UKGC Launches Latest Consultation on Gaming Machine Technical Standards

The Gambling Commission has launched a new consultation aimed at making gambling in Britain safer and fairer.

This is the Commission’s third consultation to implement proposals from the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age.

The consultation, which will run for 16 weeks (from 29 January 2025 to 20 May 2025), is focussed on the gaming machine technical standards and the related testing strategy. It includes proposals to:

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• introduce five new standards, a licence condition and a social responsibility code provision designed to support and empower consumers to use gaming machines safely at every stage of the customer journey – this includes proposals on time and monetary limit setting functionality and information provision such as safer gambling messaging and the display of net position and session time

• amend three existing standards having considered industry proposals to improve customer enjoyment and gameplay

• consolidate the existing 12 gaming machine technical standards into a single standard, whilst amending the format to be more consistent with our Remote gambling and software technical standards for greater clarity

• update the gaming machine technical standards and the related testing strategy to remove obsolete material.

Tim Miller, Gambling Commission Executive Director for research and policy, said: “The White Paper sets out that a top priority is ensuring that gambling happens safely. We share this commitment and today’s consultation proposes how we could implement gaming machine changes in the land-based sector.

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“We recognise that regulatory changes that impact the design of machines can come with considerable costs. We are encouraging consumers, gambling businesses and other interested groups to share evidence that will assist us in measuring both the likely regulatory impacts of the proposed changes and the likely costs of implementing them. This evidence will be invaluable to helping make a robust assessment on whether the benefits to consumers are proportionate to the costs involved.”