UKGC Hides Names of Firms Probed Over Statistics
Regulator confirms referrals to the Office for Statistics Regulation but withholds identities, citing law enforcement exemption.
The UK Gambling Commission has refused to name organisations it referred to the UK's statistics watchdog between October 2023 and July 2024. The regulator cited a law enforcement exemption, arguing that disclosure could harm regulatory investigations. This leaves consumers unaware of which organisations may be under scrutiny for their use of statistics.
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UKGC Refuses to Name Organisations Referred to Statistics Watchdog
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has confirmed it referred one or more organisations to the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) over concerns about their use of data, but has refused to disclose their identities. The confirmation came in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request published on 26 July 2024.
The request asked for the names of all organisations the UKGC had referred to the OSR between October 2023 and July 2024. The Commission withheld the information, engaging a law enforcement exemption under the Freedom of Information Act.
Why This Matters
The Office for Statistics Regulation is the independent regulatory arm of the UK Statistics Authority. Its role is to ensure that official statistics and other publicly used data serve the public good by being trustworthy, high-quality, and valuable. A referral from a body like the Gambling Commission suggests a serious concern that an organisation may be producing or publishing misleading or inaccurate statistics.
For consumers, this data can influence perceptions of gambling safety, operator behaviour, and the prevalence of gambling-related harm. The Commission's refusal to name the organisations under scrutiny means the public remains unaware of which sources may be presenting questionable data.
Details of the Refusal
The UKGC confirmed it holds the requested information but cited Section 31 of the FOIA, which protects information that could prejudice law enforcement functions. Specifically, the Commission argued that disclosure would harm its ability, or the OSR's ability, to carry out regulatory duties.
According to the response, releasing the names would:
- Prejudice the OSR’s ability to conduct its regulatory functions and investigations.
- Undermine the trust the OSR has built with organisations and the public.
- Impact the outcome of future assessments by revealing which organisations are under review.
In its public interest test, the Commission acknowledged the argument for transparency but concluded that the need to protect the integrity of the OSR's regulatory process was more significant. It stated that the public interest is “better served by withholding this information, at this time, ensuring that the OSR is able to perform its regulatory activities without interference.”
Industry Significance
While the identities of the organisations remain secret, the FOI response reveals that the UKGC is actively monitoring the use of statistics within the sector it regulates and is willing to escalate concerns to the national watchdog. The organisations referred could include gambling operators, industry trade bodies, charities, or research firms that publish data related to gambling.
The lack of transparency, though justified by the regulator to protect its processes, creates an information gap. Consumers and researchers are left to speculate which organisations' data may be under review, potentially casting a shadow of doubt over a wide range of industry statistics until the OSR concludes its work. The OSR sometimes publishes its findings on its public casework log, which may eventually provide clarity on these referrals.