UKGC to Replace Outdated £28k Finance System

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A Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is planning to replace a core part of its financial software, which currently costs £28,000 per year and is no longer supported by its developer, Microsoft.

The data, released following a request on 30 July 2024, shows the regulator's spending on the software it uses to facilitate BACS payments and manage its finances.

Why This Matters

The UKGC is the public body responsible for regulating commercial gambling in Great Britain. It is funded primarily through the licence fees paid by the operators it oversees. As such, its operational spending and technological infrastructure are matters of public interest. The use of secure, modern, and efficient financial systems is critical for any major public organisation to ensure its own operational integrity and the responsible use of its funds.

Breakdown of the Contracts

The FOI response details two key contracts with the supplier Nolan for the Commission's financial systems:

• Great Plains Finance System: This is the main system, with an annual cost of £28,000 (including VAT). The contract has been in place since 26 November 2012 and runs as a rolling agreement. The UKGC noted that "Microsoft no longer supports this product."
• e-Request Software: This is a supplementary system related to the Great Plains contract, costing £6,300 per year (including VAT). This rolling contract began on 7 February 2020.

Combined, the two systems represent an annual expenditure of £34,300 on the regulator's core payment and finance software.

Significance and Next Steps

The most significant revelation is the regulator's reliance on the unsupported 'Great Plains' system. Using software that no longer receives support or security updates from its developer can present operational risks.

The Commission has acknowledged this and stated its intention to address the issue. The response confirms: "the Commission plan to go out to tender later this year."

This means the UKGC will soon begin a procurement process to find and implement a new, modern finance system. However, the regulator indicated this will not be an open tender available to all bidders. Instead, it will "most likely be via a Government Framework Agreement," which is a pre-approved list of suppliers for public sector bodies.

While this is a standard and often more efficient procurement route, it means the contract will only be available to a select group of companies. The UKGC has stated it will publish an 'award notice' on the government's Contracts Finder website once the process is complete, ensuring a degree of transparency.