Gambling Commission: UK White Paper changes will enter force in 2024
But LCCP changes could be years away.
UK.- The Gambling Commision‘s director of policy Ian Angus has said that he expects the main changes proposed by the UK government’s gambling white paper to enter effect next year. In a speech to the Lotteries Council, he said the “substantive changes” would be introduced in 2024 despite the fact that some matters have yet to be put to consultation.
The Gambling Commission’s current consultations on financial risk checks, game design, customer marketing choices and age verification for land-based gambling close on October 18. After that, another round of consultations in the “early winter” will focus on social responsibility and gambling management, including the question on whether online deposit limits should be mandatory or opt-out instead of opt-in.
Meanwhile, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will consult on the proposed gambling levy to fund research education and treatment, and the Gambling Commission will publish its advice to the government on the issue. He said the levy would be introduced through secondary legislation.
Angus also commented on the plan to create a gambling ombudsman. He noted that since the industry will create this body, the role of the DCMS and the regulator will be to ensure that standards are met and how they should be presented to customers.
He said: “As many of you will know the current state of play is that the industry has been challenged to design an ombudsman. This will be fully independent, in line with ombudsman association standards, and is credible with customers. Only when we and DCMS are satisfied with its scope and independence, will we explore how best to make sure that customers of all licensees have access to it.”
Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice
However, although many changes will come in 2024, Angus said that changes to the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) will come further ahead. And after more consultations that will take years rather than months. That would take the issue into the term of the next government.
He said: “We do have to consult before we make any changes to that document which is why there will be a number of consultation windows over the next couple of years.”
Finally, he noted that the Gambling Commission is creating a new method of collecting data to replace its quarterly telephone survey and NHS Health Survey Data.
He said: “This will be the largest survey of its type into prevalence and participation of gambling anywhere in the world, with 20,000 responses a year when it is fully up and running. This will give us more accurate and up-to-date information, leading to better regulation across the sector. We are currently in fieldwork and will start publishing new data in the spring of next year.”
