UKGC Can't Detail Land-Based Compliance Data
Regulator cites cost and complexity in response to FOI request for a decade of assessment figures and spending.
The UKGC has withheld a decade of data on its land-based compliance checks, stating it would be too costly to retrieve. The regulator also confirmed it does not hold data on the cost of its assessments or location-specific inspection numbers, highlighting a lack of accessible transparency data.
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A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has revealed that the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) is unable to provide detailed statistics on its compliance assessments of land-based gambling venues over the last decade.
In response to the request dated 10 July 2025, the regulator stated that retrieving the information would exceed the cost and time limits stipulated by law. The Commission also confirmed it does not hold specific financial data on the cost of its compliance activities for either land-based or online operators.
What the FOI Requested
The request sought comprehensive data on the UKGC's oversight of physical gambling premises, including:
- The annual number of land-based assessments from 2015 to 2024.
- A specific breakdown of this data for the London borough of Brent.
- Total spending on land-based assessment activities in the last five years.
- The cost of each individual assessment.
- Total spending on online assessment activities in the last five years.
Why the Information Was Withheld
The UKGC invoked Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act, which allows public bodies to refuse requests if the cost of fulfilling them exceeds a £450 limit, equivalent to 18 hours of staff time.
The regulator explained that a search for the requested information returned a "large number of records." It noted that its internal reporting methods have changed significantly over the requested period. Data is filed under various categories, including 'Compliance assessments', 'Assessment', and 'Assessment - other', making a simple extraction impossible.
To provide the figures, staff would need to manually review every document to determine its relevance, a task the UKGC estimated would take well over 18 hours.
Key Data Not Held by the Commission
Beyond the refusal based on cost, the UKGC provided a definitive response to several key questions, stating that it does not hold the information at all. This includes:
- Financial Data: The Commission does not hold recorded information on how much it has spent on land-based or online assessment activities, nor the cost of an individual assessment.
- Location-Specific Data: The regulator does not record its compliance work against individual premises or local authority areas like Brent.
Significance for Consumers
The response highlights a critical distinction in UK gambling regulation. The UKGC's role is to regulate the company holding the operating licence, which may run hundreds of venues nationwide. The responsibility for inspecting individual premises falls to the local authority that grants the premises licence.
While the UKGC is conducting compliance work, this FOI response reveals that data on the frequency, location, and cost of these activities is not readily accessible or centrally tracked in a way that can be easily reported to the public. This lack of accessible data makes it difficult for consumers and researchers to gauge the intensity and focus of the regulator's land-based compliance efforts over time.