British Gambling Commission Plans Crackdown on Illegal Land-Based Gambling for First Time

(AsiaGameHub) –   The regulator has announced new funding aimed at tackling illegal land-based gambling.

UK.- The British Gambling Commission has unveiled plans to enhance enforcement against gaming machines and clamp down on illegal land-based gambling. During the Bingo Association’s annual general meeting, acting chief executive Sarah Gardner explained that the regulator will collaborate with industry operators while maintaining a strong commitment to enforcement.

Speaking about the Gambling Commission’s recently secured £26 million in additional government funding over the next three years to intensify its efforts against illegal gambling, Gardner stated that these funds would enable the regulator to shift focus toward illegal land-based gambling. This includes increased cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

“This funding will allow us to invest—arguably for the first time in a serious way—in addressing land-based illegal gambling,” Gardner said.

The regulator is currently recruiting for a newly created senior role: Head of Illegal Markets within the Operations Directorate. The appointee will lead investigations and enforcement actions against unlicensed operators, coordinating resources across Enforcement and Intelligence, and working closely with the Illegal Markets team, Sports Betting Integrity Unit, as well as departments responsible for Legal, Policy, Strategy, and Communications.

Gardner also confirmed that, effective July 29, operators must immediately remove any gaming machines if the regulator determines they lack proper licensing or do not meet technical standards. She described the measure as designed to “streamline processes and ensure non-compliant machines are swiftly removed from premises.” A full consultation response is expected later this summer.

Collaboration with the bingo sector

Gardner commended recent collaboration with the bingo sector, including an updated approach to national gambling statistics. Operators had previously raised concerns over discrepancies in the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) figures related to bingo players. In response, the Gambling Commission introduced a revised survey question to more accurately identify where bingo is played. This adjustment narrowed the gap between GSGB estimates and admission-based data, revealing that many individuals claiming to play bingo actually participate in private settings rather than formal bingo halls.

Revised statistics showed that while 3.3 per cent of adults reported playing bingo in 2024, only 1.2 per cent attended licensed clubs, which aligns more closely with the Bingo Association’s own estimate of 1 per cent. Gardner noted that the findings further underscored “the social nature of bingo” as a key factor driving face-to-face participation.

The Commission’s latest Industry Statistics revealed that bingo contributed £816 million to Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in 2024/25, representing approximately 5 per cent of the UK gambling market’s total of £16.8 billion. Of this, £650 million came from land-based venues and £166 million from online channels. Two-thirds of the land-based GGY was generated by gaming machines, with traditional bingo games accounting for 35 per cent.

Gardner paid tribute to outgoing Bingo Association chief executive Miles Baron for his ten years of service and welcomed Nicole Garrett as his successor. She concluded her remarks by reaffirming the regulator’s partnership with the Bingo Association and compliant operators, emphasizing their shared objective of promoting “safer, fairer and crime-free gambling.”