The Gambling Commission was created as part of the 2005 Gambling Act and is the United Kingdom’s official commercial gambling regulator.
Based in Birmingham, the Gambling Commission is a non-departmental public body that serves as an independent regulator of all commercial gambling services in the country. It is funded by licensed operators and sponsored bythe Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Its reach extends to both offline and online commercial gambling services alike.
Ever since the National Lottery Commission was absorbed by the Gambling Commission in late 2013, the Gambling Commission also now oversees the UK’s National Lottery.
The Purpose of the Gambling Commission
Officially, the Gambling Commission was established with three primary objectives, which are:
- To ensure that all commercial gambling service providers are fair and transparent.
- To keep commercial gambling free of crime and fraud.
- To protect vulnerable people and children who may be harmed by gambling activities.
Having taken over as a regulator of the National Lottery, the Gambling Commission now also makes sure that as much money as possible from the Lottery goes to as many good causes and charities as possible.
Gambling Commission History
The DCMS founded the Gambling Commission in 2005, in order to bring unified control and supervision to the commercial gambling industry in the United Kingdom. It was a move instigated to ensure that everyone involved in the industry essentially played by the same rules.
Some of the rules brought about by the Gambling Commission include the provision of clear, simple and open complaint system, the requirement to display accurate odds on all gambling machines (online and offline) and the provision of/support for self-exclusion. Reviews and reports are regularly produced by the Commission, as a means by which to highlight and reduce problem play and addiction.
Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014
Since the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 was brought in as of November 2014, it has been a legal requirement for any business or service provider looking to set up or advertise a gambling brand in the United Kingdom to first obtain a license. Such licenses must be applied for directly with the Gambling Commission.
Funding
The Gambling Commission is funded by way of the charges payable by those applying for and receiving licenses to do business in the UK. The DCMS determines exactly how much is payable. In addition, the Gambling Commission also receives funding from the National Lottery Distribution fund.
Getting In Touch
While the Gambling Commission plays a pivotal role in ensuring commercial gambling remains safe and fair, they do not deal with individual customer complaints or problems. Instead, it is advisable to get in touch with the Gambling Commission upon coming across a service provider that is not following the strict rules and standards set out by the Commission.
This will then result in an investigation being carried out, in order to ensure that any problems are addressed at the earliest possible juncture,
Contact Details
Telephone – 020-7287-1994 or 0121-230-6720
Website – www.responsiblegamblingtrust.org.uk
Postal Address – Responsible Gambling Trust, 35 Piccadilly, London, W1J 0DW