Gambling Commission Delays Decision on Financial Risk Checks After Key Board Meeting

The UK Gambling Commission has postponed a final decision on proposed financial risk checks following a major board meeting held on Thursday, as debate across the gambling industry continues to intensify.

The regulator met to review the latest evidence surrounding the controversial checks, which have faced criticism from operators concerned about customer disruption and the potential impact on the regulated market.

While the Gambling Commission has repeatedly insisted the measures will be largely frictionless — and has pushed back against the term “affordability checks” — many industry stakeholders remain sceptical.

Ahead of the meeting, the Commission published data suggesting the success rate for frictionless checks was significantly better than initially anticipated by the UK government. Those findings were presented to the board on May 21 for further analysis.

However, the regulator ultimately failed to reach a final conclusion.

In a statement issued to the Racing Post, the Commission said:

“The Gambling Commission board met to consider next steps on financial risk assessments. It was presented with an extensive evidence base but has not yet fully completed its assessment of that evidence. We will communicate further in due course.”

The delay comes after mounting criticism from leading gambling operators, including Flutter Entertainment CEO Peter Jackson.

Speaking to The Sun ahead of the meeting, Jackson urged the regulator to reconsider the plans, warning that the checks could create unnecessary friction for customers and push players towards unregulated gambling platforms.

He said:

“The Gambling Commission appears intent on pressing ahead despite clear evidence from tests that the system will be nowhere near the frictionless customer experience ministers promised three years ago.”

Jackson also argued that the proposals risk harming both player safety and tax revenues by driving customers away from licensed operators.

The Betting and Gaming Council has also raised concerns over the proposals, warning they could unintentionally damage the regulated sector.

Despite the criticism, the Gambling Commission continues to defend the planned checks. Last month, the regulator’s director of major policy projects and evaluation, Helen Rhodes, claimed that 97% of player accounts subject to assessment would experience a frictionless process.

According to Rhodes, that figure is substantially higher than the previous UK government target of 80% when the proposals were originally outlined in 2023.

The Commission has also criticised what it describes as inaccurate commentary surrounding the checks. Last week, it published additional data on financial vulnerability assessments — separate from the proposed financial risk checks — and suggested some operators lacked sufficient understanding of how the system operates.