Tim Miller Weighs in on UK Regulatory Changes at Peers for Gambling Reform Summit

Tim Miller, executive director of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), has given the commission’s perspective on Britain’s evolving regulatory landscape. Speaking at the Peers for Gambling Reform Gambling Summit on September 3, Miller weighed in on the ongoing efforts to reform gambling regulation in the United Kingdom.

The UK’s Regulatory Reforms Continue

Miller acknowledged that the current reforms are the biggest since the Gambling Act of 2005 and praised the efforts to implement evidence-led changes, in line with the proposals outlined in the Gambling Act white paper. He emphasized that the UKGC had delivered a number of actions within a few months of the original publication of the white paper.

Thanks to the regulator’s ongoing efforts to implement the gambling regulation reforms, the UK has achieved significant progress. Among other things, the UKGC implemented financial vulnerability checks, provided consumers with greater control over the marketing they receive from operators, implemented rules to reduce the speed and intensity of online gambling products to make them less risky and addictive, and tightened age verification measures.

However, Miller admitted that there is still much more to do. He also acknowledged that some people might disagree with the aforementioned measures and demand further reforms. Miller didn’t rule out the possibility of further changes and mentioned that some of the current reforms were prompted by the egregious failures of certain gambling industry stakeholders.

While many operators have learned from their mistakes, others have had to be “dragged along” the journey to meet high standards, “kicking and screaming,” Miller said.

However, Miller also warned against a scenario where the UK finds itself on an “endless treadmill of reform” and encouraged effective evidence-based changes that deliver measurable results instead.

We are not going to rely upon gut instinct or belief to measure the success of the White Paper – we will rely upon evidence.

Tim Miller, executive director, UKGC

The Regulator Has Been Cracking Down on the Black Market

In the meantime, Miller addressed the UKGC’s ongoing efforts against illegal gaming, saying that his team has been ramping up action against the black market. He listed some of his team’s achievements since the start of the fiscal year in April, saying that the UKGC:

• Sent 344 cease-and-desist orders to operators and affiliates
• Reported 45,674 URLs to search engines, resulting in the removal of 30,605 of them
• Referred 466 websites to search engines for delisting
• Disrupted 235 websites, causing them to get taken down or geo-blocked

Miller admitted that these intense efforts have been costly but have delivered results.

Miller Says the UKGC Cannot Handle Extra Responsibilities Right Now

In the meantime, Miller rejected calls to stack more responsibilities onto the UKGC amid calls for inspections and regional oversight. Miller explained:

As a fairly small regulator based in Birmingham, the Gambling Commission is not in a position to police every gambling establishment up and down the nations of Britain.

Tim Miller, executive director, UKGC

If the government wants this to change, it should reconsider the authority’s current funding model, he added. Unless that happens, the UKGC will remain focused on delivering the “already considerable statutory roles” the Parliament has given it.  

Miller added that the UKGC remains committed to regulating the market and intervening where offenses have been identified. He concluded that he doesn’t believe that the implementation of the white paper measures will be “the end of the story” in terms of regulatory reforms.

Miller’s full speech is available on the UKGC’s official website.