UKGC: Scottish Gambling Inspections Halved
FOI data reveals a 51% drop in premises visits between 2019 and 2022, alongside a lack of regional data on underage gambling checks.
Data from the UK Gambling Commission shows on-site inspections of Scottish gambling venues dropped by over 50% from 2019 to 2022. The regulator was also unable to provide Scotland-specific data on underage test purchases or regulatory breaches, citing limitations in how it records compliance information.
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Inspections of Scottish Gambling Venues Fall by Over 50%
A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure from the Gambling Commission (UKGC) has revealed that the number of on-site inspections at licensed gambling premises in Scotland fell by 51% between 2019 and 2022.
The data, released following a request dated 16 February 2023, shows a significant decline in the regulator's in-person compliance visits, a key tool for ensuring operators adhere to licensing conditions designed to protect consumers and prevent crime.
Key Data from the Disclosure
The UKGC provided figures for the 868 licensed gambling premises currently operating in Scotland. The data shows:
- 2019 Inspections: 33 visits were carried out.
- 2022 Inspections: 16 visits were carried out.
This represents a drop from approximately one inspection for every 26 premises in 2019 to just one for every 54 premises in 2022. The regulator noted that its national register of premises is compiled from data provided by local licensing authorities and may contain errors or omissions.
Critical Data on Underage Gambling Unavailable
The FOI request also sought figures on underage test purchases and regulatory breaches at a premises level for Scotland. However, the Gambling Commission stated it could not provide this information.
In its response, the UKGC explained: "We cannot provide data for instances of test purchasing and number of premises breaching regulations. Both of these are recorded at an operator level and not at a premises level. As such, so we cannot split out how many relate to Scotland only."
What This Means for Consumers
The sharp decrease in physical inspections raises questions about the extent of on-the-ground regulatory oversight in Scotland. While the UKGC employs a range of remote and operator-level compliance tools, on-site visits are vital for assessing the real-world implementation of safer gambling policies, age verification checks, and anti-money laundering procedures within venues like betting shops, arcades, and casinos.
The inability to provide regional data on underage test purchase results and breaches is also significant. It means that consumers, local authorities, and researchers cannot get a clear, Scotland-specific picture of how effectively operators are preventing underage access to gambling. This data gap highlights a limitation in how the national regulator records and reports key compliance metrics, making it difficult to assess performance on a regional basis.