Andrew Rhodes has stated that the Gambling Commission looks forward to a year of providing transparency in regulatory developments through research and evidence.
Speaking at the Betting and Gaming Council’s (BGC) 2025 AGM, the CEO of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) presented a ‘high-level’ overview of the year ahead for regulatory projects, programmes and initiatives.
Hosted on 28 February, the BGC’s AGM coincided with the Commission decreasing the financial vulnerability threshold for online gambling deposits from its test phase of £500 to a live environment of £150 per 30-day period.
The application of deposit thresholds will initiate a period of regulatory changes for licensed operators, who must contribute funding to a new Statutory Levy on problem gambling harms from 6 April and apply £5 and £2 stake limits on online slots from 21 May.
Rhodes noted that new online requirements come as the Commission monitors stable trends, saying: “Recent data published shows that total gross gambling yield (GGY) is at its highest ever level at £15.6bn. Participation in gambling has remained stable at 48%, just under half of the adult population in Great Britain.
“What they show is that online betting, in particular, follows the pattern of large marquee events. For example, racing saw an uptick in participation recently, and GGY has tracked along with results.
“The statistics indicate a return to the previous norm rather than a decline, which we need to keep an eye on.”
As such, the Commission is focused on understanding and analysing trends in consumer behaviour regarding which products people are engaging with—an objective supported by new insights from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB).
Beyond the regulatory changes in spring, Rhodes informed BGC delegates that: “In early summer, we will also release our illegal gambling findings, which will include estimates, segmentation, and data on the effectiveness of our interventions.”
The Commission maintains its principal project to develop and implement GamProtect, which aims to provide a single customer view of UK gambling accounts by enabling operators to compliantly and securely share information.
“This is a really important industry-led tool,” he added. “The White Paper was very clear about its intention to mandate adoption if it was not voluntarily implemented. We will be closely monitoring those who have not chosen to adopt this because it is an important tool in helping those most at risk. It is in the industry’s best interest to adopt this as soon as possible.”
Rhodes further emphasised that the Commission is closely monitoring how operators communicate with customers regarding affordability checks and financial risk assessments.
These assessments are a requirement due to concerns about misleading messaging, where customers are being told that technical issues or security concerns are due to the Commission-mandated affordability checks.
“This is not helpful. This needs to stop because it undermines the system of regulation, which is why we see stories in the media about people saying, ‘I’m a £10 punter, why have I had an affordability check?’ I cannot understand why they have either, and what we are finding is that some of this is down to how things are being explained to consumers. We must tighten this up, as it will continue to be unhelpful.”
Looking ahead, Rhodes reiterated the Commission’s commitment to ongoing engagement with industry stakeholders. The UKGC will continue to collaborate with regulators worldwide, including those in the US, Europe, and Australia, to foster consistency in gambling regulation.
“There’s a whole host of other things happening this year. DCMS will recruit a new permanent Chair for the Gambling Commission. The UK will also, in the near future, undergo a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) assessment of our AML controls, which is critical to maintaining the UK’s standing as a global trading centre.”
Additionally, the Commission will be working alongside the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to scrutinise data use in gambling advertising and marketing. The ICO is currently reviewing the top 1,000 sites by traffic, many of which are gambling websites,, urging them to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
The review is required due to correspondence “we have taken around Stake and their sponsorship arrangements, as well as the actions against TGP Europe’s white-label provisions as well.”
Rhodes concluded his speech by reaffirming the UKGC’s commitment to transparency, consumer protection, and constructive dialogue with industry stakeholders: “We need to have a strong, productive, and collaborative relationship based on an understanding of what the requirements are. That is why I am always happy to attend events like this.”
“There remains a lot of work ahead. There is always something happening. I now approach my fourth year in this role, and when I took it on, I truly believed that engagement would be key—meeting people, talking to people, and fostering engagement based on openness, transparency and directness.”
