Morning, Tuesday, 1st December 2026
Online
This conference will examine the way forward for gambling policy, regulation, and the sector and its customers in the UK.
The discussion takes place with further measures arising from the Gambling Act Review now in force, the Gambling Commission having confirmed a staged introduction of Financial Risk Assessments, and changes to gambling duties taking effect.
It will bring together stakeholders and policymakers to consider next steps as the regulatory, fiscal and public-health framework develops, and assess implications of emerging evidence on the impact of reforms. Areas for discussion include implementation of consumer safeguards, the cumulative effects of regulatory and fiscal changes, the competitiveness of the regulated market and risk of displacement towards illegal gambling, and the funding and delivery of work to prevent and address gambling-related harm.
Delegates will also consider the practical choices and pressures arising across different parts of the sector and for consumers, including effects on behaviour and protection, investment, employment, retail and product decisions. Priorities for action against illegal gambling will be discussed, including payment and advertising disruption and cross-agency enforcement, alongside the development of research, prevention and treatment under the statutory levy. The evidence needed to assess effectiveness, identify unintended effects, and inform further policy and regulatory decisions will also be considered.
Financial Risk Assessments & consumer safeguards
The agenda will assess preparations for the staged introduction of Financial Risk Assessments in Great Britain following the Gambling Commission’s pilot and evaluation work, including practical questions arising as the arrangements move towards implementation.
Areas for discussion include:
- implementation:
- thresholds and sequencing - guidance and expectations for operators - approaches where financial difficulties are identified
- circumstances in which further information or customer engagement may be required
- data & operation: use of credit reference agency data - accuracy and matching - privacy and data-sharing - arrangements for customers who cannot be assessed through the initial process
- consumers & the market: effects on customer behaviour and experience - changes in spending and participation patterns - movement between products and providers, including the illegal market
- horseracing: potential effects on betting turnover and Horserace Betting Levy income - evidence available to assess impacts - engagement as implementation proceeds
- evaluation: information needed to assess the operation and effects of the system - issues that may arise for subsequent stages of introduction
Wider Gambling Act Review reform
The conference will also consider early experience of wider measures arising from the Gambling Act Review, including online stake limits and changes to deposit-limit, marketing and social-responsibility requirements.
Areas for discussion include:
- implementation: experience of measures now in force - effects on operator practice and consumer behaviour - practical issues arising
- evidence: assessment of intended and unintended effects - differences across products and customer groups - information needed to judge effectiveness
- next steps: areas where guidance or regulatory arrangements may require further consideration - priorities for evaluation - evidence for future policy decisions
Duty reform & implications for the sector
The response to gambling-duty changes announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget will be examined, including the increase in Remote Gaming Duty, abolition of Bingo Duty, and changes to remote betting duty, including the treatment of UK horseracing.
Areas for discussion include:
- business response: effects of duty changes alongside the statutory levy and wider regulatory costs - investment, employment and retail decisions - products, pricing and customer offers
- market structure & business models: effects across online and land-based gambling and different products - market entry and consolidation - implications for investment and competition
- consumer behaviour: changes in participation and spending - movement between products and operators - evidence on displacement towards unlicensed gambling
- policy & evidence: interaction between tax and regulatory changes - assessing economic and behavioural effects - issues arising as the new duty arrangements become established
Illegal gambling, enforcement & market integrity
The agenda will examine priorities for addressing illegal gambling, including the work of the Illegal Gambling Taskforce and use of the additional £26m allocated to the Gambling Commission over three years.
Areas for discussion include:
- payments & access: disruption of payments to illegal operators - access to illegal websites and services - roles of financial services, payment providers and technology businesses
- advertising & promotion: affiliate activity - search, social media and other online routes to consumers - responsibilities and cooperation across the advertising and platform sectors
- enforcement: intelligence-sharing and cross-agency working - use of disruption powers - international cooperation - offshore and crypto-enabled operators
- evidence requirements: approaches to measuring illegal gambling and changes in consumer use - routes into the illegal market - effects of reforms
- next steps: priorities for the Taskforce and participating organisations - areas where existing powers, coordination or information may require further consideration
Funding, prevention & treatment
The conference will also consider the operation of the statutory levy and the transition to new arrangements for research, prevention and treatment, including how national commissioning structures relate to services and expertise already in place.
Areas for discussion include:
- commissioning & funding: allocation of levy funding - commissioning priorities and timetables - transition from previous funding arrangements - responsibilities across national bodies
- services & local delivery: NHS, local-authority and voluntary-sector provision - referral and access - geographical variation - workforce and service capacity
- prevention & early intervention: identification of gambling-related harm - approaches to groups experiencing different levels or forms of risk - health, education and community services roles
- research & evidence: priorities and research independence - evaluation of prevention and treatment approaches - evidence available to commissioners and policymakers
- experience & accountability: involvement of service providers and people affected by gambling harms - measures of outcomes - transparency of funding and commissioning decisions
Advertising, technology & consumer protection
Further sessions will consider developments in gambling advertising, technology and digital participation, and the questions they raise for existing approaches to consumer protection and regulation.
Areas for discussion include:
- advertising & marketing:
- sponsorship, affiliate activity, streaming and influencer-led content - exposure of children and people at greater risk of harm
- targeting and use of customer data - responsibilities across operators, agencies, affiliates and platforms
- gambling & gaming: loot boxes and other gambling-like features - gambling and gaming regulation boundaries - consumer understanding and evidence of harm - considerations for future policy
- technology & verification: age and identity verification - use of data and technology in identifying risk and customer interaction - privacy, accuracy and proportionality
- products & participation: e-sports wagering and new payment models - changes in routes to and forms of participation - implications for existing regulatory definitions and consumer safeguards
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from HM Revenue and Customs; Intellectual Property Office; and Ofcom.
