Consultation on Licence conditions and codes of practice February 2023: multi-operator self-exclusion, notification of deaths by suicide and technical update relating to payment services

Overview

The Gambling Commission (the Commission) regulates most forms of commercial gambling in Great Britain.  

We are consulting on three proposed changes to our requirements on gambling businesses. All stakeholders, including consumers, gambling operators and members of the public are invited to share their views on these proposals.  

Separately, Government is conducting a Review of the Gambling Act 2005 and we continue to support Government by providing advice. At present, we consider it highly unlikely that the Review would affect the proposals in this consultation, and we consider that it is desirable to make progress on these topics in the interim. We will of course take account of the Government's White Paper when it is available. 

This consultation document covers the following topics:

Extending the multi-operator self-exclusion scheme to additional categories of betting licensee

• Most gambling businesses offering remote betting are required to participate in an online multi-operator self-exclusion scheme known as GAMSTOP. Where a customer signs up to GAMSTOP, they will automatically be self-excluded from all online gambling offered by all operators who participate in the scheme. We are consulting on changes to Social Responsibility Code Provision 3.5.5 Remote multi operator self-exclusion to extend the requirement to participate in the GAMSTOP scheme to all licensees that make and accept bets by telephone and email.

Reporting deaths by suicide to the Commission 

• We are consulting on adding a requirement to Licence Condition 15.2.2 ‘Other reportable events’ that would require all licensees to inform us when they become aware that a person who has gambled with them has died by suicide.

Payment services- technical update 

• We propose to amend the text of Licence Condition 5.1.2 which relates payment services to ensure that the condition reflects the current legislative provisions. We propose a further amendment to ensure that the condition also reflects any further legislative amendments to the Payment Services Regulations that might come into force in the future.

Responding to the consultation 

Thank you for taking part in this consultation. This consultation document covers three proposals and has a number of questions. You can respond to as few or as many questions as you wish to and we will consider all responses. 

We ask that stakeholders respond to the consultation using the online survey, although responses can also be submitted by post to: Policy Team, Gambling Commission, 4th Floor, Victoria Square House, Birmingham, B2 4BP.

The print layout of the consultation document is laid out slightly differently to the online version.

We may decide to publish your name (if you are responding in a personal capacity) or the name of your organisation (if you are responding on your organisation’s behalf) on our website to indicate you responded to this consultation.

We ask that you indicate within the online survey whether you provide consent to these details being published.

If you provide consent then this information may be placed on our website to provide information about who responded to the consultation exercises. 

Information about how the Gambling Commission processes your personal information, including a specific section on information we collect as part of a Gambling Commission consultation exercise, can be found in the Gambling Commission’s Privacy Policy.  

The consultation will last for 12 weeks and will close on Tuesday 23 May 2023. 

What happens next

The Commission will consider the responses received in relation to this consultation before making a final decision with regards to the three proposals and the timetable for implementation (if required).