Licensing, compliance & enforcement

Enforcement


 

Licence holders who are not compliant risk regulatory action by the Gambling Commission.

Equally, licence holders and individuals who are uncooperative, or less than open with us, can expect higher levels of regulatory intervention. Where necessary we will exercise our regulatory powers.

Our approach to enforcement is set out in our Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy statement and Statement of principles for licensing and regulation.

Licensing compliance and enforcement policy statement - September 2009

Statement of principles for licensing and regulation - September 2009

What is enforcement?

Enforcement is the regulatory or criminal investigation process which may result in the imposition of a regulatory sanction and / or the laying of criminal charges.

We are committed to the five principles of better regulation and will regulate in a proportionate, accountable, consistent, transparent and targeted manner.

What is a review?

We have the power to review the performance of licence holders against the terms of their licence.

Reviewing individual operating and personal licences: We have the power to review operating and personal licences, on any of the following four grounds, if we:

  • have reason to suspect  that a licence condition may have been breached
  • believe the licence holder, or any person connected with the gambling activities, has been convicted of a relevant offence in Great Britain or abroad
  • suspect the licence holder may be unsuitable to perform the licensed activities
  • think a review would be appropriate.

This means that a licence could be reviewed solely on the grounds, for example, that it has been held for a long period of time, and we consider a review necessary.

Reviews by ‘types of licence’: We may review matters relating to a particular type of operating licence.  The purpose of such reviews is to examine the manner in which licence holders, as a whole:

  • carry out licensed activities
  • comply with the conditions attached to the type of operating licence.

Following a review, we may choose to exercise our regulatory powers.

 

Page last reviewed: May 2013

 

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