UKGC Withholds Operator Data on Risk Checks
Regulator cites ongoing research in refusal to name firms involved in 1.7 million financial assessments.
The UK Gambling Commission has refused an information request seeking a breakdown of which operators conducted the most financial risk checks during a recent pilot. Citing an exemption for ongoing research, the regulator will not release data on the 1.7 million checks until its own report is published, leaving consumers in the dark about which brands have the highest concentration of high-spending customers.
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UKGC Refuses to Disclose Operator-Specific Data on Financial Risk Checks
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has withheld data that would show which gambling operators conducted the most financial risk assessments during a recent pilot programme. In a response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request dated 1 July 2025, the regulator confirmed it holds the information but has exempted it from release.
This decision means consumers cannot currently see which brands have a higher concentration of customers triggering checks for high levels of spending.
Context: Protecting Consumers from Harm
Financial risk assessments, often referred to as 'affordability checks', are a key part of the UKGC's strategy to reduce gambling-related harm. They are designed to be frictionless checks, conducted by operators, to assess if a customer's spending level is potentially harmful or unsustainable.
The FOI request sought a breakdown by operator for the 1.7 million checks conducted across approximately 860,000 accounts during the second phase of the UKGC's pilot study. This data would have provided insight into the distribution of high-spending players across the UK's licensed online gambling market.
Details of the Refusal
The UKGC denied the request under Section 22A(1) of the Freedom of Information Act, which provides an exemption for information related to ongoing research. The Commission stated that the pilot programme qualifies as research and that releasing raw, operator-specific data before its own analysis is complete could be prejudicial.
In its public interest test, the UKGC argued that premature publication could lead to an "incomplete and confusing picture emerging" and allow for "misinterpretation and manipulation of the research." The regulator concluded that the public interest in allowing it to complete its research and publish a full, contextualised report outweighs the public interest in immediate transparency.
Pilot Thresholds Clarified
The response also provided new details on the specific thresholds used during the pilot, which differ from some initial proposals. The checks were triggered at:
- For customers aged 25 and over: Net deposits of £1,000 in 24 hours or £2,000 in 90 days.
- For customers under 25: Net deposits of £500 in 24 hours or £1,000 in 90 days.
The UKGC also clarified that it is the individual operators who conduct these assessments, not the Commission itself.
Significance for Gamblers
While the UKGC intends to publish a report in the future, this refusal currently prevents public scrutiny of individual operators' customer bases. Information on which operators have the most customers triggering high-spend checks could be a valuable tool for consumers when choosing a gambling site.
For now, players and consumer protection groups must wait for the Commission to complete its research programme before this operator-level data becomes public. The regulator has stated its belief that this approach ensures the final data is presented with the necessary analysis and context, preventing potentially misleading conclusions.