry
The FOI response underscores the decentralised nature of premises regulation in the UK's gambling sector. The UKGC's focus is on the suitability of operators to hold a licence and ensuring compliance with the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) across their entire business, using a variety of tools that may or may not include physical inspections.
Meanwhile, the responsibility for ensuring a specific betting shop on a local high street is compliant with its premises licence rests with the local council. This reinforces the importance of local authorities being adequately resourced to carry out their statutory duties, which are funded by the fees they charge to operators.