UKGC Withholds Raw Data, Cites Public Reports

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The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has withheld raw data on the online gambling market, stating the information is already accessible through its official publications. The response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, dated 26 November 2025, highlights a change in how the regulator disseminates key industry metrics.

This decision affects how consumers, researchers, and journalists can access and analyse information about the scale and nature of online gambling in Great Britain.

The Data Request

The FOI request sought detailed operator data for the remote (online) sector, including:

• Gross Gambling Yield (GGY): The amount retained by operators after paying out winnings, but before deducting operating costs.
• Turnover: The total amount of money staked by customers.
• Number of bets placed.
• A breakdown of this data by vertical, such as online slots, casino games, real-event betting, and poker.

The request also asked for the frequency of the data (monthly or quarterly) and any archived datasets no longer available on the UKGC website.

The Commission's Response and New Reporting

Instead of providing a raw dataset, the UKGC invoked Section 21 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This section provides an exemption for information that is already “reasonably accessible elsewhere.”

The Commission directed the requester to its existing “Statistics and research series.” More significantly, it highlighted the launch of a new series of quarterly industry reports, which began in July 2024. This confirms the UKGC now collects and publishes this data on a quarterly basis, a shift from previous reporting schedules.

While the specific data points requested are contained within these reports, they are presented in an aggregated and curated format chosen by the Commission, rather than as a raw, unprocessed file.

What This Means for Consumers

This response signals a clear strategy from the UKGC: to be the primary publisher of structured industry statistics rather than a supplier of raw data through FOI requests.

For consumers, this has two main implications:

1. Improved Accessibility: The new quarterly reports may provide more regular and timely insights into market trends than were previously available. This structured format can make it easier for the public to understand the overall size and shape of the gambling industry.

2. Reduced Granularity: By not releasing raw data, the UKGC controls the narrative. Researchers and watchdog organisations cannot perform their own independent, granular analysis or cross-reference data in ways not presented in the official reports. This limits the potential for uncovering specific trends or issues that aggregated statistics might obscure.

Ultimately, while the information remains public, the format of its release is now more controlled. Consumers seeking to understand the gambling market must rely on the UKGC's presentation of the data within its new quarterly publications.