May 10, 2016

A new business plan sets out how consumers will be at the heart of the Gambling Commission’s work over the coming year.

Themes providing direction to the Commission’s work include:

• building on vital work to protect the most vulnerable and set standards for responsible and safe gambling;
• ensuring markets are fair and open for consumers by tackling problems with online marketing, terms and conditions, and unsolicited texts; and
• giving consumers confidence that markets are not rigged or subject to fixing and otherwise are kept free from crime.

The plan sets out how the Commission will support the delivery of its statutory responsibilities by way of five strategic objectives:

• empowering and protecting consumers;
• raising standards across all gambling sectors;
• building partnerships and understanding, both domestically and internationally;
• ensuring fair play on the National Lottery; and
• improving regulation.

A number of Commission priorities are highlighted, including a sharp focus on progress to deliver the new three-year National Responsible Gambling Strategy, implementing new regulations to tackle crime and money laundering, and reviewing enforcement policies and practices to promote credible deterrence.

The plan also identifies how the Commission wants to be efficient by aiming to ensure that the costs of regulation fall fairly on operators as part of the current fees review.

Looking further ahead, the plan signals the intention to develop a new corporate strategy to reflect changes in markets, technology, consumer behaviours and regulatory approaches.

To read the Gambling Commission’s business plan in full, click here.