TO BE PUBLISHED May 2025
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Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
This conference will examine the future for the UK gambling sector.
There will be a focus on key issues for sector regulation and for customers and interest groups, with discussion on developments in UK gambling policy and industry trends, and the way forward for responsible sustainability of the sector, including next steps for advertising and sponsorship.
It will be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to consider both immediate and longer-term priorities in the context of statutory levy implementation, as the sector prepares for first payments in October 2025. We expect discussion on the levy’s governance, including issues of transparency and next steps for collaboration between government departments and the gambling regulator, through the Levy Programme Board and Advisory Group.
Delegates will also assess priorities for UKRI, the prevention commissioner, and NHS England in funding distribution, as well as the implications for organisations in accessing financial support. Implementation of levy rate alignment with gambling harm will also be considered, as well as implementation of an evidence-based process to adequately monitor the impact of gambling, and what constitutes a comprehensive approach to harm prevention.
Sessions will look at how to balance the economic viability of the gambling industry and opportunities for growth with the need for robust consumer protection measures. Priorities for the evaluation of the impact of policy reform will also be discussed, including the role of the Lived Experience Panel and Evaluation Advisory Group in guiding the research. Areas for discussion include early indications of the impact of newly introduced stake limits, learnings from phase one of the ongoing financial risk assessments pilot, and implications of increased regulation on operational costs and consumer behaviour.
We also expect the agenda to bring out latest thinking on how to realise opportunities for innovation and technology in addressing negative impacts of gambling, including the way forward for data analytics and responsible design principles, as well as the potential for new approaches in research and care funded by the statutory levy. Opportunities for innovating customer services will also be considered, including the way forward for use of AI and other technologies in customer targeting, age verification, and addressing emerging concerns, including in the online space.
Further sessions will examine the future of gambling advertising and sponsorship, and possible knock-on impacts of the Premier League banning front-of-shirt gambling sponsors from the end of the 2025/26 season. Attendees will consider strategic approaches for the gambling sector, including options for cross-industry collaboration on frameworks and assurances on advertising and sponsorship that is appropriate, responsible and does not exacerbate harm. There will also be discussion on options for tackling the increasing prevalence of white label operators using football to advertise globally, the impact of gambling promotion on young people, and options for increasing customer choice in direct marketing.
With the agenda currently in its drafting stage, overall areas for discussion include:
- statutory levy: implementation of 2023 white paper reforms - establishing effective governance structures - alignment of levy with evidence-based harm data
- funding: priorities for UKRI, NHS England, and the prevention commissioner for funding distribution - transparent allocation of funds
- policy reform: assessing implications of stake limit introductions - impact on consumer behaviour - mitigating risks for younger adults - evaluating short and long-term regulatory outcomes - operator costs
- game design: next step for implementation of safer options - slower play features - adapting online slots to reduce harm - removing autoplay functions - clarifying responsibilities for operators
- financial checks: addressing privacy and data concerns - provision of customer information - avoiding unnecessary friction for low-risk gamblers - initial findings from the financial risk assessment pilot
- advertising and sponsorship: addressing concerns about youth exposure - tackling prevalence of white label operators - potential for industry-wide safeguards - international issues
- technology and data analytics: harnessing AI for early harm detection - promoting responsible design principles - scaling solutions like GamProtect - next-generation regulatory frameworks
- regulation and sector sustainability: proportional rules for smaller operators - industry competitiveness - assessing social and economic benefits - discussing unintended consequences of policy
- enforcement: the Gambling Commission’s approach - collaboration - tackling unlicensed operators - inter-operator cooperation - clarifying roles for suppliers, ISPs, and payment providers
