UK Gambling Commission launches consultation on gaming machine standards


UK Gambling Commission launches consultation on gaming machine standards

Almost two years after the last government white paper on gambling was published, the UK Gambling Commission has launched a new consultation on proposed reforms. This time, the focus is on proposals for new technical standards and testing criteria for gaming machines.

The proposed changes will affect the Gambling Machine Technical Standards (GMTS), the Gambling Machine Testing Strategy (testing strategy) and the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). All stakeholders, including consumers, gambling companies and testing houses, are invited to share their feedback.

The proposals include five new standards, a licence condition and a social responsibility code provision, which the regulator says are “designed to support and enable consumers to use gaming machines safely at every stage of the customer journey”. There are proposals for time and money limits, safer gambling messaging and how net position and session times should be displayed.

The existing 12 gaming machine technical standards will be merged into one standard, with the format aligned with the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards. Meanwhile, the gaming industry has asked for three existing standards to be reviewed to improve the gaming experience. On testing, the proposal is to remove outdated material.

Tim Miller, the Gambling Commission’s executive director of research and policy, said:

The White Paper sets out that the top priority is to ensure gambling is safe. We share that commitment and today’s consultation sets out how we could deliver changes to gaming machines in the land-based sector. We recognise that regulatory changes affecting the design of machines can have significant costs. We encourage consumers, gambling businesses and other interested groups to share evidence that will help us assess both the likely regulatory impact of the proposed changes and the likely costs of implementing them. This evidence will prove invaluable in helping to make a robust assessment of whether the benefits to consumers are proportionate to the costs involved.

The consultation will run from 29 January to 20 May 2025. Feedback can be provided via the online survey.


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