Great Britain-licensed gambling operators and suppliers have until 25 September 2026 to propose ways to simplify parts of the regulatory system. The Gambling Commission says the exercise could inform future guidance, regulatory changes or advice to the government. It does not change the rules currently in force.

The industry must show that lower compliance costs can be achieved without weakening protections for consumers, children or vulnerable people.

The Commission opened the formal invitation on 26 June 2026. It is seeking evidence of unnecessary costs and practical proposals for reducing them.

What businesses can challenge

The invitation covers the Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, technical standards, reporting duties and the interaction between different legal requirements.

  • Duplicated regulatory reporting.
  • Technical standards that no longer serve their original purpose.
  • Processes that create unnecessary administrative work.
  • Conflicts or overlap between separate legal and regulatory requirements.

Each submission should describe the existing burden and propose a solution. Businesses should also identify risks, assess the likely effect on consumers, explain implementation costs and set out how any change could be evaluated.

Why this is not an immediate rule change

The deadline is an invitation for evidence, not a direct change to gambling rules. The Commission will review and prioritise proposals after submissions close.

Changes to Commission controls may require a separate consultation. Proposals involving legislation may require action by the government.

The Commission has said that reforms still under evaluation and live formal consultations are generally outside the exercise. The process is not an open route to reverse new consumer protections or introduce fresh requirements.

Why the timing matters

Operators face several compliance milestones around the same period. The Commission’s current Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice took effect on 29 July 2026.

New requirements on gross deposit limits under the Remote Gambling and Software Technical Standards are due to take effect on 30 September 2026, five days after the submission deadline.

Licence fees are also scheduled to change on 1 October 2026, subject to secondary legislation. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the overall increase would be 25%, although the effect will vary by licence type.

This timetable gives the industry a specific case for reducing duplicated work. It also puts the central trade-off into sharper focus: whether greater efficiency can be achieved without shifting risk to players or weakening controls on crime, fairness and consumer harm.

What happens next

The Commission will assess proposals against the licensing objectives in the Gambling Act 2005. They include keeping crime out of gambling, ensuring gambling is fair and open, and protecting children and vulnerable people from harm.

No timetable has been set for final decisions on individual proposals. The Commission says its response will depend on available resources, business priorities, the evidence submitted and whether a proposal requires consultation or legislation.