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Upcoming changes to regulatory returns.
Published: 30 May 2024
Last updated: 10 July 2024
This version was printed or saved on: 26 March 2025
Online version: https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/licensees-and-businesses/guide/regulatory-returns-changes-effective-from-1-july-2024
Overview: Regulatory return submissions from gambling licensees are a vital source of information, providing an understanding of the size and shape of the gambling market in Great Britain as well as other key regulatory information.
In March 2024 we published the Frequency of regulatory returns: Consultation response. This stated our intention to change licence condition 15.3.1 – General and regulatory returns of the Licence Conditions and Code of Practice (LCCP) from 1 July 2024 to require all licensees to submit their regulatory returns on a quarterly basis. We also stated that additional changes will be made to the regulatory returns submission process, some of which were previously agreed in the 2020 Consultation: Changes to information requirements in the LCCP. These include removing some questions from regulatory returns for licensees and the harmonisation of reporting periods and due dates across all licensees.
The information that follows explains how we will transition licensees from their current regulatory returns reporting period to a new harmonised quarterly reporting period. It also provides information about the questions we will be removing from regulatory returns from 1 July 2024.
We will be updating the regulatory returns guidance from 1 July 2024, removing guidance that applies to questions that are going to be removed, and in some cases clarifying exactly what data is required by amending the wording of existing guidance based on feedback from licensees.
The guidance will be updated in time for the new reporting period starting from 1 July 2024, but copies of the old guidance will still be available on request for licensees completing their return in the transition period during July 2024. Please email regulatoryreturns@gamblingcommission.gov.uk to request a copy.
For all regulatory returns with a reporting period start date on or after 1 July 2024 the following changes are being made:
In order to transition all gambling licensees to the new regulatory return reporting periods, the reporting period end date of all regulatory returns with a period containing 30 June 2024 will be changed to 30 June 2024.
This will mean for these regulatory returns you may have shortened reporting periods and due dates.
For regulatory returns with a reporting period end date on or before the 30 June 2024, you must complete all of the questions within the regulatory return which are outlined in our Regulatory returns guidance.
The removal of questions from regulatory returns as outlined in this document will come into effect for all regulatory returns with a reporting period of 1 July to 30 September 2024 onwards. Guidance and clarification on remaining questions will also come into effect for the July to September reporting period.
Gambling licensee A was granted a non-remote operating licence containing an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) licensed activity on 10 February 2024, this is the start date of their regulatory returns reporting period.
Gambling licensee B was granted a remote operating licence containing a casino licensed activity on 17 April 2024, this is the start date of their regulatory returns reporting period.
For both licensees their current active regulatory returns are detailed within the following table entitled ‘Example: 'As is' regulatory returns scenario’.
| Licensee details | Gambling licensee A | Gambling licensee B |
|---|---|---|
| Operating licence granted | Non-remote operating licence – Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) | Remote operating licence - Casino |
| Operating licence start date | 10 February 2024 | 17 April 2024 |
| Regulatory return type | Adult Gaming Centre | Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo (RCBB) |
| Regulatory return frequency | Annually | Quarterly |
| Start date of reporting period | 10 February 2024 | 17 April 2024 |
| End date of reporting period | 9 February 2025 | 16 July 2024 |
In this example, the licensees have different regulatory return frequencies and their submissions do not align.
As regulatory returns are changing to harmonise all reporting frequencies, reporting periods and due dates, the following changes will happen for Gambling licensee A and Gambling licensee B:
These new quarterly regulatory returns will include fewer questions and guidance for remaining questions will be made clearer.
This will shorten the reporting period of regulatory returns with a period containing 30 June 2024. These must still be submitted within the following applicable timeframes:
To illustrate the effect of the changes, we will return to our earlier example.
Gambling licensee A was granted a non-remote operating licence containing an Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) licensed activity on 10 February 2024.
Gambling licensee B was granted a remote operating licence containing a casino licensed activity on 17 April 2024.
The reporting period end dates of regulatory returns with a period containing 30 June 2024 will be changed to 30 June 2024.
| Licensee details | Gambling licensee A | Gambling licensee B |
|---|---|---|
| Operating licence granted | Non-remote operating licence – Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) | Remote operating licence - Casino |
| Operating licence start date | 10 February 2024 | 17 April 2024 |
| Regulatory return type | Adult Gaming Centre | Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo (RCBB) |
| Regulatory return frequency | Annually | Quarterly |
| Start date of reporting period | 10 February 2024 | 17 April 2024 |
| End date of reporting period | 30 June 2024 |
30 June 2024 |
| Submission end date | 11 August 2024 | 28 July 2024 |
New regulatory returns will be created for both licensees. The new regulatory returns with a reporting period from 1 July 2024 onwards will have quarterly frequencies and harmonised reporting periods and due dates. They will also have a reduced question set, with updated guidance for the remaining questions.
| Licensee details | Gambling licensee A | Gambling licensee B |
|---|---|---|
| Operating licence granted | Non-remote operating licence – Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) | Remote operating licence - Casino |
| Operating licence start date | 10 February 2024 | 17 April 2024 |
| Regulatory return type | Adult Gaming Centre | Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo (RCBB) |
| Regulatory return frequency | Quarterly | Quarterly |
| Start date of reporting period | 1 July 2024 | 1 July 2024 |
| End date of reporting period | 30 September 2024 | 30 September 2024 |
| Submission end date | 28 October 2024 | 28 October 2024 |
Further regulatory returns will be created when applicable for all licensees. All regulatory returns will be quarterly and have the following reporting period start and end dates:
All quarterly regulatory returns must be submitted 28 days after the end of the quarterly period.
If you have any questions relating to the changes to regulatory returns please contact regulatoryreturns@gamblingcommission.gov.uk.
Regulatory returns with a reporting period start date on or after 1 July 2024 will have certain questions removed thereby reducing the burden for gambling licensees.
The following sections detail the questions to be removed for each regulatory return type:
Guidance for the Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance: Adult Gaming Centre.
Within the operational section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
1Questions related to Cabinet category - B3 and B4 have been amalgamated into single questions. These questions are ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Number of cabinets)’ and ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Gross Gambling Yield)’ .
Guidance for the Bingo regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance: Bingo.
Within the operational section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024: Other information:
Please note we are consolidating fields in relation to EBTs. You will still be required to report GGY for these products, but they will need to be reported within other fields. For example all activity relating to EBT machines will be recorded alongside traditional machines data under ‘Cabinets’, all activity relating to EBT bingo will be recorded under the relevant bingo categories (main stage etc) and all VBT activity on EBTs will be recorded under the main Video Bingo section More information will be published in the regulatory returns guidance before 1 July 2024.
1 Questions related to Cabinet category – B2, B3 and B4 have been amalgamated into single questions. These questions are ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Number of cabinets)’ and ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category- B (Gross Gambling Yield)’.
Guidance for the betting regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Betting.
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
1 Questions related to Cabinet category – B2, B3 and B4 have been amalgamated into single questions. These questions are ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Number of cabinets)’ and ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category- B (Gross Gambling Yield)’.
Guidance for the Casino 1968 regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Casino 1968.
Within the operational section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the casino information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
1 Questions related to Cabinet category – B1, B2 and B3 have been amalgamated into single questions. These questions are ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Number of cabinets)’ and ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category- B (Gross Gambling Yield)’.
Guidance for the Casino 2005 regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Casino 2005.
Within the operational section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the casino information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
1 Questions related to Cabinet category – B1, B2 and B3 have been amalgamated into single questions. These questions are ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category - B (Number of cabinets)’ and ‘Cabinets: Cabinet category- B (Gross Gambling Yield)’.
Guidance for the External Lottery Manager (ELM) regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - External Lottery Manager guidance.
Within the operational section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
1 The question relating to the ELM percentage will be replaced by a new question ‘Total ELM management fees collected from Gambling Commission licensed society and local authority licences’.
Guidance for the Family Entertainment Centre (FEC) regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Family Entertainment Centre.
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Guidance for the Gaming machine and software regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Gaming machines and software.
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Other information: Any other information to support this return.
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Guidance for the Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Remote Casino, Betting and Bingo (RCBB).
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the financial section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Guidance for the Society lottery regulatory return type can be found within the Regulatory returns guidance - Society lottery.
Within the operational sections the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
Within the other information section the following questions will be removed for reporting periods with a start date on or after 1 July 2024:
As all licensees are moving to the set quarterly reporting period for regulatory returns, the Gambling Commission would like to remind all licensees that this reporting period will not, in most cases, reflect the regulatory year applicable to the licence.
When a licence is granted by the Commission, an annual fee is paid based on the license fee category that has been applied for. This is the anniversary date of the licence and determines the licensee’s annual regulatory period.
Licensees are permitted to trade up to the fee category limits noted on their licence, until their next annual fee is due. Details of the different fee categories can be found in the licence activities section of our website.
If at any point after the payment of the annual fee the licensee believes that they will go over their license fee category limit, they must submit a variation to the Commission to increase their permitted trading levels. Details on submitting variations to licence fee categories can be found in our guide on how to make changes to your operating licence.
Licensees must ensure that they keep suitable records to track trading in line with their fee category restrictions, and submit any required variations, giving the Commission time to process and grant the application.
Licensees are advised that trading above the fee category limits, is a breach of the License Conditions and the Gambling Act 2005. Any identified breaches will be recorded and further regulatory action may be taken.
The Gambling Commission has received a number of queries on how the Responsible Gambling contribution should be completed for partial and quarterly submissions.
Below is an explanation of how this section of the returns should be completed, guidance will be updated to provide additional clarity.
Licensees are required to make an annual financial contribution under social responsibility code 3.1.1(2).
For partial returns if a contribution has yet to be made in the regulatory period the RET section should be completed as No. Licensees will be able to move on with the submissions by clicking the save button following the notification that the contribution is a licence requirement. During the assessment of the partial returns we will be able to identify if there is a breach for when payments were made based on previous submission.
Any RET contributions made prior to the start date of the partial return will relate to the previous years contribution requirements.
Going forward on quarterly returns licensee will only complete the RET section in the period that they make the contribution. In all other quarters this section should be marked as no in the same fashion as the partial returns.