Ian Angus, Director of Policy at the UK Gambling Commission, told a panel at a Lottery Council meeting this week that changes to the Gambling Act will come into force in the New Year.
Referring to the publication of the Government’s White Paper on the future of gambling, Mr Angus said areas of review currently include financial vulnerability controls and financial risk assessment, as well as slot-based online gambling and direct marketing incentives to customers.
With the conclusion of these reviews, changes in these areas are expected to be implemented first next year.
The next round of review and consultation will focus on social responsibility and the bonuses, free bets and gambling management tools offered by operators.
On the mandatory gambling levy for operators to pay for gambling-related losses, Angus said: “While we are on top of the levy, we expect DCMS to launch its consultations on the levy soon, which will be your chance to plead your case.” . “Our advice to the government regarding taxes will also be published,” he said.
This will take much longer to implement as any changes to the imposition of tax on operators will be made through secondary legislation, and Angus said: “We now need to consult before we make any changes to this document, so there will be a lot of change over the next few years.” There is a consultation window.