Assurance statements

This guidance explains our data and information requirements if you are required to send us an assurance statement.

Published: 25 February 2022

Last updated: 25 February 2022

This version was printed or saved on: 15 May 2024

Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/guide/assurance-statements

Overview: ## What are assurance statements for?

Assurance statements are designed to improve the focus and accountability on the delivery of the licensing objectives by the boards, or equivalent senior leadership structures, of large gambling businesses.

The statements are intended to:

be a relatively concise self-assessment of the risks to the licensing objectives posed by the business
how well you are managing those risks
where you need to improve and how you intend to do so.

Assurance statements provide a means for your board to provide constructive challenge within the business on the effectiveness of your governance and risk management arrangements in facilitating positive consumer protection, addressing gambling-related harm and crime prevention measures.

Actively managing your risk

We want you to embrace the challenges of the regulatory landscape by actively and effectively managing your risks and issues and to inform key business decisions. In turn, we are committed to a proportionate and risk-based regulatory regime.

If licensing objectives are the focal point of your decision making and they are supported by good governance, risk management and a high level of compliance your business is less likely to present a risk.

If this approach is successful, as we believe it will be, and over time more and more operators incorporate the licensing objectives into their corporate culture, the need for external regulatory scrutiny may decrease.

The precise governance arrangements of organisations will vary depending on the size, nature, and complexity of your operations or on the gambling services you provide. We will take this into account when we receive and review your assurance statements.

When we identify and select licensees to give us an assurance statement, we provide them with a templates to populate, as well as explanatory notes, and tell them how and when the statements are to be sent to us.