New Gambling Commission measures on player deposits to come in to force
The new rules are intended to encourage players to take control over deposit limits.
UK.- The British Gambling Commission is gearing up to implement new rules intended to increase consumer control over deposit limits and to provide greater transparency of customer funds protection by operators. The regulator says the changes will give players more effective ways to manage their gambling by making it easier to set and maintain deposit limits on online accounts in ways that work best for them.
From October 31, 2025, all Gambling Commission-licensed gambling operators must prompt customers to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit and must make it easy to review and alter the limit at any point after. The Gambling Commission noted that some operators already do this and that making it mandatory will expand on their good practice to offer the same standards across the industry.
Operators will also be required to remind consumers every six months to review their account and transaction information. The idea is that this will help consumers consider if they want to change existing, or set new, deposit limits.
The regulator said its work had revealed that recent changes by some operators on how deposit limits are offered could cause confusion for consumers. As a result, it says it will launch a short supplementary consultation on proposals to improve consistency and transparency for consumers on how financial limits work.
Transparency of protection of customer funds
Operators who hold customer funds must already set out in the terms and conditions whether these are protected in the event of insolvency, the level of such protection and the method by which this is achieved. They must also make this information available at the point at which a customer first deposits money.
The level of protection must be described as either ‘not protected – no segregation’, ‘not protected – segregation of customer funds’, ‘medium protection’ or ‘high protection’. From October 31, operators whose customer funds are ‘not protected’ in the event of insolvency must actively remind consumers once every six months that their funds are not protected.
The Gambling Commission noted that although there is no legal duty on gambling operators to protect customers funds in the event of insolvency, many of them do so voluntarily. It said the changes will help consumers understand which operators protect their funds and which do not – information which will support them in making choices about who they gamble with.
Tim Miller, the Gambling Commission’s executive director for research and policy, said: “These changes illustrate our commitment to ensuring gambling is fair and open by improving consumer empowerment and choice.
“These changes will help consumers decide on deposit limits, enable them to keep track of their spending and ensure they are fully aware of what happens to their funds should an operator become insolvent. We will now continue our work to deliver our remaining White Paper commitments, including our programme of evaluation.”
In other news, a 42-year-old man has been arrested in connection with allegations of fixing horse races following a joint investigation by Greater Manchester Police and the Gambling Commission. The man, who was arrested in Hawkshaw, Bury, is alleged to have committed offences under section 42 of the Gambling Act 2005.
The investigation was launched following reports of suspicious betting activity linked to horse races earlier this year.
