formal guidance to UK sports clubs

Request

In the past 18 months, has the Gambling Commission issued any formal guidance to UK sports clubs (or other sports franchise owners) relating one, or either, of the following pre-requisites for entering into a sponsorship or advertising agreement with a non-UK-regulated gambling operator:

a) The scope and detail of assurances required by sports clubs or franchise owners from non UK-regulated gambling operators on the efficacy of their systems and processes designed prevent UK-based bettors placing wagers on their platforms.

b) The scope and detail of the due diligence to be conducted by sports clubs and franchise owners on non-UK-regulated gambling operators regarding the efficacy of their systems and processes designed prevent UK-based bettors placing wagers on their platforms. If the answer to either a) or b) above is 'yes', please provide a copy of this guidance.

Response

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

In your email you have requested:

‘In the past 18 months, has the Gambling Commission issued any formal guidance to UK sports clubs (or other sports franchise owners) relating one, or either, of the following pre-requisites for entering into a sponsorship or advertising agreement with a non-UK-regulated gambling operator:

a) The scope and detail of assurances required by sports clubs or franchise owners from non UK-regulated gambling operators on the efficacy of their systems and processes designed prevent UK-based bettors placing wagers on their platforms.

b) The scope and detail of the due diligence to be conducted by sports clubs and franchise owners on non-UK-regulated gambling operators regarding the efficacy of their systems and processes designed prevent UK-based bettors placing wagers on their platforms. If the answer to either a) or b) above is 'yes', please provide a copy of this guidance.’

Section 21 of the FOIA provides that information is exempt from disclosure where it is reasonably accessible elsewhere.

In order to be of assistance, please see the following guidance published on the Gambling Commission website: Sports sponsorship and advertising. The social responsibility code can also be found here: LCCP Condition 1.1.2 - Responsibility for third parties – all licences.

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