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19 May 2023

Summary of first-ever inquiry into crime linked to gambling

Background The Howard League for Penal Reform (“Howard League”), which is the oldest penal reform charity in the UK, launched...

Adam Russell

18 May 2023

International Association of Gaming Advisors’ 40th Annual Gaming Summit hosted in Belfast

The International Association of Gaming Advisors (“IAGA”) is delighted to host the 40th annual International Gaming Summit at the Culloden...

Harris Hagan

17 May 2023

The White Paper Series: The End of the Beginning VIXIO Webinar

On 16 May 2023, Bahar Alaeddini appeared as a panellist on a VIXIO GamblingCompliance webinar titled “The End of the...

Harris Hagan

16 May 2023

Reporting of Deaths by Suicide: consequence and practical implementation

The Gambling Commission’s consultation on three changes it proposes to make to its Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (the...

David Whyte

28 April 2023

Gambling Commission Advice to Government

The Gambling Commission has published its advice to Government (the “Advice”), as part of the review of the Gambling Act 2005...

Harris Hagan

27 April 2023

Long-Awaited Gambling White Paper Published

The long-awaited High Stakes: Gambling Reform for the Digital Age (the “White Paper”) has been published today, nearly 30 months...

Harris Hagan

22 March 2023

Getting it right: how to comply with the “strong appeal” test when using sports personalities to advertise sports betting

Nearly half a year has passed since the introduction of the “strong appeal” test for gambling advertisements in the United...

Gemma Boore

21 March 2023

The Gambling Commission’s consultation on proposed changes to the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice

On 28 February 2023, the Gambling Commission launched a consultation proposing three changes to the LCCP (the “Consultation”), in relation...

Adam Russell

28 February 2023

ICE World Regulatory Briefing 2023: Speeches from Gambling Commission senior executives

This blog will discuss the speeches delivered by senior executives from the Gambling Commission at the ICE World Regulatory Briefing...

Adam Russell

19 January 2023

The time for reflection?

Harris Hagan and Regulus Partners have set out over the course of four articles our concerns about the Gambling Commission’s...

David Whyte

17 January 2023

Is in-play betting really an ‘indicator of harm’?

The Gambling Commission (the “Commission”) is currently consulting (the “Consultation”) on the proposed Customer Interaction – Guidance for remote operators...

David Whyte

10 January 2023

Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee Call for Evidence on Gambling Regulation

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport Committee (“DCMS”) Committee is examining the Government’s approach to gambling regulation, including...

Ting Fung

9 January 2023

Proposed Customer Interaction Guidance: The problems with common sense by decree

The Gambling Commission (the “Commission”) is currently consulting (the “Consultation”) on the proposed Customer Interaction – Guidance for remote operators...

David Whyte

9 January 2023

Chambers Gaming Law 2022 Global Practice Guide

Partners, Bahar Alaeddini and Julian Harris, have resumed their roles as Contributing Editors to the Chambers Global Practice Guide, with...

Adam Russell

23 December 2022

Where is the harm? Implications of regulatory revisionism for customer interactions

In this – the second in a series of articles on the Gambling Commission’s (the “Commission”) consultation (the “Consultation”) on...

David Whyte

22 December 2022

Putting the Customer First: Why all licensees should the take the Consultation on Customer Interaction Guidance seriously

A little over two years on from the launch of its consultation and call for evidence on remote customer interaction...

David Whyte

12 December 2022

Andrew Rhodes’ speech at the CEO Briefing 2022: Turning over a new leaf?

The current Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the Gambling Commission, Andrew Rhodes, delivered a 12-page speech at the CEO Briefing...

Adam Russell

5 December 2022

Gambling Commission annual report 2021-2022

The Gambling Commission’s Annual Report 2021-2022 (the “Annual Report”), published and presented to Parliament pursuant to Schedule 4 of the...

Ting Fung

14 November 2022

Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy statement: Gambling Commission consultation response – the “under the radar” compliance and enforcement changes you may not (yet) have noticed – Part 2

On 23 June 2022, the Gambling Commission published the response to its November 2021 consultation (the “Consultation”) on its Licensing,...

Gemma Boore

14 November 2022

Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy statement: Gambling Commission consultation response – the “under the radar” licensing changes you may not (yet) have noticed – Part 1

On 23 June 2022, the Gambling Commission published the response to its November 2021 consultation (the “Consultation”) on its Licensing,...

Gemma Boore

10 November 2022

The Legal 500 Country Comparative Guide 2022 – Gambling Law

Partner Bahar Alaeddini acted as the contributing editor, and together with Associate Francesca Burnett-Hall jointly contributed the UK chapter, to...

Adam Russell

10 November 2022

Recap on the Fourth National Lottery Licence Competition

On 20 September 2022, the Gambling Commission formally awarded the Fourth National Lottery Licence (“Licence”) to Allwyn Entertainment UK (“Allwyn”),...

Jessica Wilson

11 October 2022

Gambling Commission Special Measures: Trick? or Treat?

For better or worse, a number of licensees have now experienced the Gambling Commission’s special measures process. Although we remain...

Julian Harris

3 October 2022

Changes to the way Licensing works at the Commission

On 27 June 2022, the Gambling Commission announced that it was changing the way that licensing applications are processed and...

Chris Biggs

26 September 2022

The Gambling Commission’s Checklist for Licensees on Good Practice Complaints Handling

Following a review of licensee complaints policies which contained “a number of areas for improvement”, the Gambling Commission published advice...

Adam Russell

21 September 2022

New remote customer interaction requirements take effect…in part

On 12 September 2022, the Gambling Commission’s new Social Responsibility Code Provision (“SRCP”) 3.4.3, partly came into effect. For now,...

David Whyte

18 July 2022

Customer interaction guidance for remote gambling licensees (formal guidance under SR Code 3.4.3)

Following its announcement, in April 2022, of the introduction of a new Social Responsibility Code Provision (“SRCP”) 3.4.3 that comes into effect...

David Whyte

7 July 2022

The Affordability Debate (4): The Commission Unmasked

Readers may recall the three articles we have previously written analysing the Gambling Commission’s (the “Commission”) covert operation to introduce...

Julian Harris

5 July 2022

Lexology – Getting the Deal Through, Gaming 2022

As Harris Hagan continues its contribution to the Lexology GTDT Gaming publication, we are pleased to share with our subscribers,...

Harris Hagan

6 April 2022

Change of Corporate Control Reminder

The Gambling Commission has issued a reminder in its fortnightly E-bulletin (4 April 2022) about the requirements on a Change...

Julian Harris

28 February 2022

Chambers Global 2022 – Four Lawyers Ranked

Harris Hagan continues to have four lawyers individually ranked for Chambers & Partners’ Global Market Leaders Rankings (Gaming & Gambling)....

Ting Fung

18 February 2022

The Gambling Commission’s emerging money laundering and terrorist financing risks – 10 February 2022 update

The Gambling Commission released its most recent update on emerging money laundering and terrorist financing risks on 10 February. The...

David Whyte

28 January 2022

Chambers Gaming Law 2021 Global Practice Guide now available for download

In our last blog about Chambers Gaming Law 2021 Global Practice Guide, edited by Julian Harris and Bahar Alaeddini, we...

Ting Fung

6 January 2022

Gambling Commission Compliance and Enforcement Report 2020-2021

The Gambling Commission’s latest Raising Standards for consumers – Compliance and Enforcement report 2020 to 2021 (the “Report”) was published...

Ting Fung

13 December 2021

Gambling Commission consultation on the Licensing compliance and enforcement policy statement: Proposed changes to compliance and enforcement

On 17 November 2021, the Gambling Commission launched a consultation proposing changes to its Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy (the “Consultation”), including...

Bahar Alaeddini

1 December 2021

Gambling Commission consultation on the Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy statement: Proposed changes to licensing

On 17 November 2021, the Gambling Commission launched a consultation proposing changes to its Licensing, compliance and enforcement policy (the...

Bahar Alaeddini

1 December 2021

Chambers Gaming Law 2021 Global Practice Guide

Partners, Julian Harris and Bahar Alaeddini, return to their roles as Contributing Editors to the Chambers Global Practice Guide and...

Ting Fung

25 November 2021

Harris Hagan retains Band 1 ranking in Chambers and Partners

We are delighted to announce that Harris Hagan has been ranked in Band 1 of Chambers and Partners UK for...

Ting Fung

9 August 2021

Update on the Commission’s Regulatory Panel Reform Consultation

The Consultation In May 2020, we wrote about the Gambling Commission’s (the “Commission”) consultation on a change in approach to...

Jemma Newton

22 June 2021

Consultation response: Gambling Commission fees to increase from 1 October 2021

On 14 June 2021 the UK Government issued its response to a consultation by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media...

Jemma Newton

16 June 2021

Update on the Remote Customer Interaction Consultation

Background On 25 May 2021, the Gambling Commission of Great Britain (“the Commission”) provided an update regarding its Remote Customer...

Jemma Newton

13 May 2021

The Personal Management Licence regime: An impossible tightrope?

This article was co-authored by Tom Orpin-Massey from QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers. Introduction Personal management licences (“PMLs”) issued by the...

David Whyte

11 May 2021

The Affordability Debate (3): Regulating beyond its means?

This is the third in a series of articles considering different aspects of the affordability debate. We have already considered...

Julian Harris

105

22 April 2021

The Affordability Debate (2): Ambiguous Regulatory Requirements

Following the closure of the Gambling Commission’s (the “Commission”) consultation Remote customer interaction – Consultation and Call for Evidence (the...

David Whyte

103

31 March 2021

Gambling Commission Consultation Response on Online Slots Game Design and Reverse Withdrawals

In July 2020, we blogged about the Gambling Commission’s consultation on online slots game design and reverse withdrawals, which proposed...

Lucy Paterson

15 March 2021

DCMS consults on significant increases to Gambling Commission fees

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (“DCMS”) has launched a consultation which proposes significant increases to Gambling Commission...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

109

9 March 2021

Changes of Corporate Control: The Basics

In our experience, there is often confusion regarding change of corporate control (“CoCC”) requirements and, in particular, what events trigger...

Bahar Alaeddini

22 February 2021

Chambers Global 2021 – Four Lawyers Ranked

Harris Hagan continues to have four lawyers individually ranked for Chambers & Partners’ Global Market Leaders Rankings (Gaming & Gambling)....

Ting Fung

2 February 2021

The Affordability Debate: Protection, Responsibility and the Right to Choose

That affordability checks are a critical issue for the British gambling industry is undeniable; they place a yet further onerous...

Julian Harris

116

20 January 2021

Covid-19: Gambling Commission reminder to online operators

Gambling Commission CEO, Neil McArthur, issued a reminder on 11 January 2021 on the continued need for online operators to...

Ting Fung

1 December 2020

Chambers Gaming Law 2020 Global Practice Guide

Harris Hagan is pleased to contribute once again to the Chambers and Partners Gaming Law Global Practice Guide. The publication...

Ting Fung

137

24 November 2020

Gambling Commission – AML Guidance Update and Advice

Updates have been made to The prevention of money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism Guidance for remote and...

Ting Fung

137

24 November 2020

The Gambling Commission’s First National Strategic Assessment

On 6 November 2020 the Gambling Commission published its first National Strategic Assessment (“NSA”) alongside its annual, Raising Standards for...

Ting Fung

152

18 November 2020

Gambling Commission Compliance and Enforcement Report 2019-2020

On 6 November 2020 the Gambling Commission published its annual Raising Standards for consumers – Compliance and Enforcement report 2019...

Bahar Alaeddini

149

30 October 2020

Harris Hagan retains Band 1 ranking in Chambers and Partners

We are delighted to announce that Harris Hagan has been ranked in Band 1 of Chambers and Partners UK for...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

135

22 October 2020

Betting and Gaming Council Announces Game Design Code of Conduct

On 25 September 2020, the Betting and Gaming Council (“BGC”) announced the new Game Design Code of Conduct (the “Code”)....

Jessica Wilson

150

14 October 2020

Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Advertising, Sixth Edition

“From ancient times in China, Egypt and Rome, it has been present as a pastime, affording enjoyment for many, corrupting...

Ting Fung

122

13 October 2020

KnowNow Digital Conference: Responsible Marketing for Gambling Operators 2020

Harris Hagan is pleased to join KnowNow again, this time for its second annual Responsible Marketing for Gambling Operators 2020...

Ting Fung

138

9 October 2020

Gamcare releases first of its kind financial harms toolkit

This week, Gamcare released its Gambling Related Harm: Core Messages and Financial Harm Toolkit, which is aimed at organisations helping...

Lucy Paterson

130

2 October 2020

Harris Hagan retains Tier 1 ranking in The Legal 500

We are delighted to announce that Harris Hagan has been ranked in The Legal 500 2021 as Tier 1 for...

Jessica Wilson

126

29 September 2020

“On your marks, get set…” – Fourth National Lottery Competition

The Fourth National Lottery licence has been in the spotlight since the competition (“4NLC”) was announced in November 2018, with...

Ting Fung

143

28 September 2020

Gambling Commission Consultation Response on Display of Licensed Status

On 30 July 2020, the Gambling Commission published its response to a consultation carried out between 26 February 2020 and...

Jessica Wilson

142

23 September 2020

Thomson Reuters Practical Law: Gaming Global Guide 2020

Harris Hagan were delighted to contribute again to Thomson Reuters Practical Law: Gaming Global Guide. The guide provides an overview...

Jessica Wilson

137

17 August 2020

Consultation Response on Changes to Information Requirements

In our blog of 7 April 2020 we summarised the Gambling Commission’s consultation, launched on 26 February 2020, in two...

David Whyte

153

17 August 2020

Consultation Response on Changes to Information Requirements – AML/CTF

In our blog of 7 April 2020 we summarised the Gambling Commission’s consultation, launched on 26 February 2020, in two...

David Whyte

150

20 July 2020

Gambling Commission Consultation on High Value Customers

Introduction Following a breakfast briefing conducted by Neil McArthur in October 2019, the Gambling Commission announced the formation of three...

Julian Harris

142

10 July 2020

Gambling Commission Consultation on Online Slots Game Design and Reverse Withdrawals

On 9 July 2020, the Gambling Commission announced a consultation on online slots game design and reverse withdrawals. The former...

Bahar Alaeddini

177

9 July 2020

Gambling Commission Creates Interim Experts by Experience Group

On 19 June 2020, the Gambling Commission announced the creation of an interim Experts by Experience Group. The interim group...

Bahar Alaeddini

153

25 June 2020

Gambling Commission Consultation on Regulatory Panel Reforms – Our Response

On 18 May 2020, the Gambling Commission announced planned changes to its Regulatory Panel, which included: (1) the recruitment and appointment of...

Bahar Alaeddini

146

24 June 2020

Preserving the Value of Regulatory Assets in a Restructure

Covid-19 has not been all bad news for the beleaguered gambling industry – both anecdotally and from the statistics released...

Hilary Stewart-Jones

157

1 June 2020

Gambling updates from the Advertising Standards Authority; lockdown, eSports and children’s exposure to gambling adverts

The Advertising Standards Authority (“ASA”) has recently published guidance on advertising gambling amid lockdown, the marketing of eSports on social...

Jessica Wilson

153

28 May 2020

Changes to the Gambling Commission’s Regulatory Panel Procedure Rules

On 18 May 2020, the Gambling Commission announced planned changes to its Regulatory Panels. Claiming to improve how it regulates,...

Bahar Alaeddini

161

28 May 2020

Changes to the Gambling Commission’s Regulatory Panel

On 18 May 2020, the Gambling Commission announced planned changes to its Regulatory Panels. In its introduction it explained: “Due...

Bahar Alaeddini

166

18 May 2020

New Gambling Commission Guidance for Online Operators: Changing the Basis of Regulation?

Introduction The Gambling Commission’s recently published purported “guidance” for online operators (“New Guidance”), issued under social responsibility code provision 3.4.1...

Julian Harris

167

14 May 2020

New Gambling Commission Guidance for Online Operators

On 12 May 2020, the Gambling Commission issued new “additional formal guidance” for online operators in response to “evidence that...

Jessica Wilson

171

7 May 2020

Remain Vigilant to Ensure AML Compliance

The Gambling Commission published the fifth edition of The prevention of money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism –...

David Whyte

169

6 May 2020

Gambling Commission Response on Remote Key Equipment Changes

In our blog on 3 February 2020 we outlined the Gambling Commission’s proposed changes to the variation application and notification...

Bahar Alaeddini

159

5 May 2020

Keeping Affiliates in Line: “No Fudging”

Ensuring that operators have adequate oversight of their marketing affiliates has been on the Gambling Commission’s agenda for some time,...

Lucy Paterson

155

1 May 2020

New Gambling Commission Commissioners

The Gambling Commission recently announced the appointment of four new Commissioners with immediate effect. Terry Babbs, Brian Bannister, Jo Hill...

Bahar Alaeddini

156

24 April 2020

Betting and Gaming Council Announces Safer Gambling Strategy

Last month the industry association, the Betting and Gaming Council, announced a new 10-point safer gambling action plan for its...

Jessica Wilson

170

16 April 2020

Vlog on Gambling Commission Licences

I am pleased to share our new training vlog on the basics of licences issued by the Gambling Commission. Happy...

Bahar Alaeddini

161

14 April 2020

Gambling Commission Business Plan 2020-2021

In the midst of the Coronavirus crisis and national lockdown, the Gambling Commission pushed ahead and published its annual business...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

148

8 April 2020

Welcome To Harris Hagan’s Vlog

In a blog post last week I mentioned the launch of our video blog with weekly vlogs or blog tutorials...

Bahar Alaeddini

164

8 April 2020

GAMSTOP, Prophet and Sportito – A Cautionary Tale

GAMSTOP is a multi-operator self-exclusion scheme which enables players to restrict their online gambling by self-excluding from online operators with...

Lucy Paterson

171

7 April 2020

Consultation on LCCP Information Requirements, Regulatory Returns and Industry Statistics

Gambling Commission licensees are required to report certain information to the Gambling Commission in accordance with the Licence Conditions and...

Jessica Wilson

151

6 April 2020

Banks Tackling Gambling-Related Harm

Last year the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (“DCMS”) ministers met with banks and gambling operators to discuss...

Lucy Paterson

173

3 April 2020

No Love in the Time of Coronavirus

On 1 April 2020 the Gambling Commission published its annual business plan for 2020-2021. Inevitably this was drafted prior to...

Julian Harris

169

2 April 2020

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

Training means “the action of teaching a person or animal a particular skill or type of behaviour”. It has specific...

Bahar Alaeddini

161

2 April 2020

Update on Gambling Commission Industry Working Groups

On 2 October 2019, Neil McArthur, CEO of the Gambling Commission, delivered a speech at a CEO Breakfast Briefing in London in...

Bahar Alaeddini

165

31 March 2020

Productivity in This Time of Crisis

The widespread closure of land-based gambling businesses, coupled with the impact of a hiatus in sport may, however undesirably, present...

David Whyte

173

31 March 2020

PMLs: Maintenance or Renewal?

We have encountered some misunderstanding, not least on the part of the Gambling Commission (the “Commission”), as to the nature...

Julian Harris

153

27 March 2020

Government Help for Gambling Businesses

In an effort to help businesses struggling in the face of the global coronavirus pandemic, the Government announced, on 17...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

162

27 March 2020

Betting Without Sports & Product Diversification

Following the recent cancellation of almost all sporting events, and with future cancellations and postponements looking inevitable, licensees may be...

Lucy Paterson

161

25 March 2020

The Gambling Commission’s Response to the Coronavirus Crisis

The world is currently facing its greatest health emergency since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 and its worst economic...

Julian Harris

165

21 February 2020

Four Lawyers Ranked in Chambers Global 2020

Four of Harris Hagan’s lawyers were individually ranked in the global rankings, for Gaming & Gambling, of the prestigious Chambers &...

Harris Hagan

186

14 February 2020

Betting and Gaming Council Call for Crackdown on Black Market

The Betting and Gaming Council (“BGC”), the single industry group which represents British-licensed gambling operators, has called for the Government...

Lucy Paterson

166

5 February 2020

Changing Mindsets

After a marked absence from ICE, Neil McArthur, the CEO of the Gambling Commission, gave a keynote speech at the...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

179

3 February 2020

Gambling Commission Consults on Remote Key Equipment Changes

All online gambling businesses providing facilities for gambling have remote gambling equipment, known as “key equipment”. This is recorded in Schedule...

Francesca Burnett-Hall

163

20 January 2020