A consultation proposing substantial increases to UK gambling operator licence fees has been published in error by the regulator. The document, targeting a 1 October 2026 implementation, outlines three potential plans headlined by a 30% flat-rate hike preferred by the Gambling Commission itself.
Fee scenarios
The consultation details three options. The first is a 30% increase, which would generate an additional £8.7m annually to maintain current regulatory work levels. The second is a 20% increase, which would require significant cutbacks and end the proactive disruption of illegal gambling. The third option, preferred by the government, is a 20% increase plus a 10% ring-fenced portion specifically for combating illegal markets.
Stakeholder impact
The move follows recent government budget decisions to increase remote gambling duties. The industry has argued that such financial burdens could boost the unlicensed market’s share. Concurrently, the government has promised the UKGC an additional £26m over three years to combat illegal gambling. The consultation also notes a future legislative proposal to allow the Commission to set its own fees.
The leaked document cites the Commission’s budget deficits, including £3.1m drawn from reserves in 2024/25. The proposed hikes would raise the total fee cost as a percentage of GGY from 0.21% to 0.28%. Current enforcement activity levels include issuing 516 cease and desist notices and facilitating the removal of 95,705 illegal gambling URLs in the 2024/25 period.
