Challenging year for gambling industry and the regulator

Press release

Date: 27 July 2010

The Gambling Commission has published its Annual report and accounts for 2009/10.

The Commission’s focus for the year has been on working with the industry, local authorities, the police and others in developing the 2005 Gambling Act regulatory regime to make it more effective while less burdensome. This has involved:

  • developing the Commission’s risk-based approach to priority setting, concentrating on issues and operators with regional and national impact
  • building up its and the industry’s knowledge base in the practical implications of the Gambling Act 2005
  • working with local authorities and the police, clarifying roles and minimising duplication
  • testing the degree of compliance, for example through test purchasing
  • improving the information available to operators and consumers
  • working with the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board, the Responsible Gambling Fund and others to implement a more strategic and effective approach to research, education and treatment of problem gamblers.

The Commission also worked closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on two major policy initiatives - remote gambling regulation and the Parry review of sports betting integrity. From the latter, the Commission has implemented one of the main recommendations of the Parry report in setting up a Sports Betting Intelligence Unit. 

”Like the industry, we have not escaped the impact of the recession,” said Brian Pomeroy, the Commission’s Chairman.

“Consolidation, contraction and closures within the industry, as well as some operators moving offshore have reduced our expected fee income. With no fee increase this year, we have cut staff and expenditure accordingly - by £1.3 million against the previous year.

“The next 12 months will be even more challenging with pressure to become more effective. For example, to combat sports betting corruption and other types of illegal gambling while reducing the overall cost of regulation, and working with the National Lottery Commission on the proposed merger.”

The Commission is an independent body funded in the main by licence fees paid by the gambling industry but set by the Secretary of State and approved by Parliament. All of its regulatory activity is funded by licence fee income.

You can download the Commission’s 2009/10 annual report and accounts from its website.

Ends

Notes to editors

The Gambling Commission

  1. 1. The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates gambling in the public interest alongside its co-regulators local licensing authorities. It does so by keeping crime out of gambling, by ensuring that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and by protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling. The Commission also provides independent advice to government on gambling in Britain.
  2. 2. The Commission and local licensing authorities are responsible for licensing and regulating all gambling in Great Britain other than the National Lottery and spread betting, which are the responsibility of the National Lottery Commission and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) respectively.
  3. 3. A separate industry statistics document that includes basic information on each industry sector will be published on the Commission’s website during August.
  4. 4.  Annual report and accounts 2009/10 

Further information

  1. You can call John Travers on (0121) 230 6700, (07852) 124624 or or Mark Lepkowski on 0121 230 6540 or 07950 572145 or email via communications@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.