UKGC Lacks Central Betting Shop List
FOI reveals no single, definitive database of UK betting premises is held by the national regulator, with responsibility falling to local councils.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed the UK Gambling Commission does not hold a definitive central list of all licensed betting shops. The regulator directs enquiries to individual Local Authorities, admitting its own national register may contain errors.
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UKGC Directs Enquiries to Local Authorities
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) does not maintain a definitive, central register of all licensed betting shops in Great Britain. In a response dated 16 December 2024, the regulator confirmed that the ultimate responsibility for maintaining accurate premises data lies with local licensing authorities.
The request asked the Commission for an up-to-date list of all licensed betting shops, including their addresses and postcodes. The UKGC withheld the information under Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, which provides an exemption for information that is reasonably accessible elsewhere.
Data Fragmentation and Accuracy
The Commission explained that while it maintains a national register of premises licences, the data is provided by numerous individual licensing authorities. Crucially, the UKGC added a significant disclaimer regarding the accuracy of its own national database.
"Whilst we make every effort to assure the data, it may contain errors, duplications or there may be omissions," the response stated.
For a completely accurate and up-to-date record, the regulator advises the public and researchers to contact the relevant Local Authority directly. These local councils are responsible for issuing and managing premises licences for:
- Betting shops and tracks
- Casinos
- Bingo halls
- Adult gaming centres
- Family entertainment centres
What This Means for Consumers
The disclosure highlights the decentralised nature of gambling premises licensing in the UK. For consumers, this means there is no single, official source to consult for a complete picture of the nation's retail betting landscape.
Anyone seeking to verify the licence of a specific betting shop, or to research the density of gambling venues in a wide geographical area, cannot rely on a single request to the national regulator. Instead, they must identify and contact the specific local council responsible for the area in question.
This fragmentation presents a challenge for national-level research and transparency, as compiling a comprehensive list of all licensed premises would require coordinating with hundreds of separate authorities across the country. The UKGC's role is to aggregate this information, but as their response indicates, the definitive records remain at the local level.