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Version effective from 29 November 2024
Applies to:
All operating licences, except ancillary remote licences, issued to small-scale operators.
1 The schedules mentioned here will be attached to individual licences.
Applies to:
All casino, bingo, general and pool betting, betting intermediary, gaming machine general, gaming machine technical, gambling software and lottery managers licences, except ancillary remote licences.
Applies to:
All remote casino, bingo and betting licences other than ancillary licences and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences.
Applies to:
All remote casino, bingo and betting licences other than ancillary licences and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences.
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
Applies to:
All non-remote gaming machine technical and gambling software licences and remote operating licences, including remote gaming machine technical, remote gambling software and betting ancillary remote licences, but not remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Applies to:
Non-remote casino operating licences and casino ancillary remote licences.
Applies to:
Remote casino licences (except ancillary remote and casino (game host) licences).
All licensees who provide facilities for peer to peer gaming in circumstances in which they do not contract directly with all of the players using those facilities (‘network operators’) must have, put into effect and monitor the effectiveness of, policies and procedures designed to ensure that:
Applies to:
All remote casino, bingo, and betting licences (except ancillary remote and host licences).
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:
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).
Applies to:
All casino (game host), bingo (game host), general betting (host) (real events) and general betting (host) (virtual events) licences.
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:
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).
Applies to:
All remote operating licences, except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo and ancillary remote casino licences.
Licensees who hold customer funds must ensure that these are held in a separate client bank account or accounts.
In this condition ‘customer funds’ means the aggregate value of funds held to the credit of customers including, without limitation:
Applies to:
All operating licences, except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary, remote bingo, and ancillary remote casino licences.
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.
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.
In this condition ‘customer funds’ means the aggregate value of funds held to the credit of customers including, without limitation:
Applies to:
All operating licences except gaming machine technical, gambling software and host licences.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All remote casino, bingo and betting operating licences, except ancillary, host and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences.
Effective from 31 January 2024:
Applies to:
All non-remote general betting, pool betting and betting intermediary licences, and all remote licences (including ancillary remote betting and ancillary remote lottery licences) except gaming machine technical, gambling software and host licences.
Applies to:
All operating licences except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
Applies to:
All remote casino, bingo and betting licences other than ancillary, host, remote betting intermediary (trading room only), remote general betting (limited) and remote general betting (standard) (remote platform) licences.
Read additional guidance on the technical requirements contained within this section.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino operating licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino operating licences.
Applies to:
All operating licences except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
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.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All remote casino operating licences where any of the licensee’s remote gambling equipment is located outside Great Britain.
Licensees must comply with Parts 2 and 3 of the Money Laundering Regulations 2007 (UK Statutory Instrument No. 2157 of 2007) as amended by the Money Laundering (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (UK Statutory Instrument No. 3299 of 2007), or the equivalent requirements of any UK Statutory Instrument by which those regulations are amended or superseded insofar as they relate to casinos (the MLR) whether or not the MLR otherwise apply to their business.
Applies to:
All operating licences.
Applies to:
All operating licences except betting, betting intermediary, ancillary remote betting, betting host and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
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
Applies to:
All non-remote casino, non-remote bingo, general betting, adult gaming centre, family entertainment centre and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
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
Applies to:
All operating licences.
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
Relevant persons and positions
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.
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.
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:
Financial events
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.
Any breach of a covenant given to a bank or other lender.
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.
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
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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).
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
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.
Applies to:
All operating licences.
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:
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:
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote and remote casino operating licences.
Licensees must notify the Commission in such form or manner as the Commission may from time to time specify, as soon as reasonably practicable of any actual or potential breaches by the licensee of the provisions of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on Payer) Regulations 2017, or any UK Statutory Instrument by which those regulations are amended or superseded.
Licensees must, within 14 days of the appointment, notify the Commission of the identity of the individual appointed as:
Licensees must, within 14 days of the departure or removal of any individual appointed to the positions mentioned in 2 above, notify the Commission of such departure or removal.
Read additional guidance on the information requirements contained within this section.
Other reportable events are to be reported to us online via the ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.
Applies to:
All operating licences.
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.
Applies to:
All licences.
1 Licences must:
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences in respect of bets made or accepted by telephone or email), except any lottery licence the holder of which only provides facilities for participation in low frequency 1 or subscription lotteries, gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote casino, and ancillary remote bingo.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All licences.
Applies to:
All licences.
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.
Licensees must ensure that the terms on which they contract with such third parties:
Applies to:
All remote licences.
Applies to:
All remote and non-remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All licences.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling, and monitor the effectiveness of these.
Licensees must ensure that their policies and procedures take account of the structure and layout of their gambling premises.
Licensees must designate one or more supervisors for each casino entrance.
A supervisor’s responsibilities include ensuring compliance with this section of the code.
A supervisor must implement the following procedures:
Licensees must not deliberately provide facilities for gambling in such a way as to appeal particularly to children or young people, for example by reflecting or being associated with youth culture.
In premises restricted to adults, service must be refused in any circumstances where any adult is accompanied by a child or young person.
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 all relevant prohibitions against inviting children or young persons to gamble or to enter gambling premises, and the legal requirements on returning stakes and not paying prizes to underage customers.
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
There should be a sufficient number of supervisors at casino entrances to enable a considered judgement to be made about the age of everyone attempting to enter the casino and to take the appropriate action (for example checking identification) whilst at the same time not allowing others to enter unsupervised. The nature of this task means that it cannot be properly accomplished only by using CCTV; it will require a physical presence. Heavily used entrances may require more than one designated supervisor.
Supervisors may be assisted by other door keepers provided the supervisor retains the responsibility for compliance with this section of the code and deals personally with any case where there is any doubt or dispute as to someone’s eligibility to enter.
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 provisional licence) with photocard; or a passport.
Licensees should put into effect procedures that require their staff to check the age of any customer who appears to them to be under 25.
Licensees should consider permanent exclusion from premises of any adult accompanied by a child or young person on more than one occasion to premises restricted to adults, or if there is reason to believe the offence was committed knowingly or recklessly.
Procedures should be put into effect for dealing with cases where a child or young person repeatedly attempts to gamble on premises restricted to adults, including oral warnings, reporting the offence to the Gambling Commission1 and the police, and making available information on problem gambling.
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.
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences in respect of bets made or accepted by telephone or email), except lottery licences, gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote casino, and ancillary remote bingo licences.
Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to prevent underage gambling and monitor the effectiveness of these.
Such procedures must include:
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences), except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Applies to:
All licences, except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting (remote platform) licences.
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.
The information must cover:
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’.
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.
Applies to:
All licences, except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo and ancillary remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All remote licences except: any remote lottery licence the holder of which does not provide facilities for participation in instant win lotteries, ancillary remote betting licences, remote betting (remote platform), gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences.
1 Licensees must offer a ‘time out’ facility for customers for the following durations:
Applies to:
All non-remote licences (except non-remote lottery, gaming machine technical, gambling software and host licences); only the following remote licences – ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino, ancillary remote betting, remote general betting limited, and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only).
Licensees must interact with customers in a way which minimises the risk of customers experiencing harms associated with gambling. This must include:
Licensees must take into account the Commission’s guidance on customer interaction.
Applies to:
All remote licences, except any remote lottery licence the holder of which does not provide facilities for participation in instant win or high frequency lotteries1, remote gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino, ancillary remote betting, remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) and remote general betting limited licences.
In force dates:
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).
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’).
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Licensees must take appropriate action in a timely manner when they have identified the risk of harm.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All remote licences, except any remote lottery licence the holder of which does not provide facilities for participation in instant win or high frequency lotteries1, remote gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino, ancillary remote betting, remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) and remote general betting limited licences.
In force dates:
Licensees must undertake a financial vulnerability check for customers that meet the relevant threshold.
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:
Licensees must:
Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures on:
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.
From 28 February 2025, the relevant threshold is where the customer’s deposits minus withdrawals exceeds £150 in a rolling 30-day period.
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.
Applies to:
All remote bingo, casino and betting licences of fee categories J1, K1 and L1.
Subject to paragraph 2 below, in this provision:
The Commission may:
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:
In a case in which a licensee receives a financial risk assessment pursuant to a request made under paragraph 3 above, the licensee must:
During the pilot phase, a licensee must:
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote licences (except lottery, gaming machine technical and gambling software licences) and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
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.
Licensees must, as soon as practicable, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material being sent to a self-excluded customer.
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
Licensees must, when administering the self-exclusion agreement, signpost the individual to counselling and support services.
Applies to:
All non-remote licences and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences, but not gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
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.
Individuals should be able to self-exclude without having to enter gambling premises.
Before an individual self-excludes, licensees should provide or make available sufficient information about what the consequences of self-exclusion are.
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.
Licensees should encourage the customer to consider extending their self-exclusion to other licensees’ gambling premises in the customer’s local area.
Customers should be given the opportunity to discuss self-exclusion in private, where possible.
Licensees should take steps to ensure that:
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.
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.
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.
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.
In providing training to staff on their responsibilities for self-exclusion, licensees should have, as a minimum, policies for induction training and refresher training.
Applies to:
All remote licences except: gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino, betting intermediary (trading room only) and remote betting (standard) (remote platform) licences. Paragraph 8 does not apply to ancillary remote betting licences, remote general betting (limited), or any remote lottery licence the holder of which does not provide facilities for participation in instant win lotteries.
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.
Licensees must, as soon as practicable, take all reasonable steps to prevent any marketing material being sent to a self-excluded customer.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Licensees must when administering the self-exclusion signpost the individual to counselling and support services.
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.
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences), except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino, remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) and remote betting (standard) (remote platform) licences.
Self-exclusion procedures should require individuals to take positive action in order to self-exclude:
Before an individual self-excludes, licensees should provide or make available sufficient information about what the consequences of self-exclusion are.
Licensees should encourage the customer to consider extending their self-exclusion to other remote gambling operators currently used by the customer.
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.
Licensees should take all reasonable steps to ensure that:
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.
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.
In providing training to staff on their responsibilities for self-exclusion, licensees should have, as a minimum, policies for induction training and refresher training.
Applies to:
All remote licences except: any remote lottery licence the holder of which does not provide facilities for participation in instant win lotteries, ancillary remote betting when relied upon to provide facilities for betting via a machine (commonly known as self-service betting terminals) on premises where a betting or track premises licence has effect, remote general betting (remote platform), remote betting intermediary (trading room only), gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, and ancillary remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino, bingo and betting licences (except in respect of the provision of facilities for betting in reliance on a track premises licence) and holders of gaming machine general operating licences for adult gaming centres.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino, bingo and betting licences (except in respect of the provision of facilities for betting in reliance on a track premises licence) and holders of gaming machine general operating licences for adult gaming centres.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Licensees who employ children (under-16-year-olds) and young persons (those aged 16 and 17) should be aware that it is an offence:
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.
Accordingly, licensees should have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to ensure that:
Licensees should consider adopting a policy that:
Applies to:
All remote licences, except remote lottery, remote pool betting, remote gaming machine technical, remote gambling software, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Licensees should take steps to prevent systematic or organised money lending between customers on their premises.
While the nature of those steps will depend to some extent on the layout and size of the premises, they should cover matters such as:
There should be appropriate arrangements in place to cover any cases where it appears that the lending may be commercial in nature or may involve money laundering. In the latter case, the requirements in respect of reporting suspicious transactions must be followed. In all cases where the operator encounters systematic or organised money lending, a report should be made to the Commission.1
1 These matters are to be reported to us online via our ‘eServices’ digital service on our website.
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences) except gaming machine technical, gambling software, host, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Licensees must have and put into effect policies and procedures designed to identify separate accounts which are held by the same individual.
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:
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.
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.
Applies to:
All licences, except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences), except gaming machine technical, gambling software, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Applies to:
All remote licences (including ancillary remote betting licences), except gaming machine technical, gambling software, ancillary remote bingo, ancillary remote casino and remote betting intermediary (trading rooms only) licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All licences (including ancillary remote licences), except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
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:
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.
Applies to:
All licences (including ancillary remote licences), except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
Applies to:
All non-remote bingo and casino licences.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All licences, except lottery licences.
All marketing of gambling products and services must be undertaken in a socially responsible manner.
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.
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.
Applies to:
All licences.
Applies to:
All licences.
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.
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.
The terms and conditions of each marketing incentive must be made available for the full duration of the promotion.
Applies to:
All licences.
Applies to:
All licences.
Applies to:
All licences (including ancillary remote licensees) except gaming machine technical and gambling software licences.
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.
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.
The services of any such ADR entity must be free of charge to the customer.
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.
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.
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.
Licensees should keep records of customer complaints and disputes and make them available to the Commission on request.
In this Code, ‘ADR entity’ means
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.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino licences.
Applies to:
All licences, including betting ancillary remote licences, but not other ancillary remote licences.
Applies to:
All licences.
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.
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 :
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
Applies to:
All non-remote casino operating licences, except 2005 Act operating licences.
22 Facilities for gambling must only be offered in a manner which provides for appropriate supervision of those facilities by staff at all times.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino, adult gaming centre, bingo, family entertainment centre, betting and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences, except non-remote general betting (limited) and betting intermediary licences.
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 .
Licensees must review (and update as necessary) their local risk assessments:
1This is the statement of licensing policy under the Gambling Act 2005.
Applies to:
All non-remote casino, adult gaming centre, bingo, family entertainment centre, betting and remote betting intermediary (trading room only) licences, except non-remote general betting (limited) and betting intermediary licences.