Gambling Commission

The Gambling Commission is a government organisation in the United Kingdom responsible for regulating gambling and supervising gaming law in Great Britain.  It was set up by the Gambling Act 2005.  Before it was set up there was the Gaming Board for Great Britain.  It is answerable to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

It has to supervise arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines and lotteries, as well as remote gambling, but not spread betting.  It is supposed to keep crime out of gambling, and to protect vulnerable people. From 2013 it has to regulate the National Lottery.

It can fine organisations which break the rules. William Hill was fined  £19.2million in 2023 for failing to protect its customers from accruing unpayable debts.

Gambling companies have to pay an annual contribution “to one or more organisation(s) which deliver research, harm prevention and treatment for those harmed by gambling”. The amount is not fixed and in 2023 the government said it would bring in new rules. 

 References 

Category:Gambling
Category:Government agencies of the United Kingdom