UK Gambling Commission Annual Report Highlights a Year of Costly Reforms

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)’s annual report for 2024/25 indicates that the regulator is facing a challenging transitional year as it tries to expand its responsibilities while dealing with rising costs and increasing political scrutiny. The Commission underlined two key events that shaped the year: the transfer of the National Lottery’s fourth license to Allwyn UK and the steady implementation of reforms under the Gambling Act review.

Expenses Rose Significantly

Financially, the scale of the UKGC’s increased responsibilities is difficult to miss. Operating costs surged to GBP 60.3 million ($80.98 million), representing a 49% year-on-year increase. Increased staffing accounted for much of this rise, with the number of employees up by more than 11% to 416 by the end of March 2025. Staff costs alone reached GBP 27.8 million ($37.34 million), up from GBP 24 million ($32.24 million) in the previous year.

Despite the increased spend, the Commission ended the year withGBP 10.9 million ($14.64 million) in reserves. Income from license fees increased slightly to GBP 27.9 million ($37.48 million). However, this sum was not enough to offset the increased costs. GBP 29.1 million ($39.09 million) in grant-in-aid funding related to National Lottery duties, more than double the amount drawn down the year before, helped narrow the gap.

UKGC CEO Andrew Rhodes was optimistic, arguing that 2024/25 set the groundwork for further improvements in consumer protection and crime prevention. Despite this confidence, the regulator remains locked in two legal challenges brought by The New Lottery Company over the fourth license process, with a trial that has been ongoing since October 2025.

The Regulator Remains Committed to Customer Protection

On the operational side, the regulator significantly ramped up enforcement actions. The UKGC took enforcement action in 24 cases, resulting in GBP 4.2 million ($5.64 million) in penalties. Meanwhile, the Commission issued over 500 cease-and-desist notices to unlicensed operators alongside hundreds of warnings to affiliates. Over 95,000 illegal gambling URLs were removed, reflecting a more aggressive digital enforcement strategy.

We have continued to make significant progress in tackling illegal online gambling through our upstream work with third parties in finance, payment services, and internet service providers.

Andrew Rhodes, UKGC CEO

The report also provides a broader compliance snapshot. Around a third of licensees achieved a “good” rating for consumer protection, with just below 40% rated satisfactory. However, nearly 20% showed significant deficiencies. Performance was better regarding fair and open requirements, where more than 73% earned good ratings.

The substantial work done in 2024-25 gives the Commission a great opportunity to make further steps forward in our work to make gambling safer, fairer, and crime-free.

Andrew Rhodes, UKGC CEO

Looking ahead, the Commission does not show signs of slowdown. Its immediate priorities remain completing the White Paper reforms, tightening marketing rules, and enhancing customer care. Coming on the heels of a challenging 2025, the regulator aims to transform its prior investments into measurable gains in safety, fairness, and trust in the broader gambling sector.