The Gambling Commission has launched a 16-week consultation, running from 29 January to 20 May 2025, aimed at improving the safety and fairness of gaming machines in Britain. This marks the third phase of the implementation of the 2023 Gambling Act Review White Paper.
The consultation will focus on updating gaming machine technical standards and testing strategies. Key proposals include consolidating the existing twelve technical standards into a single comprehensive framework, implementing mandatory time and monetary limit-setting functionalities, and enhancing safer gambling messaging displays. The regulator is also proposing five new standards, along with a new licence condition and a social responsibility code provision.
Additionally, three existing standards will be amended based on industry feedback to improve the customer experience. These changes aim to align gaming machine standards more closely with remote gambling regulations.
Tim Miller, Executive Director for Research and Policy at the Gambling Commission, emphasized the importance of gathering input from stakeholders, 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.”
Miller acknowledged that regulatory changes impacting gaming machine design could be costly and encouraged consumers, gambling businesses, and other stakeholders to contribute evidence. “This evidence will be invaluable in helping us assess whether the benefits to consumers are proportionate to the costs involved,” he added. The consultation represents a significant step toward modernizing gambling machine regulations and ensuring a safer, more responsible gambling environment.