Non-Statutory Definition of Anti-Muslim Hostility

Request

On 09 March 2026 the UK Government published a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility ("the Definition"), alongside accompanying guidance published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

This is a request for information pursuant to section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA).

Information requested

I request the following information in respect of Gambling Commission:

1. Confirmation of whether you have adopted the definition in whole or in part and if so;

a. The date of adoption;

b. Minutes of any and all meetings at which the adoption was discussed;

c. Email and/or other correspondence in which adoption was discussed

d. Whether the Definition, or any equivalent formulation of anti-Muslim hostility, has been incorporated or is proposed to be incorporated into any regulator document which could reasonably be considered to constitute policy, strategy, guidance, or training material. For each such document, please provide:

i. its title and date of publication or adoption; and

ii. a copy of the document, or, where it is publicly available, a link to its location.

2. Whether any external bodies have sent guidance or recommendations to Gambling Commission

3. Whether you are actively considering adoption of the Definition and, if so, please send any review, consultation, or decision-making process currently under way, including anticipated timelines.

Response

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

In your email you have advised that on 09 March 2026 the UK Government published a non-statutory definition of anti-Muslim hostility ("the Definition"), alongside accompanying guidance published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

You have requested the following information:

1. Confirmation of whether you have adopted the definition in whole or in part and if so;

a. The date of adoption;

b. Minutes of any and all meetings at which the adoption was discussed;

c. Email and/or other correspondence in which adoption was discussed

d. Whether the Definition, or any equivalent formulation of anti-Muslim hostility, has been incorporated or is proposed to be incorporated into any regulator document which could reasonably be considered to constitute policy, strategy, guidance, or training material. For each such document, please provide:

i. its title and date of publication or adoption; and

ii. a copy of the document, or, where it is publicly available, a link to its location.

2. Whether any external bodies have sent guidance or recommendations to Gambling Commission

3. Whether you are actively considering adoption of the Definition and, if so, please send any review, consultation, or decision-making process currently under way, including anticipated timelines.

The Gambling Commission can confirm as follows:

Question One:

The Commission can confirm that we have not adopted the definition in whole or in part.

Question Two:

The Commission can confirm that no external bodies have sent guidance or recommendations to the Commission.

Question Three:

At present, the Commission is not actively considering adoption of the definition.

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 new tab), Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Information Management Team
Gambling Commission