Key points:
- The Gambling Commission’s consultation runs until 20 May 2025 and seeks input on safer gaming machine regulations
- Proposed changes include new consumer protection measures, consolidation of technical standards and clearer regulatory guidance
- Stakeholders are encouraged to provide evidence regarding implementation costs and regulatory impacts
The Gambling Commission has initiated a new consultation phase focused on enhancing the safety and fairness of gaming machines across Britain.
The 16-week consultation, running from 29 January to 20 May 2025, represents the third phase of implementing proposals from the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper.
The consultation centres on gaming machine technical standards and testing strategies, introducing five new standards alongside a licence condition and social responsibility code provision.
Key proposals include implementing time and monetary limit-setting functionality and enhancing information displays for safer gambling messaging.
The regulator aims to consolidate the existing twelve gaming machine technical standards into a single comprehensive standard, aligning it more closely with remote gambling technical standards.
The proposals also include amendments to three existing standards based on industry suggestions to improve customer experience.
Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, stressed the importance of gathering evidence from stakeholders to help assess the changes, stating: “The White Paper sets out that a top priority is ensuring that gambling happens safely. We share this commitment and today's consultation proposes how we could implement gaming machine changes in the land-based sector.
“We recognise that regulatory changes that impact the design of machines can come with considerable costs. We are encouraging consumers, gambling businesses and other interested groups to share evidence that will assist us in measuring both the likely regulatory impacts of the proposed changes and the likely costs of implementing them.
“This evidence will be invaluable to helping make a robust assessment on whether the benefits to consumers are proportionate to the costs involved."
