UK Establishes Gambling Policy Commission to Review Fitness of 2005 Gambling Act
The UK has formed the Gambling Policy Commission to assess whether the Gambling Act 2005 remains fit for purpose amid technological change, with a final report due in 2028.Summary
The UK has launched an independent review of the Gambling Act 2005 through a newly established Gambling Policy Commission (GPC), chaired by Professor Jagjit Chadha of the University of Cambridge, with Professor James Reade of the University of Reading as chief economist. The commission is gathering evidence from researchers, consumers, industry representatives, regulators and policymakers, with a final report expected in 2028 and the call for evidence closing on February 12, 2027. The review will assess whether current laws can handle emerging developments including prediction markets, artificial intelligence, cryptocurrencies and gambling-like features in digital products, as well as boundaries between gambling and financial activity. It will evaluate the government's 2023 Gambling White Paper and its reforms, with taxation a central focus: gambling contributed an estimated £5 billion to UK gross value added in 2024 and supported approximately 75,000 jobs in 2025, while HMRC recorded £3.9 billion in betting and gaming duties in 2025/26, and the review follows the decision to raise Machine Games Duty from 5% to 25%. Illegal gambling is another priority; a Gambling Commission survey found 2.5% of online gamblers had used an illegal website in the previous four weeks, though experts questioned whether this captures true criminal revenue. The inquiry will also address gambling-related harm, intervention effectiveness, the operator-sports relationship including British horseracing, and cross-government policy coordination. SCCG noted that operators should submit targeted evidence on digital boundaries and tax effects, as the review may produce tighter licensing or new levies that reshape UK compliance costs and market access.
(Source：Sccg Management)