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Extract of Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) for Bingo

Version effective from 29 November 2024

1.1.1 - Qualified persons – qualifying position
  1. In this condition the terms ‘small-scale operator’, ‘qualifying position’ and ‘qualified person’ have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by the Gambling Act 2005 (Definition of Small-scale Operator) Regulations 2006.
  2. Schedule X1 lists those individuals notified to the Commission as qualified persons.
  3. If, whilst the licensee remains a small-scale operator, an individual begins or ceases to occupy a qualifying position in relation to the licensee, the licensee must within 28 days apply to the Commission under section 104(1)(b) of the Act for amendment of the details of the licence set out in Schedule X1.
  4. An application for amendment under section 104(1)(b) of the Act may be made in advance of an individual beginning or ceasing to occupy a qualifying position provided it specifies the date from which the change to which it relates is to be effective.
  5. In this condition ‘qualified person’ has the same meaning as in the Gambling Act 2005(Definition of Small-scale Operator) Regulations 2006.

1 The schedules mentioned here will be attached to individual licences.

1.2.1 - Specified management offices – personal management licences
  1. Subject to 6 and 7 below, licensees must ensure:
    1. that each individual who occupies one of the management offices specified in 2 below in respect of the licensee or in connection with the licensed activities holds a personal licence authorising the performance of the functions of that office (hereafter ‘a personal management licence’); and
    2. that at least one person occupies at least one of those offices
  2. The specified management offices are those offices (whether or not held by a director in the case of a licensee which is a company, a partner in the case of a licensee which is a partnership or an officer of the association in the case of a licensee which is an unincorporated association) the occupier of which is by virtue of the terms of their appointment responsible for:
    1. the overall management and direction of the licensee’s business or affairs (this is likely to be the Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director or equivalent
    2. chairing the board (where the licensee has such a body) where that appointment is held for a fixed or indeterminate term of office, unless:
      1. the position is held only on a transient and short-term basis for individual meetings; and
      2. the licensee retains evidence in support of point 1.
    3. the licensee’s finance function as head of that function
    4. the licensee’s gambling regulatory compliance function as head of that function
    5. the licensee’s marketing function as head of that function
    6. the licensee’s information technology function as head of that function in so far as it relates to gambling-related information technology and software
    7. oversight of the day to day management of the licensed activities at an identified number of premises licensed under Part 8 of the Act or across an identified geographical area
    8. in the case of casino and bingo licences only, oversight of the day to day management of a single set of premises licensed under Part 8 of the Act, and
    9. the licensee’s anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing function as head of that function this is likely to include the following:
      1. for holders of casino licences, the person responsible for compliance with the relevant regulations (and appointed in accordance with those regulations); and the person responsible for submission of reports of known or suspected money laundering or terrorist financing activity under the relevant legislation (and appointed in accordance with the relevant regulations);
      2. for holders of licences other than casino licences, where an individual has been appointed to submit reports of known or suspected money laundering or terrorist financing activity under the relevant legislation, that individual.
  3. The person responsible for the licensee’s gambling regulatory compliance function as head of that function shall not, except with the Commission’s express approval, occupy any other specified management office.
  4. Licensees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that anything done in the performance of the functions of a specified management office is done in accordance with the terms and conditions of the holder’s personal management licence.
  5. Where an individual is authorised by a personal licence and that licence comes under review under section 116(2) of the Act, the operating licensee must comply with any conditions subsequently imposed on that licence by the Commission about redeployment, supervision, or monitoring of the individual’s work and any requirements of the Commission in respect of such matters applicable during the period of the review.
  6. Paragraphs 1 to 5 above shall not apply to a licensee for so long as the licensee is a ‘small- scale operator’ as defined in the Gambling Act 2005 (Definition of Small-scale Operator) Regulations 2006 (‘the Regulations’).
  7. During the period of 3 years commencing with the date on which a licensee ceases to be a small-scale operator paragraphs 1 to 6 above shall apply subject to the proviso that the phrase ‘each individual’ in paragraph 1a shall not include any individual who was a ‘qualified person’ (as defined in the Regulations) in relation to the licensee 28 days immediately prior to the licensee ceasing to be a small-scale operator.
2.1.1 - Access to (and provision of data from) key equipment
  1. Licensees must, on request, permit an enforcement officer to inspect any of their remote gambling equipment and/or provide to the Commission copies of data held on such equipment in such format and manner as the Commission may request.
2.2.1 - Gambling software

1 All gambling software1 used by the licensee must have been manufactured by the holder of a gambling software operating licence. All such gambling software must also be supplied to the licensee by a holder of a gambling software operating licence. Such software must only be installed or adapted by the holder of such a licence.


1 As defined in section 41(2)&(3) of the Act

2.3.1 - Technical standards
  1. Licensees must comply with the Commission’s technical standards and with requirements set by the Commission relating to the timing and procedures for testing.
2.3.2 - Bingo equipment specifications
  1. Licensees must comply with the Commission’s specification for bingo equipment.
3.1.2 - Other networks
  1. Subject to 2 below, all licensees who provide facilities for gambling, other than peer to peer gaming, in circumstances in which they do not contract directly with all of the participants using those facilities (‘network operators’) must have, put into effect and monitor the effectiveness of policies and procedures designed to ensure that:

    1. every participant using the facilities in Great Britain (‘a domestic customer’) is doing so pursuant to a contract entered into between that player and the network operator, or that player and another holder of a Gambling Commission remote operating licence of the same kind as that held by the network operator (‘a relevant licence’);
    2. the arrangements between the network operator and any holder of a relevant licence through which domestic customers access their facilities, and with gambling operators not licensed by the Gambling Commission through which customers use their facilities outside Great Britain, provide in clear terms which operator is to be responsible for the handling of which categories of customer complaint and dispute; in particular such arrangements must provide how a dispute involving customers from more than one jurisdiction is to be handled;
    3. the network operator’s arrangements for the sharing of information both with any holder of a relevant licence and with gambling operators not licensed by the Gambling Commission through which participants use the facilities outside Great Britain are such as to enable all parties to discharge effectively their respective regulatory obligations, in particular in relation to:
      1. prevention of money laundering; combating the financing of terrorism; and where applicable, the Proceeds of Crime Act,
      2. investigation of suspected cheating,
      3. combating of problem gambling, and
      4. investigation of customer complaints.
  2. Paragraph 1 above does not apply to the provision to the holder of a non-remote bingo operating licence (H) of facilities for the playing of games of bingo organised by H in premises in respect of which a bingo premises licence has effect (for example, the National Bingo Game).

3.1.3 - Hosting
  1. Subject to 2 below, all licensees who provide facilities for gambling in circumstances in which they do not contract directly with any of the participants using those facilities (‘hosts’) must ensure that:

    1. every participant using the facilities in Great Britain (‘a domestic customer’) is doing so pursuant to a contract entered into between that player and the holder of a Gambling Commission remote casino, bingo, general betting (real events) or general betting (virtual events) operating licence (‘a relevant licence’);
    2. the arrangements between the host and any holder of a relevant licence through which domestic customers access their facilities, and with gambling operators not licensed by the Gambling Commission through which customers use their facilities outside Great Britain, provide in clear terms which operator is to be responsible for the handling of which categories of customer complaint and dispute; in particular such arrangements must provide how a dispute involving customers from more than one jurisdiction is to be handled;
    3. the host’s arrangements for the sharing of information both with any holder of a relevant licence and with gambling operators not licensed by the Gambling Commission through which participants use the facilities outside Great Britain are such as to enable all parties to discharge effectively their respective regulatory obligations, in particular in relation to:
      1. prevention of money laundering; combating the financing of terrorism; and where applicable, the Proceeds of Crime Act,
      2. investigation of suspected cheating,
      3. combating of problem gambling, and
      4. investigation of customer complaints.
  2. Paragraph 1 above does not apply to the provision to the holder of a non-remote bingo operating licence (H) of facilities for the playing of games of bingo organised by H in premises in respect of which a bingo premises licence has effect (for example, the National Bingo Game).

4.1.1 - Segregation of funds
  1. Licensees who hold customer funds must ensure that these are held in a separate client bank account or accounts.

  2. In this condition ‘customer funds’ means the aggregate value of funds held to the credit of customers including, without limitation:

    1. cleared funds deposited with the licensee by customers to provide stakes in, or to meet participation fees in respect of, future gambling,
    2. winnings or prizes which the customer has chosen to leave on deposit with the licensee or for which the licensee has yet to account to the customer, and
    3. any crystallised but as yet unpaid loyalty or other bonuses, in each case irrespective of whether the licensee is a party to the gambling contract.
4.2.1 - Disclosure to customers
  1. Licensees who hold customer funds must set out clearly in the terms and conditions under which they provide facilities for gambling information about whether customer funds are protected in the event of insolvency, the level of such protection and the method by which this is achieved.

  2. Such information must be according to such rating system and in such form the Commission may from time to time specify. It must be provided in writing to each customer, in a manner which requires the customer to acknowledge receipt of the information and does not permit the customer to utilise the funds for gambling until they have done so, both on the first occasion on which the customer deposits funds and on the occasion of any subsequent deposit which is the first since a change in the licensee’s terms in relation to protection of such funds.

  3. In this condition ‘customer funds’ means the aggregate value of funds held to the credit of customers including, without limitation:

    1. cleared funds deposited with the licensee by customers to provide stakes in, or to meet participation fees in respect of, future gambling;
    2. winnings or prizes which the customer has chosen to leave on deposit with the licensee or for which the licensee has yet to account to the customer; and
    3. any crystallised but as yet unpaid loyalty or other bonuses, in each case irrespective of whether the licensee is a party to the gambling contract.
5.1.1 - Cash and cash equivalents
  1. Licensees, as part of their internal controls and financial accounting systems, must implement appropriate policies and procedures concerning the usage of cash and cash equivalents (for example, bankers drafts, cheques and debit cards and digital currencies) by customers, designed to minimise the risk of crimes such as money laundering, to avoid the giving of illicit credit to customers and to provide assurance that gambling activities are being conducted in a manner which promotes the licensing objectives.

  2. Licensees must ensure that such policies and procedures are implemented effectively, kept under review, and revised appropriately to ensure that they remain effective, and take into account any applicable learning or guidelines published by the Gambling Commission from time to time.

5.1.2 - Payment methods and services

Effective from 31 January 2024:

  1. Licensees must only accept payment from customers using their gambling facilities in Great Britain by a method which involves the provision of payment services as defined in Schedule 1 Part 1 of the Payment Services Regulations 2017 (SI 2017 No 752) if the provider of those services is a ‘payment service provider’ within the definition of that term in regulation 2 of those Regulations (or the equivalent requirements of any UK Statutory Instrument by which those regulations are amended or superseded).
6.1.2 - Use of credit cards
  1. Licensees must not accept payment for gambling by credit card. This includes payments to the licensee made by credit card through a money service business.
7.1.1 - Fair and transparent terms and practices
  1. Licensees must ensure that the terms on which gambling is offered, and any consumer notices relating to gambling activity, are not unfair within the meaning of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Licensees must comply with those terms.
  2. The contractual terms on which gambling is offered and any consumer notices relating to gambling activity must be transparent within the meaning of the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The contractual terms on which gambling is offered must be made available to customers in an easily accessible way.
  3. Licensees must ensure that changes to customer contract terms comply with the fairness and transparency requirements under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. Customers must be notified of material changes to terms before they come into effect.
  4. Licensees must ensure that they do not commit any unfair commercial practices within the meaning of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, at any stage of their interactions with consumers.
8.1.1 - Display of licensed status

Read additional guidance on the technical requirements contained within this section.

  1. Licensees providing facilities for remote gambling must display on every screen from which customers are able to access gambling facilities provided in reliance on this licence:
    1. a statement that they are licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission;
    2. their account number; and
    3. a link (which will be supplied by the Commission) to their current licensed status as recorded on the Commission’s website.
  2. Such statement, account number and link must be in the format, provided by the means, and contain the information from time to time specified by the Commission in its technical standards applicable to the kind of facilities for gambling provided in accordance with this licence or otherwise notified to licensees for the purposes of this condition.
  3. Licensees may also display on screens accessible from Great Britain information about licences or other permissions they hold from regulators in, or by virtue of the laws of, jurisdictions outside Great Britain provided it is made plain on those screens that the licensee provides facilities for gambling to persons in Great Britain in reliance on their Gambling Commission licence(s).
9.1.2 - Prohibited bingo prize games
  1. Licensees must not offer or permit to be played prize gaming games that appear on any list of games prohibited by the Commission.
12.1.1 - Anti-money laundering - Prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing
  1. Licensees must conduct an assessment of the risks of their business being used for money laundering and terrorist financing. Such risk assessment must be appropriate and must be reviewed as necessary in the light of any changes of circumstances, including the introduction of new products or technology, new methods of payment by customers, changes in the customer demographic or any other material changes, and in any event reviewed at least annually.

  2. Following completion of and having regard to the risk assessment, and any review of the assessment, licensees must ensure they have appropriate policies, procedures and controls to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing.

  3. Licensees must ensure that such policies, procedures and controls are implemented effectively, kept under review, revised appropriately to ensure that they remain effective, and take into account any applicable learning or guidelines published by the Gambling Commission from time to time.

14.1.1 - Access to premises
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures (including staff training programmes) designed to ensure that their staff co-operate with the Commission’s enforcement officers in the proper performance of their compliance functions and are made aware of those officers’ rights of entry to premises contained in Part 15 of the Act.
15.1.1 - Reporting suspicion of offences etc – non-betting licences
  1. Licensees must as soon as reasonably practicable, in such a form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify, provide the Commission with any information that they know relates to or suspect may relate to the commission of an offence under the Act, including an offence resulting from a breach of a licence condition or a code provision having the effect of a licence condition.1

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1 These matters are to be reported to us online via our ‘eServices’ digital service on our website

15.1.3 - Reporting of systematic or organised money lending
  1. Licensees must as soon as reasonably practicable, in such form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify, provide the Commission with any information relating to cases where they encounter systematic, organised or substantial money lending between customers on their premises, in accordance with the ordinary code provisions on money lending between customers.1

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1 These matters are to be reported to us online via our ‘eServices’ digital service on our website

15.2.1 - Reporting key events

A key event is an event that could have a significant impact on the nature or structure of a licensee’s business. Licensees must notify the Commission, in such form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify, of the occurrence of any of the following key events as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within five working days of the licensee becoming aware of the event’s occurrence1.

Operator status

  1. Any of the following applying to a licensee, any person holding a key position for a licensee, a group company or a shareholder or member (holding 3% or more of the issued share capital of the licensee or its holding company): • presenting of a petition for winding up • making of a winding up order • entering into administration or receivership • bankruptcy (applying to individuals only) • sequestration (applicable in Scotland), or • an individual voluntary arrangement.

Relevant persons and positions

  1. In the case of licensees who are companies or other bodies corporate having a share capital, the name and address of any person who (whether or not already a shareholder or member) becomes a shareholder or member holding 3% or more of the issued share capital of the licensee or its holding company.

  2. The taking of any loan by the licensee, or by a group company who then makes an equivalent loan to the licensee, from any person not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority: a copy of the loan agreement must be supplied.

  3. The appointment of a person to, or a person ceasing to occupy, a ‘key position’ (including leaving one position to take up another). A ‘key position’ in relation to a licensee is:

    1. in the case of a small-scale operator, a ‘qualifying position’ as defined in the Gambling Act 2005 (Definition of Small-scale Operator) Regulations 2006
    2. in the case of an operator which is not a small-scale operator, a ‘specified management office’ as set out in (current) LCCP licence condition 1.2
    3. a position where the holder of which has overall responsibility for the licensee’s anti-money laundering and/or terrorist financing compliance, and/or for the reporting of known or suspected money laundering or terrorist financing activity.
    4. any other position for the time being designated by the Commission as a ‘key position’. (Notification is required whether or not the person concerned is required to hold a personal management licence and whether or not the event notified requires the licensee to apply for a variation to amend a detail of their licence.)

Financial events

  1. Any material change in the licensee’s banking arrangements, in particular the termination of such arrangements or a particular facility and whether by the licensee or the provider of the arrangements.

  2. Any breach of a covenant given to a bank or other lender.

  3. Any default by the licensee or, where the licensee is a body corporate, by a group company in making repayment of the whole or any part of a loan on its due date.

  4. Any change in the licensee’s arrangements as to the methods by which, and/or the payment processors through which, the licensee accepts payment from customers using their gambling facilities (this key event applies to remote casino, bingo and betting operating licences, except ancillary and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences).

Legal or regulatory proceedings or reports

  1. The grant, withdrawal or refusal of any application for a licence or other permission made by the licensee, or in the case of a licensee which is a body corporate, any group company of theirs, to a gambling regulator in another jurisdiction. In the case of a withdrawal or refusal of the application, the licensee must also notify the reasons for such withdrawal or refusal. (This condition does not apply to applications for licences or other permissions to carry on activities which would fall outside the scope of a Gambling Commission operating licence if carried out in Britain or with customers in Great Britain.)

  2. Any investigation by a professional, statutory, regulatory or government body (in whatever jurisdiction) into the licensee’s activities, or the activities of a person in a ‘key position’, where such an investigation could result in the imposition of a sanction or penalty which could reasonably be expected to raise doubts about the licensee’s continued suitability to hold a Gambling Commission licence.

  3. Any criminal investigation by a law enforcement agency in any jurisdiction in which the licensee, or a person in a ‘key position’ related to the licensee, is involved and where the Commission might have cause to question whether the licensee’s measures to keep crime out of gambling had failed.

  4. The referral to the licensee’s Board, or persons performing the function of an audit or risk committee, of material concerns raised by a third party (such as an auditor, or a professional, statutory or other regulatory or government body (in whatever jurisdiction)) about the provision of facilities for gambling: a summary of the nature of the concerns must be provided.

  5. The imposition by the licensee of a disciplinary sanction, including dismissal, against the holder of a personal licence or a person occupying a qualifying position for gross misconduct; or the resignation of a personal licence holder or person occupying a qualifying position following commencement of disciplinary proceedings in respect of gross misconduct against that person.

  6. The commencement (in whatever jurisdiction) of any material litigation against the licensee or, where the licensee is a body corporate, a group company: the licensee must also notify the outcome of such litigation.

  7. The making of a disclosure pursuant to section 330, 331, 332 or 338 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 or section 19, 20, 21, 21ZA, 21ZB or 21A of the Terrorism Act 2000 (a suspicious activity report): the licensee should inform the Commission of the unique reference number issued by the United Kingdom Financial Intelligence Unit of the National Crime Agency in respect of each disclosure and for the purposes of this key event the five working day period referred to above runs from the licensee’s receipt of the unique reference number. The licensee should also indicate whether the customer relationship has been discontinued at the time of the submission.

Gambling facilities

  1. Any security breach to the licensee’s environment that adversely affects the confidentiality of customer data; or prevents the licensee’s customers, staff, or legitimate users from accessing their accounts for longer than 12 hours.

  2. Where a gaming system fault has resulted in under or overpayments to a player (this includes instances where a fault causes an incorrect prize/win value to be displayed).

  3. In the case of remote gambling, the commencement or cessation of trading on website domains (including mobile sites or mobile device applications) or broadcast media through which the licensee provides gambling facilities (including domains covered by ‘white label’ arrangements). In this condition: ‘body corporate’ has the meaning ascribed to that term by section 1173 of the Companies Act 2006 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof

    1. in respect of a company, ‘holding company’ and ‘subsidiary’ have the meaning ascribed to that term by section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof
    2. a ‘group company’ is any subsidiary or holding company of the licensee and any subsidiary of such holding company.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1Key events are to be reported to us online via the ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.

15.2.2 - Other reportable events
  1. Licensees must also notify the Commission in such form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify, as soon as reasonably practicable of the occurrence of any of the following events1:

    1. any material change in the licensee’s arrangements for the protection of customer funds in accordance with licence condition 4 (protection of customer funds) (where applicable)
    2. any change in the identity of the ADR entity or entities for the handling of customer disputes, as required by the social responsibility code provision on complaints and disputes.
    3. their becoming aware that a group company which is not a Commission licensee is advertising remote gambling facilities to those residing in a jurisdiction in or to which it has not previously advertised, or their becoming aware of a sustained or meaningful generation of 3% or 10% of group Gross Gambling Yield being exceeded by the group in that jurisdiction.
    4. any actual or potential breaches by the licensee of the requirements imposed by or under Parts 7 or 8 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, or Part III of the Terrorism Act 2000, or any UK law by which those statutes are amended or superseded.
  2. The licensee must notify the Commission, as soon as reasonably practicable, if it knows or has reasonable cause to suspect that a person who has gambled with it has died by suicide, whether or not such suicide is known or suspected to be associated with gambling. Such notification must include the person's name and date of birth, and a summary of their gambling activity, if that information is available to the licensee.

In this condition:

  1. ‘group company’ has the same meaning as in condition 15.2.1; and
  2. without prejudice to section 327 of the Gambling Act 2005, ‘advertising’ includes: having a home page directed towards a jurisdiction and written in, or in one of, that jurisdiction’s official language(s), having arrangements enabling that jurisdiction’s currency to be selected for gambling or the use of payment methods available only in that jurisdiction, and providing a specific customer service facility referable to that jurisdiction.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1 Other reportable events are to be reported to us online via the ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.

15.3.1 - General and regulatory returns

On request, licensees must provide the Commission with such information as the Commission may require, in such a form or manner as the Commission may from time-to-time specify, about the use made of facilities provided in accordance with this licence and the manner in which gambling authorised by this licence and the licensee’s business in relation to that gambling are carried on. 

In particular within 28 days of the end of each quarterly period licensees must submit an accurate Regulatory Return to the Commission containing such information as the Commission may from time to time specify.


1Regulatory returns are to be submitted to us online via the ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.

16.1.1 - Responsible placement of digital adverts

1 Licences must:

  1. Ensure that they do not place digital advertisements on websites providing unauthorised access to copyrighted content;
  2. take all reasonable steps to ensure that third parties with whom they contract for the provision of any aspect of their business related to the licensed activities do not place digital advertisements on websites providing unauthorised access to copyrighted content; and
  3. ensure that the terms upon which they contract with such third parties enable them, subject to compliance with any dispute resolution provisions, to terminate the third party’s contract promptly if, in the Licensee’s reasonable opinion, the third party has been responsible for placing digital advertisements for the licensed activities on such websites.
17.1.1 - Customer identity verification
  1. Licensees must obtain and verify information in order to establish the identity of a customer before that customer is permitted to gamble. Information must include, but is not restricted to, the customer’s name, address and date of birth.

  2. A request made by a customer to withdraw funds from their account must not result in a requirement for additional information to be supplied as a condition of withdrawal if the licensee could have reasonably requested that information earlier. This requirement does not prevent a licensee from seeking information on the customer which they must obtain at that time due to any other legal obligation.

  3. Before permitting a customer to deposit funds, licensees should inform customers what types of identity documents or other information the licensee may need the customer to provide, the circumstances in which such information might be required, and the form and manner in which such information should be provided.

  4. Licensees must take reasonable steps to ensure that the information they hold on a customer’s identity remains accurate.


1 A ‘low frequency lottery’ is one of a series of separate lotteries promoted on behalf of the same non-commercial society or local authority, or as part of the same multiple society lottery scheme, in respect of which there is a period of at least two days between each lottery draw.

Ordinary code

These do not have the status of operator licence conditions but set out good practice. Operators may adopt alternative approaches to those set out in ordinary code provisions if they have actively taken account of the ordinary code provision and can demonstrate that an alternative approach is reasonable in the operator's particular circumstances; or that to take an alternative approach would be acting in a similarly effective manner.

Ordinary codes of practice are admissible in evidence in criminal or civil proceedings and must be taken into account in any case in which the court or tribunal think them relevant, and by the Commission in the exercise of its functions; any departure from ordinary code provisions by an operator may be taken into account by the Commission on a licence review, but cannot lead to imposition of a financial penalty.

Social responsibility code

Compliance with these is a condition of licences; therefore any breach of them by an operator may lead the Commission to review the operator’s licence with a view to suspension, revocation or the imposition of a financial penalty and would also expose the operator to the risk of prosecution.

1.1.1 - Cooperation with the Commission
Ordinary code
  1. As made plain in its Statement of principles for licensing and regulation, the Commission expects licensees to conduct their gambling operations in a way that does not put the licensing objectives at risk, to work with the Commission in an open and cooperative way and to disclose anything which the Commission would reasonably need to be aware of in exercising its regulatory functions. This includes, in particular, anything that is likely to have a material impact on the licensee’s business or on the licensee’s ability to conduct licensed activities compliantly. Licensees should have this principle in mind in their approach to, and when considering their compliance with, their obligations under the conditions attached to their licence and in relation to the following provisions of this code.
1.1.2 - Responsibility for third parties – all licences
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees are responsible for the actions of third parties with whom they contract for the provision of any aspect of the licensee’s business related to the licensed activities.

  2. Licensees must ensure that the terms on which they contract with such third parties:

    1. require the third party to conduct themselves in so far as they carry out activities on behalf of the licensee as if they were bound by the same licence conditions and subject to the same codes of practice as the licensee
    2. oblige the third party to provide such information to the licensee as they may reasonably require in order to enable the licensee to comply with their information reporting and other obligations to the Commission
    3. enable the licensee, subject to compliance with any dispute resolution provisions of such contract, to terminate the third party’s contract promptly if, in the licensee’s reasonable opinion, the third party is in breach of contract (including in particular terms included pursuant to this code provision) or has otherwise acted in a manner which is inconsistent with the licensing objectives, including for affiliates where they have breached a relevant advertising code of practice.
1.1.3 - Responsibility for third parties – remote
Social responsibility code
  1. Remote licensees must ensure in particular:
    1. that third parties who provide user interfaces enabling customers to access their remote gambling facilities:
      1. include a term that any such user interface complies with the Commission’s technical standards for remote gambling systems; and
      2. enable them, subject to compliance with any dispute resolution provisions of such contract, to terminate the third party’s contract promptly if, in the licensee’s reasonable opinion, the third party is in breach of that term.
2.1.2 - Anti-money laundering – other than casino
Ordinary code
  1. As part of their procedures for compliance with the requirements in respect to the prevention and detection of money laundering in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and the Terrorism Act 2000, licensees should take into account the Commission’s advice on the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, *Duties and responsibilities under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 – Advice for operators (excluding casino operators). *
3.1.1 - Combating problem gambling
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures intended to promote socially responsible gambling including the specific policies and procedures required by the provisions of section 3 of this code.

  2. Licensees must make an annual financial contribution to one or more organisation(s) which are approved by the Gambling Commission, and which between them deliver or support research into the prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms, harm prevention approaches and treatment for those harmed by gambling.

3.2.5 - Bingo and FEC SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling, and monitor the effectiveness of these.

  2. This must include procedures for:

    1. checking the age of apparently underage customers
    2. refusing entry to any adult-only areas to anyone unable to produce an acceptable form of identification
    3. taking action when there are unlawful attempts to enter the adult-only areas.
  3. Licensees must ensure that their policies and procedures take account of the structure and layout of their gambling premises.

  4. Licensees must not permit children or young people to gamble in the adults-only areas of premises to which they have access. If there is a ‘no under-18s’ premises policy, licensees must pay particular attention to the procedures they use at the entrance to the premises to check customers’ ages.

  5. Licensees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that all staff understand their responsibilities for preventing underage gambling. This must include appropriate training which must cover:

    1. all relevant prohibitions against inviting children or young persons to gamble on age-restricted products or to enter age-restricted areas;
    2. the legal requirements on returning stakes and not paying prizes to underage customers; and
    3. procedures for challenging any adult who may be complicit in allowing a child or young person to gamble.
  6. Licensees must only accept identification which:

    1. contains a photograph from which the individual can be identified
    2. states the individual’s date of birth
    3. is valid
    4. is legible and has no visible signs of tampering or reproduction.
  7. All licensees must conduct test purchasing or take part in collective test purchasing programmes, as a means of providing reasonable assurance that they have effective policies and procedures to prevent underage gambling, and must provide their test purchase results to the Commission, in such a form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.

3.2.6 - Bingo and FEC ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. The Commission considers acceptable forms of identification to include: any identification carrying the PASS logo (for example Citizencard or Validate); a military identification card; a driving licence (including a provisional licence) with photocard; or a passport.

  2. Licensees should require a person who appears to relevant staff to be under the age of 25 to be asked to produce proof of age, either at the point of entry to the gambling area or as soon as it comes to the attention of staff that they wish to access gambling facilities.

  3. Licensees should have procedures for dealing with cases where an adult knowingly or recklessly allows a child or young person to gamble. These procedures might include refusing to allow the adult to continue to gamble, removing them from the premises, and reporting the incident to the police or local authorities, or taking action where forged identification is produced.

  4. Procedures should be put into effect for dealing with cases where a child or young person repeatedly attempts to gamble on their premises, including oral warnings, reporting the offence to the Gambling Commission1 and the police, and making available information on problem gambling to the child or young person concerned.

  5. Where it is likely that customers’ young or otherwise vulnerable children will be left unattended on or adjacent to their premises, licensees should consider reminding customers of their parental responsibilities and assess whether there is a need to develop procedures for minimising the risk to such children.

  6. In providing training to staff on their responsibilities for preventing underage gambling, licensees should have, as a minimum, policies for induction training and refresher training.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1 These matters are to be reported to us online via our ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.

3.2.11 - Remote SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling and monitor the effectiveness of these.

  2. Such procedures must include:

    1. Verifying the age of a customer before the customer is able to:
      1. deposit any funds into their account;
      2. access any free-to-play versions of gambling games that the licensee may make available; or
      3. gamble with the licensee using either their own money or any free bet or bonus.
    2. warning potential customers that underage gambling is an offence;
    3. regularly reviewing their age verification systems and implementing all reasonable improvements that may be made as technology advances and as information improves;
    4. ensuring that relevant staff are properly trained in the use of their age verification procedures; in particular customer services staff must be appropriately trained in the use of secondary forms of identification when initial verification procedures fail to prove that an individual is of legal age; and
    5. enabling their gambling websites to permit filtering software to be used by adults (such as parents or within schools) in order to restrict access to relevant pages of those sites.
3.2.12 - Remote ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should, and should request their contracted partners to, draw attention to parental responsibility as part of the purchasing process of facilities such as mobile phones and interactive television.
3.3.1 - Responsible gambling information
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must make information readily available to their customers on how to gamble responsibly and how to access information about, and help in respect of, problem gambling.

  2. The information must cover:

    1. any measures provided by the licensee to help individuals monitor or control their gambling, such as restricting the duration of a gambling session or the amount of money they can spend
    2. timers or other forms of reminders or ‘reality checks’ where available
    3. self-exclusion options
    4. information about the availability of further help or advice.
  3. The information must be directed to all customers whether or not licensees also make available material which is directed specifically at customers who may be ‘problem gamblers’.

  4. For gambling premises, information must be available in all areas where gambling facilities are provided and adjacent to ATMs. Information must be displayed prominently using methods appropriate to the size and layout of the premises. These methods may include the use of posters, the provision of information on gambling products, or the use of screens or other facilities in the gambling premises. Information must also be available in a form that may be taken away and may also be made available through the use of links to be accessed online or using smart technology. Licensees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that this information is also readily accessible in locations which enable the customer to obtain it discreetly.

3.3.2 - Foreign languages
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees who market their services in one or more foreign languages should make available in that, or those, foreign languages:
    1. the information on how to gamble responsibly and access to help referred to above
    2. the players’ guides to any game, bet or lottery required to be made available to customers under provisions in this code
    3. the summary of the contractual terms on which gambling is offered, which is required to be provided to customers as a condition of the licensee’s operating licence.
3.3.4 - Remote time-out facility
Social responsibility code

1 Licensees must offer a ‘time out’ facility for customers for the following durations:

  1. 24 hours
  2. one week
  3. one month or
  4. such other period as the customer may reasonably request, up to a maximum of 6 weeks.
3.4.1 - Premises-based customer interaction
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must interact with customers in a way which minimises the risk of customers experiencing harms associated with gambling. This must include:

    1. identifying customers who may be at risk of or experiencing harms associated with gambling.
    2. interacting with customers who may be at risk of or experiencing harms associated with gambling.
    3. understanding the impact of the interaction on the customer, and the effectiveness of the Licensee’s actions and approach.
  2. Licensees must take into account the Commission’s guidance on customer interaction.

3.4.3 - Remote customer interaction
Social responsibility code

In force dates:

  • in paragraph 1, the words ‘as explained in the Commission’s guidance (see paragraph 2)’; and the entirety of requirements 2 and 3 are in force from 31 October 2023
  • paragraph 10 is in force from 12 February 2023
  • the remainder of Social Responsibility (SR) Code Provision 3.4.3 is in force from 12 September 2022.
  1. Licensees must implement effective customer interaction systems and processes in a way which minimises the risk of customers experiencing harms associated with gambling. These systems and processes must embed the three elements of customer interaction – identify, act and evaluate – and which reflect that customer interaction is an ongoing process as explained in the Commission’s guidance (see paragraph 2).

  2. Licensees must take into account the Commission’s guidance on customer interaction for remote operators as published and revised from time to time (‘the Guidance’). 

  3. Licensees must consider the factors that might make a customer more vulnerable to experiencing gambling harms and implement systems and processes to take appropriate and timely action where indicators of vulnerability are identified. Licensees must take account of the Commission’s approach to vulnerability as set out in the Commission’s Guidance.

  4. Licensees must have in place effective systems and processes to monitor customer activity to identify harm or potential harm associated with gambling, from the point when an account is opened. 

  5. Licensees must use a range of indicators relevant to their customer and the nature of the gambling facilities provided in order to identify harm or potential harm associated with gambling. These must include:

    • a. customer spend
    • b. patterns of spend
    • c. time spent gambling
    • d. gambling behaviour indicators
    • e. customer-led contact
    • f. use of gambling management tools
    • g. account indicators.
  6. In accordance with SR Code Provision 1.1.2, licensees are responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements. In particular, if the licensee contracts with third party business-to-business providers to offer any aspect of the licensee’s business related to the licensed activities, the licensee is responsible for ensuring that systems and processes are in place to monitor the activity on the account for each of the indicators in paragraph 5 (a-g) and in a timely way as set out in paragraphs 7 and 8.

  7. A licensee’s systems and processes for customer interaction must flag indicators of risk of harm in a timely manner for manual intervention, and feed into automated processes as required by paragraph 11. 

  8. Licensees must take appropriate action in a timely manner when they have identified the risk of harm. 

  9. Licensees must tailor the type of action they take based on the number and level of indicators of harm exhibited. This must include, but not be limited to, systems and processes which deliver:

    • a. tailored action at lower levels of indicators of harm which seeks to minimise future harm
    • b. increasing action where earlier stages have not had the impact required
    • c. strong or stronger action as the immediate next step in cases where that is appropriate, rather than increasing action gradually
    • d. reducing or preventing marketing or the take-up of new bonus offers where appropriate
    • e. ending the business relationship where necessary.
  10. Licensees must prevent marketing and the take up of new bonus offers where strong indicators of harm, as defined within the licensee’s processes, have been identified.

  11. Licensees must ensure that strong indicators of harm, as defined within the licensee’s processes, are acted on in a timely manner by implementing automated processes. Where such automated processes are applied, the licensee must manually review their operation in each individual customer’s case and the licensee must allow the customer the opportunity to contest any automated decision which affects them.

  12. Licensees must implement processes to understand the impact of individual interactions and actions on a customer’s behaviour, the continued risk of harm and therefore whether and, if so, what further action is needed.  

  13. Licensees must take all reasonable steps to evaluate the effectiveness of their overall approach, for example by trialling and measuring impact, and be able to demonstrate to the Commission the outcomes of their evaluation.

  14. Licensees must take account of problem gambling rates for the relevant gambling activity as published by the Commission2, in order to check whether the number of customer interactions is, at a minimum, in line with this level. For the avoidance of doubt, this provision is not intended to mandate the outcome of those customer interactions.


1 A high frequency lottery is a lottery in which any draw takes place less than one hour after a draw in a previous lottery promoted on behalf of the same non-commercial society or local authority or as part of the same multiple lottery scheme.

2 Problem gambling rates for the relevant gambling activities are available on our website.

3.4.4 - Financial vulnerability check
Social responsibility code

In force dates:

  • Social Responsibility (SR) Code 3.4.4 is in force from 30 August 2024
  • paragraph 7 is in force between 30 August 2024 to 27 February 2025.
  1. Licensees must undertake a financial vulnerability check for customers that meet the relevant threshold.

  2. A financial vulnerability check must include at a minimum a customer-specific public record information check for significant indicators of potential financial vulnerability. The check must include whether the customer is subject to any of the following:

    • a. bankruptcy order, or equivalent, or
    • b. county court judgment (CCJ); an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA); high court judgment (HCJ); administration order (AO) or decree; Debt Relief Order (DRO); or equivalent.
  3. Licensees must:

    • a. consider the financial vulnerability information they obtain, together with all of the other information they know about the customer and are permitted to use, in order to assess risk,
    • b. take proportionate action when risk is identified, and
    • c. record the rationale for the decision on proportionate action.
  4. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures on:

    • a. whether, when taking decisions on proportionate action, it is appropriate for such a decision to be taken manually, in a fully automated manner (offering the customer the opportunity for manual review where decisions for action are taken), or through a combination of automated processing and subsequent manual review, and
    • b. the circumstances in which immediate action is necessary to limit harm where significant risk is identified.
  5. The licensee is not required to conduct this financial vulnerability check at the point when the customer reaches a relevant threshold, if the operator has previously conducted a financial vulnerability check or a financial risk assessment within the previous 12 months.

  6. From 28 February 2025, the relevant threshold is where the customer’s deposits minus withdrawals exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period.

  7. Between 30 August 2024 and 27 February 2025, the relevant threshold is where the customer’s deposits minus withdrawals exceeds £500 in a rolling 30-day period.


1 A high frequency lottery is a lottery in which any draw takes place less than one hour after a draw in a previous lottery promoted on behalf of the same non-commercial society or local authority or as part of the same multiple lottery scheme.

3.4.6 - Financial risk assessments pilot
Social responsibility code
  1. Subject to paragraph 2 below, in this provision:

    • a. the pilot phase is the period from 30 August 2024 to 31 March 2025 inclusive;
    • b. the pilot stages of the pilot phase are three stages which operate over such periods of the pilot phase as may be specified by the Commission from time to time;
    • c. a threshold is a threshold which is specified by the Commission for the purposes of subparagraph h below from time to time;
    • d. a customer’s account is an inactive account for the purposes of a pilot stage if the customer did not use that account for gambling during the period of 12 months prior to the commencement of the relevant pilot stage;
    • e. a customer’s account is an active account for the purposes of a pilot stage if the customer used that account for gambling during the period of 12 months prior to the commencement of the relevant pilot stage;
    • f. the stage one historical period is such period as the Commission may specify for the purposes of subparagraph h(i);
    • g. the stage two historical period is such period as the Commission may specify for the purposes of subparagraph h(ii);
    • h. a relevant customer is:
      1. during the first pilot stage, a customer of the licensee who has an account which is inactive, and in relation to which during the stage one historical period the deposits into that account minus the withdrawals from that account exceeded either the relevant threshold during a calendar day or the relevant threshold over a 90-day period;
      2. during the second pilot stage, a customer of the licensee who has an account which is active, and in relation to which during the stage two historical period the deposits into that account minus the withdrawals from that account exceeded either the relevant threshold during a calendar day or the relevant threshold over a 90-day period;
      3. during the third pilot stage, a customer of the licensee who has an account which is active, and in relation to which:
        • the deposits into that account minus the withdrawals from that account exceed the relevant threshold over any 24-hour period; or
        • the deposits into that account minus the withdrawals from that account exceed the relevant threshold over any 90-day period;
    • i. a credit reference agency is any one of the three credit reference agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion;
    • j. a financial risk assessment is an assessment provided by a credit reference agency of the financial risk in relation to a customer which takes into account information that the credit reference agency holds about the customer, including (where available) credit performance data and aggregated current account turnover data.
  2. The Commission may:

    • a. extend the pilot phase so that it concludes on a date no later than 30 April 2025, any such extension to be notified to licensees no later than 17 March 2025;
    • b. for the purposes of paragraph 1b above, specify that pilot stages operate over different periods in respect of different licensees and/or categories of licensees;
    • c. for the purposes of paragraph 1c above, specify different thresholds for different pilot stages and/or for different cases and/or categories of case;
    • d. for the purposes of paragraph 1f above, specify different stage one historical periods in respect of different licensees and/or categories of licensees;
    • e. for the purposes of paragraph 1g above, specify different stage two historical periods in respect of different licensees and/or categories of licensees; and
    • f. for the purposes of paragraph 1h above, specify the relevant calendar days and the relevant 90 day periods, and the Commission may specify different such days or periods in respect of different licensees or categories of licensees.
  3. During the pilot phase, a licensee must request from a credit reference agency a financial risk assessment in respect of each relevant customer. The request must be made:

    • a. during the first and second pilot stages, within 10 working days of the relevant pilot stage commencing; and
    • b. during the third pilot stage, within 24 hours of the time at which the customer first becomes a relevant customer.
  4. In a case in which a licensee receives a financial risk assessment pursuant to a request made under paragraph 3 above, the licensee must:

    • a. consider the financial risk assessment and any other relevant information that it holds about the relevant customer and:
      1. assess whether the relevant customer is or was (as the case may be) at risk of harm associated with gambling, and
      2. determine what action, if any, the licensee would take or would have taken (as the case may be) under SR Code Provision 3.4.3 as a result of that assessment if paragraph 6 below did not apply;
    • b. record the assessment and the determination referred to in subparagraph a above, and the reasons for the determination; and
    • c. provide to the Commission such information in relation to the assessment and/or determination referred to in subparagraph a above, and/or information in relation to such assessments and determinations generally, at such time and in such form and manner as the Commission may specify from time to time.
  5. During the pilot phase, a licensee must:

    • a. determine the policies and procedures that it would be appropriate for the licensee to adopt in relation to the provision to and receipt from credit reference agencies of data about customers (including the receipt of financial risk assessments);
    • b. determine the policies and procedures that it would be appropriate for the licensee to adopt in relation to assessments of whether a customer is at risk of harm associated with gambling, and determinations of what action (if any) the licensee would take as a result of that assessment, if the licensee were required to obtain and consider a financial risk assessment for the purposes of SR Code Provision 3.4.3; and
    • c. report to the Commission its conclusions under subparagraphs a and b above, and its reasons for those conclusions, at such time and in such form and manner as the Commission may specify from time to time.
  6. A licensee must use the financial risk assessment obtained pursuant to a request made under paragraph 3 above, and any information available to the licensee only because it was included in such an assessment, only during the pilot phase and only for the purposes of complying with paragraphs 4 and 5 above. A licensee must not use such a financial risk assessment or such information for any other purpose. In particular, a licensee must not use such a financial risk assessment or such information for the purpose of compliance with its obligations under SR Code Provision 3.4.3.

3.5.1 - Self exclusion – Non-remote and trading rooms SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect procedures for self-exclusion and take all reasonable steps to refuse service or to otherwise prevent an individual who has entered a self-exclusion agreement from participating in gambling.

  2. Licensees must, as soon as practicable, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material being sent to a self-excluded customer.

  3. Licensees must take steps to remove the name and details of a self-excluded individual from any marketing databases used by the company or group (or otherwise flag that person as an individual to whom marketing material must not be sent), within two days of receiving the completed self-exclusion notification.

  4. This covers any marketing material relating to gambling, or other activities that take place on the premises where gambling may take place. However, it would not extend to blanket marketing which is targeted at a particular geographical area and where the excluded individual would not knowingly be included.

  5. Licensees must close any customer accounts of an individual who has entered a self- exclusion agreement and return any funds held in the customer account. It is not sufficient merely to prevent an individual from withdrawing funds from their customer account whilst still accepting wagers from them. Where the giving of credit is permitted, the licensee may retain details of the amount owed to them by the individual, although the account must not be active.

  6. Licensees must put into effect procedures designed to ensure that an individual who has self-excluded cannot gain access to gambling. These procedures must include:

    1. a register of those excluded with appropriate records (name, address, other details, and any membership or account details that may be held by the operator);
    2. photo identification (except where the Licensee can reasonably satisfy themselves that in the circumstances in which they provide facilities for gambling an alternative means of identification is at least as effective) and a signature;
    3. staff training to ensure that staff are able to administer effectively the systems; and
    4. the removal of those persons found in the gambling area or attempting to gamble from the premises.
  7. Licensees must ensure that their procedures for preventing access to gambling by self- excluded individuals take account of the structure and layout of the gambling premises.

  8. Licensees must, when administering the self-exclusion agreement, signpost the individual to counselling and support services.

3.5.2 - Self-exclusion – non-remote ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. Self-exclusion procedures should require individuals to take positive action in order to self- exclude. This can be a signature on a self-exclusion form.

  2. Individuals should be able to self-exclude without having to enter gambling premises.

  3. Before an individual self-excludes, licensees should provide or make available sufficient information about what the consequences of self-exclusion are.

  4. Licensees should take all reasonable steps to extend the self-exclusion to premises of the same type owned by the operator in the customer’s local area. In setting the bounds of that area licensees may take into account the customer’s address (if known to them), anything else known to them about the distance the customer ordinarily travels to gamble and any specific request the customer may make.

  5. Licensees should encourage the customer to consider extending their self-exclusion to other licensees’ gambling premises in the customer’s local area.

  6. Customers should be given the opportunity to discuss self-exclusion in private, where possible.

  7. Licensees should take steps to ensure that:

    1. the minimum self-exclusion period offered is of a duration of not less than 6 nor more than 12 months
    2. any self-exclusion may, on request, be extended for one or more further periods of at least 6 months each
    3. a customer who has decided to enter a self-exclusion agreement is given the opportunity to do so immediately without any cooling-off period. However, if the customer wishes to consider the self-exclusion further (for example to discuss with problem gambling groups), the customer may return at a later date to enter into self- exclusion
    4. at the end of the period chosen by the customer, the self-exclusion remains in place for a further 6 months, unless the customer takes positive action in order to gamble again
    5. where a customer chooses not to renew the self-exclusion, and makes a positive request to begin gambling again during the 6 month period following the end of their initial self-exclusion, the customer is given one day to cool off before being allowed access to gambling facilities. The contact must be made via telephone or in person
    6. notwithstanding the expiry of the period of self-exclusion chosen by a customer, no marketing material should be sent to them unless and until they have asked for or agreed to accept such material.
  8. The licensee should retain the records relating to a self-exclusion agreement at least for the length of the self-exclusion agreement plus a further 6 months.

  9. Please note that the Commission does not require the licensee to carry out any particular assessment or make any judgement as to whether the previously self-excluded individual should again be permitted access to gambling. The requirement to take positive action in person or over the phone is purely to a) check that the customer has considered the decision to access gambling again and allow them to consider the implications; and b) implement the one day cooling-off period and explain why this has been put in place.

  10. Licensees should have, and put into effect, policies and procedures which recognise, seek to guard against and otherwise address, the fact that some individuals who have self-excluded might attempt to breach their exclusion without entering a gambling premises, for example, by getting another to gamble on their behalf.

  11. Licensees should have effective systems in place to inform all venue staff of self-excluded individuals who have recently attempted to breach a self-exclusion in that venue, and the licensees neighbouring venues.

  12. In providing training to staff on their responsibilities for self-exclusion, licensees should have, as a minimum, policies for induction training and refresher training.

3.5.3 - Self-exclusion – remote SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect procedures for self-exclusion and take all reasonable steps to refuse service or to otherwise prevent an individual who has entered a self-exclusion agreement from participating in gambling.

  2. Licensees must, as soon as practicable, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material being sent to a self-excluded customer.

  3. Licensees must take steps to remove the name and details of a self-excluded individual from any marketing databases used by the company or group (or otherwise flag that person as an individual to whom marketing material must not be sent), within two days of receiving the completed self-exclusion notification.

  4. This covers any marketing material relating to gambling. However, it would not extend to blanket marketing which is targeted at a particular geographical area and where the excluded individual would not knowingly be included.

  5. Licensees must close any customer accounts of an individual who has entered a self- exclusion agreement and return any funds held in the customer account. It is not sufficient merely to prevent an individual from withdrawing funds from their customer account whilst still accepting wagers from them. Where the giving of credit is permitted, the licensee may retain details of the amount owed to them by the individual, although the account must not be active.

  6. Licensees must put into effect procedures designed to ensure that an individual who has self-excluded cannot gain access to gambling. These procedures must include:

    1. a register of those excluded with appropriate records (name, address, other details, and any membership or account details that may be held by the operator);
    2. a record of the card numbers to be excluded;
    3. staff training to ensure that staff are able to administer effectively the systems; and
    4. the removal of access from those persons found to have gambled or who have attempted to gamble on the facilities.
  7. Licensees must when administering the self-exclusion signpost the individual to counselling and support services.

  8. Customers must be given the opportunity to self-exclude by contacting customer services and in addition by entering an automated process using remote communication. In order to avoid inadvertent self-exclusion it is acceptable for an automated process to include an additional step that requires the customer to confirm that they wish to self-exclude. The licensee must ensure that all staff who are involved in direct customer service are aware of the self-exclusion system in place, and are able to direct that individual to an immediate point of contact with whom/which to complete that process.

3.5.4 - Self-exclusion – Remote ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. Self-exclusion procedures should require individuals to take positive action in order to self-exclude:

    1. over the internet; this can be a box that must be ticked in order to indicate that they understand the system
    2. by telephone; this can be a direct question asking whether they understand the system.
  2. Before an individual self-excludes, licensees should provide or make available sufficient information about what the consequences of self-exclusion are.

  3. Licensees should encourage the customer to consider extending their self-exclusion to other remote gambling operators currently used by the customer.

  4. Within the licensee’s information about self-exclusion policies, the licensee should provide a statement to explain that software is available to prevent an individual computer from accessing gambling internet sites. The licensee should provide a link to a site where further information is available.

  5. Licensees should take all reasonable steps to ensure that:

    1. the minimum self-exclusion period offered is of a duration of not less than 6 nor more than 12 months;
    2. any self-exclusion may, on request, be extended for one or more further periods of at least 6 months;
    3. the self-exclusion arrangements give customers the option of selecting a self-exclusion period of up to at least five years;
    4. a customer who has decided to enter a self-exclusion agreement is given the opportunity to do so immediately without any cooling-off period. However, if the customer wishes to consider the self-exclusion further (for example to discuss with problem gambling groups) the customer may return at a later date to enter into self-exclusion;
    5. at the end of the period chosen by the customer, self-exclusion remains in place, for a minimum of 7 years, unless the customer takes positive action to gamble again;
    6. where a customer chooses not to renew, and makes a positive request to begin gambling again, during the 7 year period following the end of their initial self-exclusion, the customer is given one day to cool off before being allowed to access gambling facilities. Contact must be made via phone or in person; re-registering online is not sufficient; and
    7. notwithstanding the expiry of the period of self-exclusion chosen by a customer, no marketing material should be sent to them unless and until they have asked for or agreed to accept such material.
  6. The licensee should retain the records relating to a self-exclusion agreement for as long as is needed to enable the self-exclusion procedures set out in paragraph 5 above to be implemented.

  7. Please note that the Commission does not require the licensee to carry out any particular assessment or make any judgement as to whether the previously self-excluded individual should again be permitted access to gambling. The requirement to take positive action in person or over the phone is purely to a) check that the customer has considered the decision to access gambling again and allow them to consider the implications; and b) implement the one day cooling-off period and explain why this has been put in place.

  8. In providing training to staff on their responsibilities for self-exclusion, licensees should have, as a minimum, policies for induction training and refresher training.

3.5.5 - Remote multi-operator SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must participate in the national multi-operator self-exclusion scheme.
3.5.6 - Multi-operator non-remote SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must offer customers with whom they enter into a self-exclusion agreement in respect of facilities for any kind of gambling offered by them at licensed gambling premises the ability to self-exclude from facilities for the same kind of gambling offered in their locality by any other holder of an operating licence to whom this provision applies, by participating in one or more available multi-operator self-exclusion schemes.
3.5.7 - Multi-operator non-remote ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should contribute to and participate in the development and effective implementation of multi-operator self-exclusions schemes with the aim of making available to customers the ability to self-exclude from facilities for gambling provided by other licensed operators within their local area(s).
3.6.2 - Bingo
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees who employ children under (under-16-year-olds) and young persons (those aged 16 or 17) should be aware that it is an offence:

    1. to employ them to provide facilities for playing bingo;
    2. for their contracts of employment to require them, or for them to be permitted, to perform a function in connection with a gaming machine; and
    3. to employ a child to perform any function on premises where, and at time when, facilities are being provided for playing bingo.
  2. As to 1b, it should be noted that in the Commission’s view the relevant provision of the Act applies to any function performed in connection with a gaming machine. This includes servicing or cleaning such a machine.

  3. Accordingly, licensees should have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to ensure that:

    1. children and young persons are never asked to perform tasks within 1a or 1b, above
    2. all staff, including those who are children and young persons themselves, are instructed about the laws relating to access to gambling by children and young persons.
  4. Licensees should consider adopting a policy that:

    1. children are not employed to work on bingo licensed premises at any time when the premises are open for business
    2. neither children nor young persons are in any event asked to work in areas where gaming machines are situated.
3.6.7 - Remote
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees who employ children (under-16-year-olds) and young persons (those aged 16 and 17) should be aware that it is an offence to employ them to provide facilities for gambling.
3.8.2 - Money-lending – other than casinos
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should seek to prevent systematic or organised money lending between customers on their premises. As a minimum, they should have arrangements in place to ensure staff are requested to report any instances of substantial money lending when they become aware of them.
3.9.1 - Identification of individual customers - remote
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to identify separate accounts which are held by the same individual.

  2. Where licensees allow customers to hold more than one account with them, the licensee must have and put into effect procedures which enable them to relate each of a customer’s such accounts to each of the others and ensure that:

    1. if a customer opts to self-exclude they are effectively excluded from all gambling with the licensee unless they make it clear that their request relates only to some forms of gambling or gambling using only some of the accounts they hold with the licensee;
    2. all of a customer’s accounts are monitored and decisions that trigger customer interaction are based on the observed behaviour and transactions across all the accounts;
    3. where credit is offered or allowed the maximum credit limit is applied on an aggregate basis across all accounts; and
    4. individual financial limits can be implemented across all of a customer’s accounts.
  3. Licensees which are companies or other bodies corporate must take all reasonable steps to comply with the above provision as if reference to a customer holding more than one account with them included a reference to a customer holding one or more accounts with them and one or more accounts with a group company.

  4. A company is a ‘group company’ in relation to a licensee if it is the holding company of, subsidiary of, or shares a common holding company with, the licensee. For these purposes ‘holding company’ and ‘subsidiary’ have the meanings ascribed to them by section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006 or any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof.

4.1.1 - Fair terms
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must be able to provide evidence to the Commission, if required, showing how they satisfied themselves that their terms are not unfair.
4.2.2 - Display of rules - bingo
Social responsibility code
  1. In complying with any condition on a bingo premises licence or a 2005 Act large casino premises licence requiring the display of rules about gaming, licensees must ensure that the following are included:
    1. rules about each variant of bingo made available; and
    2. rules about any prize gaming made available.
4.2.3 - Display of rules – remote SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must make the following available to customers:
    1. a player’s guide to each gambling opportunity (bet, game or lottery) made available by the operator; and
    2. such additional information relating to the available gambling as the Commission shall from time to time publish to licensees: the current requirements are set out in the Commission’s Remote gambling and software technical standards.
4.2.4 - Remote ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. Where practicable, the player’s guide and additional information referred to in the social responsibility code 4.2.3 should be made available through the medium in which the remote gambling is to be conducted. Where that is not practicable, licensees should either:
    1. send a copy of the guide and required additional information by post, fax or email; or
    2. make these available to the customer in another medium to which he has access.
5.1.1 - Rewards and bonuses – SR code
Social responsibility code
  1. If a licensee makes available to any customer or potential customer any incentive or reward scheme or other arrangement under which the customer may receive money, goods, services or any other advantage (including the discharge in whole or in part of any liability of his) (‘the benefit’) the scheme must be designed to operate, and be operated, in such a way that:

    1. the circumstances in which, and conditions subject to which, the benefit is available are clearly set out and readily accessible to the customers to whom it is offered;
    2. neither the receipt nor the value or amount of the benefit is:
      1. dependent on the customer gambling for a pre-determined length of time or with a pre-determined frequency; or
      2. altered or increased if the qualifying activity or spend is reached within a shorter time than the whole period over which the benefit is offered.
    3. if the value of the benefit increases with the amount the customer spends it does so at a rate no greater than that at which the amount spent increases; and further that:
    4. if the benefit comprises free or subsidised travel or accommodation which facilitates the customer’s attendance at particular licensed premises the terms on which it is offered are not directly related to the level of the customer’s prospective gambling.
  2. If a licensee makes available incentives or reward schemes for customers, designated by the licensee as ‘high value, ‘VIP’ or equivalent, they must be offered in a manner which is consistent with the licensing objectives.

Licensees must take into account the Commission’s guidance on high value customer incentives.

5.1.2 - Proportionate rewards
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should only offer incentive or reward schemes in which the benefit available is proportionate to the type and level of customers’ gambling.
5.1.3 - Alcoholic drinks
Social responsibility code
  1. If licensees offer customers free or discounted alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises they must do so on terms which do not in any way link the availability of such drinks to whether, or when, the customer begins, or continues, to gamble.

  2. Licensees must not make unsolicited offers of free alcoholic drinks for immediate consumption by customers at a time when they are participating in gambling activities.

5.1.6 - Compliance with advertising codes
Social responsibility code
  1. All marketing of gambling products and services must be undertaken in a socially responsible manner.

  2. In particular, Licensees must comply with the advertising codes of practice issued by the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) as applicable. For media not explicitly covered, licensees should have regard to the principles included in these codes of practice as if they were explicitly covered.

  3. The restriction on allowing people who are, or seem to be, under 25 years old (that is, those in the 18-24 age bracket) to appear in marketing communications need not be applied in the case of non-remote point of sale advertising material, provided that the images used depict the sporting or other activity that may be gambled on and not the activity of gambling itself and do not breach any other aspect of the advertising codes.

5.1.8 - Compliance with industry advertising codes
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should follow any relevant industry code on advertising, notably the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising.
5.1.9 - Other marketing requirements
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must ensure that their marketing communications, advertisement, and invitations to purchase (within the meaning of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008) do not amount to or involve misleading actions or misleading omissions within the meaning of those Regulations.

  2. Licensees must ensure that all significant conditions which apply to marketing incentives are provided transparently and prominently to consumers. Licensees must present the significant conditions at the point of sale for any promotion, and on any advertising in any medium for that marketing incentive except where, in relation to the latter, limitations of space make this impossible. In such a case, information about the significant conditions must be included to the extent that it is possible to do so, the advertising must clearly indicate that significant conditions apply and where the advertisement is online, the significant conditions must be displayed in full no further than one click away.

  3. The terms and conditions of each marketing incentive must be made available for the full duration of the promotion.

5.1.10 - Online marketing in proximity to information on responsible gambling
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should ensure that no advertising or other marketing information, whether relating to specific offers or to gambling generally, appears on any primary web page/screen, or micro site that provides advice or information on responsible gambling
5.1.11 - Direct electronic marketing consent
Social responsibility code
  1. Unless expressly permitted by law consumers must not be contacted with direct electronic marketing without their informed and specific consent. Whenever a consumer is contacted the consumer must be provided with an opportunity to withdraw consent. If consent is withdrawn the licensee must, as soon as practicable, ensure the consumer is not contacted with electronic marketing thereafter unless the consumer consents again. Licensees must be able to provide evidence which establishes that consent.
6.1.1 - Complaints and disputes
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must put into effect appropriate policies and procedures for accepting and handling customer complaints and disputes in a timely, fair, open and transparent manner.

  2. Licensees must ensure that they have arrangements in place for customers to be able to refer any dispute to an ADR entity in a timely manner if not resolved to the customer’s satisfaction by use of their complaints procedure within eight weeks of receiving the complaint, and where the customer cooperates with the complaints process in a timely manner.

  3. The services of any such ADR entity must be free of charge to the customer.

  4. Licensees must not use or introduce terms which restrict, or purport to restrict, the customer’s right to bring proceedings against the licensee in any court of competent jurisdiction. Such terms may, however, provide for a resolution of a dispute agreed by the customer (arrived at with the assistance of the ADR entity) to be binding on both parties.

  5. Licensees’ complaints handling policies and procedures must include procedures to provide customers with clear and accessible information on how to make a complaint, the complaint procedures, timescales for responding, and escalation procedures.

  6. Licensees must ensure that complaints policies and procedures are implemented effectively, kept under review and revised appropriately to ensure that they remain effective, and take into account any applicable learning or guidance published by the Gambling Commission from time to time.

  7. Licensees should keep records of customer complaints and disputes and make them available to the Commission on request.

In this Code, ‘ADR entity’ means

  1. a person offering alternative dispute resolution services whose name appears on the list maintained by the Gambling Commission in accordance with The Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015 and,
  2. whose name appears on the list of providers that meet the Gambling Commission’s additional standards found in the document ‘Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the gambling industry – standards and guidance for ADR providers’.

Both lists are on the Commission’s website and will be updated from time to time.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.

7.1.2 - Responsible gambling information for staff
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must take all reasonable steps to ensure that staff involved in the provision of facilities for gambling are made aware of advice on socially responsible gambling and of where to get confidential advice should their gambling become hard to control.
8.1.1 - Ordinary code
Ordinary code
  1. As stated earlier in this code, the Commission expects licensees to work with the Commission in an open and cooperative way and to inform the Commission of any matters that the Commission would reasonably need to be aware of in exercising its regulatory functions. These include in particular matters that will have a material impact on the licensee’s business or on the licensee’s ability to conduct licensed activities compliantly and consistently with the licensing objectives.

  2. Thus, licensees should notify the Commission, or ensure that the Commission is notified, as soon as reasonably practicable and in such form and manner as the Commission may from time to time specify1 , of any matters which in their view could have a material impact on their business or affect compliance. The Commission would, in particular, expect to be notified of the occurrence of any of the following events in so far as not already notified in accordance with the conditions attached to the licensee’s licence2 :

    1. any material change in the licensee’s structure or the operation of its business
    2. any material change in managerial responsibilities or governance arrangements
    3. any report from an internal or external auditor expressing, or giving rise to, concerns about material shortcomings in the management control or oversight of any aspect of the licensee’s business related to the provision of gambling facilities.

Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.


1 These matters are to be reported to us online via our ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.

2 Events which must be reported, because the Commission considers them likely to have a material impact on the nature or structure of a licensee’s business, are set out in general licence condition 15.2.1

9.1.2 - Bingo
Social responsibility code
  1. Gaming machines may be made available for use in licensed bingo premises only where there are also substantive facilities for non-remote bingo, provided in reliance on this licence, available in the premises.

  2. Facilities for gambling must only be offered in a manner which provides for appropriate supervision of those facilities by staff at all times.

  3. Licensees must ensure that the function along with the internal and/or external presentation of the premises are such that a customer can reasonably be expected to recognise that it is a premises licensed for the purposes of providing bingo facilities.

10.1.1 - Assessing local risk
Social responsibility code
  1. Licensees must assess the local risks to the licensing objectives posed by the provision of gambling facilities at each of their premises, and have policies, procedures and control measures to mitigate those risks. In making risk assessments, licensees must take into account relevant matters identified in the licensing authority’s statement of licensing policy1 .

  2. Licensees must review (and update as necessary) their local risk assessments:

    1. to take account of significant changes in local circumstances, including those identified in a licensing authority’s statement of licensing policy;
    2. when there are significant changes at a licensee’s premises that may affect their mitigation of local risks;
    3. when applying for a variation of a premises licence; and
    4. in any case, undertake a local risk assessment when applying for a new premises licence.

1This is the statement of licensing policy under the Gambling Act 2005.

10.1.2 - Sharing local risk assessments
Ordinary code
  1. Licensees should share their risk assessment with licensing authorities when applying for a premises licence or applying for a variation to existing licensed premises, or otherwise on request.