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Guidance

Guidance to licensing authorities

The Gambling Commission's guidance for licensing authorities.

Published
1 April 2021

Last updated
27 February 2023 - Changes

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Contents

10 - External Audit

10.1. The Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) audits the Gambling Commission annual accounts. Ministerial approval must be given before the C&AG can sign off the accounts.

10.2. In the event that the Gambling Commission has set up and controls subsidiary companies:

  • the Gambling Commission will ask (or will have asked) HM Treasury to designate the company as either profit making or non-profit making
  • where HM Treasury determines that the company is non-profit making, it will be (or will have been) included in a GRAA Order, which will make (or will have made) the C&AG its statutory auditor. The company should appoint the C&AG as auditor by agreement until such time as the GRAA Order is issued
  • where HM Treasury determines that the company is profit making, it should either appoint the C&AG when its audit contract next comes up for renewal or, where they are required to go out to tender for audit services, the C&AG should be invited to compete. Where the C&AG is not appointed, the company must clearly explain the reasons for selecting a different auditor to DCMS.

10.3. The C&AG:

  • will consult the Department and the Gambling Commission on whom — the NAO or a commercial auditor — shall undertake the audit(s) on his behalf, though the final decision rests with the C&AG
  • has a statutory right of access to relevant documents, including by virtue of section 25(8) of the Government Resources and Accounts Act 2000, held by another party in receipt of payments or grants from the Gambling Commission
  • will share with DCMS information identified during the audit process and the audit report (together with any other outputs) at the end of the audit, in particular on issues impacting on the Department's responsibilities in relation to financial systems within the Gambling Commission
  • will, where asked, provide departments and other relevant bodies with Regulatory Compliance Reports and other similar reports which departments may request at the commencement of the audit and which are compatible with the independent auditor's role.

10.4. The C&AG may carry out examinations into the economy, efficiency and effectiveness with which the Gambling Commission has used its resources in discharging its functions. For the purpose of these examinations the C&AG has statutory access to documents as provided for under section 8 of the National Audit Act 1983. In addition, the Gambling Commission shall provide, in conditions to grants and contracts, for the C&AG to exercise such access to documents held by grant recipients and contractors and sub-contractors as may be required for these examinations; and shall use its best endeavours to secure access for the C&AG to any other documents required by the C&AG which are held by other bodies.

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