Compliance Updates
UKGC Announces Changes Aimed at Increasing Consumer Control Over Deposit Limits
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has announced changes aimed at increasing consumer control over deposit limits and greater transparency of customer funds protection by operators.
A further change to the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) will also pave the way for implementation of Government’s upcoming statutory levy.
The changes follow a consultation and are consistent with the 2023 White Paper High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age.
New rules will give consumers more effective ways to manage their gambling by making it easier to set and maintain deposit limits on their online accounts, in ways that work best for them.
From 31 October 2025 all gambling businesses must prompt their customers to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit and make it easy to review and alter this limit at any point after.
These rules will take good practice already offered by some operators and expand that so customers can expect the same standards across the industry.
Gambling businesses will also be required to remind consumers every six months to review their account and transaction information – this will help consumers consider if they want to change existing, or set new, deposit limits.
Operators who hold customer funds must set out in the terms and conditions whether these are protected in the event of insolvency, the level of such protection and the method by which this is achieved. They must also make this information available at the point at which a customer first deposits money.
The Commission’s LCCP currently requires operators to make annual financial contributions to a list of research, prevention and treatment organisations. This requirement will be removed close to the introduction of the government’s statutory levy (opens in new tab) (expected to come into force on 6 April 2025) as it will become obsolete.
“These changes illustrate our commitment to ensuring gambling is fair and open by improving consumer empowerment and choice. These changes will help consumers decide on deposit limits, enable them to keep track of their spending and ensure they are fully aware of what happens to their funds should an operator become insolvent. We will now continue our work to deliver our remaining White Paper commitments, including our programme of evaluation,” Tim Miller, Commission Executive Director for research and policy, said.
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