Gambling Commission money laundering risk assessment 2026 published
30 July 2026
The Gambling Commission has today released its risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing in the British gambling industry 2026. The risk assessment is an update to the 2023 publication and, among other things, takes into account HM Treasury and the Home Office’s National Risk Assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing 2025 (opens in new tab).
The risk assessment is an important resource for all licensed operators to use when compiling their own risk assessments and is intended to inform them of the current risks in the British gambling industry.
This publication meets our obligation under The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the Regulations) (opens in new tab) to identify and assess the risks of money laundering and terrorist financing in the casino sector.
What operators need to do
All gambling businesses
Licence Condition 12.1.1 - Prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing, sets out that licensees must conduct an assessment of the risks of their business being used for money laundering and terrorist financing. Licensees are also required to take into account any applicable learning or guidelines published by the Commission from time to time. This includes the Commission’s money laundering and terrorist financing risk assessment.
All licensees are therefore expected to take into account the sections of the Commission’s risk assessment that are relevant to their business.
Licensees should:
- consider how the risks outlined may apply to their businesses and update their risk assessments accordingly
- use the risk ratings provided to assist in assessing the level of risk posed to their businesses.
Licensees must then review and, where applicable, update their policies, procedures and controls following any changes to their risk assessments, including changes in risk ratings.
Casino businesses
In addition to the requirements set out for all gambling businesses, casino licence holders have an obligation under the Regulations to take into account the Commission’s risk assessment when carrying out their own risk assessment.
Casino licensees must:
- consider how the risks outlined may apply to their business and update their risk assessment accordingly
- keep an up-to-date record of the steps taken to identify and assess money laundering and terrorist financing risks to their business.
In line with the Regulations, casino licence holders must use their risk assessments to inform their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing policies, procedures and controls.
The Commission has a duty as a supervisory authority to review casino risk assessments in accordance with a risk-based approach. The Commission recognises that updates to risk assessments and policies, procedures and controls require internal approval. We expect updates to be made in a timely manner, and for casino operators to be able to demonstrate the steps taken to implement updates.