UKGC Withholds Spending Data Over £25k
Regulator cites future publication schedule to delay release of financial transactions requested under the Freedom of Information Act.
The UK Gambling Commission has declined to release data on its transactions over £25,000, citing an exemption for information intended for future publication. This decision delays public scrutiny of the regulator's spending, which it publishes on a bi-annual basis.
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UKGC Cites Future Publication to Withhold Spending Data
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has withheld details of its spending on transactions over £25,000, citing a future publication schedule in response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request. The request, dated 9 September 2025, sought a record of all large transactions from October 2024 onwards.
In its official response, the regulator declined to provide the information immediately, classifying it as exempt under Section 22 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Why This Data Matters
As the regulatory body for gambling in Great Britain, the UKGC is a public authority funded primarily through the licence fees paid by gambling operators. Transparency regarding its expenditure is crucial for public accountability. Data on transactions over £25,000 provides insight into how the Commission allocates its resources, including payments for large contracts, legal services, research, and other significant operational costs. Scrutiny of this spending allows the public and industry stakeholders to assess the organisation's financial management and priorities.
Details of the Refusal
The Commission justified its decision by stating that the requested information is already scheduled for future publication. According to the response, the UKGC publishes its spending data bi-annually in May and November, in line with Cabinet Office disclosure requirements.
The UKGC invoked Section 22(1) of the FOIA, which provides an exemption for information that a public authority holds with the intention of publishing at a later date. This is a qualified exemption, meaning the authority must perform a public interest test.
The Commission argued that while there is a public interest in transparency, it is outweighed by the public interest in allowing the organisation to follow its established, cost-effective publication schedule. The response stated, "providing this information in response to a FOI request is not the most time/cost effective way of placing this information in the public domain when it will be published in due course."
Significance for Regulatory Oversight
While the financial data will eventually be made public, the UKGC's refusal to release it ahead of its own schedule highlights a common tension in public body transparency. The decision means that consumers, researchers, and journalists must wait for the Commission's pre-determined publication dates to analyse its significant spending.
By adhering to its bi-annual schedule, the Commission prioritises procedural efficiency over immediate disclosure. The response confirms that the public must wait until the next scheduled release in November to view the spending data for the period requested. The UKGC concluded that there was "no outstanding public interest in releasing this information prior to its intended publication."