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Correspondence by GC CEO to ministers about "black market" gambling

Request date
13 March 2026

Outcome
Information withheld

Document actions
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Request

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I request copies ofcorrespondence involving the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambling Commissionand UK Government ministers relating to unlicensed or "black market" gambling.

Specifically, I request:

  1. Copies of correspondence sent by the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambling Commission to UK Government ministers from 1 September 2025 to the present concerning unlicensed or "black market" gambling accessible to UK consumers.
  2. Copies of any responses from Government ministers, ministerial private offices, or government departments to such correspondence.

For the purposes of this request, correspondence should include:

Emails Letters Briefing submissions or policy notes sent to ministers.

For clarity, "black market gambling" refers to gambling operators notlicensed by the UK Gambling Commission but accessible to UK consumers.

Response

Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

In your email you have requested copies of correspondence involving the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambling Commission and UK Government ministers relating to unlicensed or "black market" gambling.

Specifically:

  1. Copies of correspondence sent by the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambling Commission to UK Government ministers from 1 September 2025 to the present concerning unlicensed or "black market" gambling accessible to UK consumers.
  2. Copies of any responses from Government ministers, ministerial private offices, or government departments to such correspondence.

Following a search of Gambling Commission CEO emails, I can confirm that no information falling within the scope of your request is held by the Commission.

Review of the decision

If you are unhappy with the service you have received in relation to your Freedom of Information request you are entitled to an internal review of our decision. You should write to FOI Team, Gambling Commission, 4th floor, Victoria Square House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP or by reply to this email. 

Please note, internal review requests should be made within 40 working days of the initial response. Requests made outside this timeframe will not be processed.

If you are not content with the outcome of our review, you may then apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision. Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have already exhausted the review procedure provided by the Gambling Commission. 

It should be noted that if you wish to raise a complaint with the ICO about the Commission’s handling of your request for information, then you are required to do so within six weeks of receiving your final response or last substantive contact with us.

The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office (opens in a new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Information Management Team
Gambling Commission

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