Gambling Commission
| Gambling Commission | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Keeping gambling fair and safe for all |
| Predecessor | Gaming Board |
| Formation | September 1, 2007 |
| Type | Government agency |
| Legal status | Non-departmental public body |
| Purpose/focus | Gambling regulation in the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Victoria Square House |
| Location | Victoria Square, Birmingham, B2 4BP |
| Region served | UK |
| Membership | 200 employees |
| Chief Executive | Jenny Williams |
| Main organ | Board of Commissioners (Chairman - Philip Graf), Management Board |
| Parent organization | Department for Culture, Media and Sport |
| Website | Gambling Commission |
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This article relies on references to primary sources. (April 2011) |
The Gambling Commission is Great Britain's regulatory body for most, but not all, gambling.
Contents |
History [edit]
It was established under the Gambling Act 2005 and assumed full powers in 2007, taking over responsibility from the Gaming Board for Great Britain, in regulating arcades, betting, bingo, casinos, slot machines and lotteries, but not spread betting (regulated by the FSA) or the National Lottery (regulated by a bespoke regulator).
It is also responsible for the remote gambling which includes betting online, by telephone and other communication devices using the equipment, based on the territory of Great Britain.
It is planned to merge the Gambling Commission with the National Lottery Commission,[1] which is based on Wigmore Street in Westminster.
Main responsibilities [edit]
The Commission's stated aims are "to keep crime out of gambling, to ensure that gambling is conducted fairly and openly, and to protect children and vulnerable people".[2]
The Commission is a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. It issues licenses to gambling operators, can levy fines and revoke licenses, and is tasked with investigating and prosecuting illegal gambling. It is also responsible for advising national and local government on gambling-related issues.[2]
The UK Gambling Commission issues licenses only to those operators whose remote gambling equipment is located on the territory of the UK. Those operators who wish to advertise their services on the territory of the UK, but are based outside the country, have to obtain a license from the Gambling Commission or, alternatively, one of the whitelisted gambling jurisdictions. [3]
Monitoring and regulation [edit]
The list of responsibilities of the Gambling Commission includes work to ensure that licensees act in accordance with the requirements imposed by the Gambling Act 2005 and other related regulations and standards. The Commission has the right to visit its licensees and examine their financial activities. As a result of this examination, specialists from the Gambling Commission can issue recommendations for amendments. Apart from such advice, supplementary license conditions can be set or removed. In some cases, the Commission may take action to correct or avoid certain misconducts. [4]
Apart from reviewing the activities of the licensed operators, the Commission is authorised to take regulatory actions against those licensees who breach the rules in some way. The range of actions that may need to be taken varies from issuing a warning to inflicting a fine on those who violate license conditions. In situations where additional investigation is required, the license can be revoked.
The Intelligence department of the Gambling Commission collects information about the illegal activities related to their field and conducts preliminary investigation in order to build a picture of the situation and inform senior management.They also collaborate with other UK organisations and the police in cases where suspicious betting or gambling activities are detected. [5]
The list of operators and personal license holders who have had a regulatory sanction imposed on them is published on the site of the Gambling Commission. [6]
See also [edit]
