Regulatory Action
Request
I would also appreciate it if you could explain how the Gambling Commission determines whether regulatory action, such as a licence review or financial penalty, is appropriate in cases where concerns about social responsibility are raised.
Response
Thank you for your request which has been processed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
In your email you have requested information in relation to how the Gambling Commission determines whether regulatory action, such as a licence review or financial penalty, is appropriate in cases where concerns about social responsibility are raised.
Firstly, the Gambling Commission can advise that there are three licensing objectives which support the whole basis of gambling regulation:
- that crime should be kept out of gambling
- it should be conducted in a fair and open way
- children and other vulnerable persons should be protected from harm or exploitation from gambling.
The Licence conditions and codes of practice (LCCP) set out the requirements all licensees must meet in order to hold a Gambling Commission licence. The LCCP is not static, we make amendments or additions to take account of developments in the industry or emerging evidence on the most effective means of promoting socially responsible gambling. The LCCP can be found published on our website, here: Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (opens in new tab).
Most people who gamble do so safely, but gambling can be harmful for some. These harms may include for example, excessive play due to inexperience or binge gambling, periods of loss of control and more serious gambling addiction. The harm suffered is not restricted to the gambler, it is also felt by families, friends, communities and employers.
Anybody can be vulnerable to harm and there are many reasons a person may be in a vulnerable situation. Changes to an individual consumer’s circumstances may mean that a person becomes more or less vulnerable to experiencing gambling harms. A vulnerable situation can be permanent, temporary or intermittent, and may be related to health, capability, resilience, or the impact of a life event.
In relation to your request, section 21 of the FOIA provides that information is exempt from disclosure where it is reasonably accessible by other means. In order to be of some assistance, please see the following information published on our website, here:
- Vulnerability statement (opens in new tab)
- Social responsibility (opens in new tab)
- Statement of principles for determining financial penalties - Applicable principles (opens in new tab)
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