The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling in Great Britain. It is a non-departmental public body (NDPB) sponsored by the Department for Culture Media & Sport (DCMS).
The Commission’s priorities include making sure that gambling is fair and open, and protecting children and vulnerable people from being harmed or exploited by gambling.
With the exception of the National Lottery and spread betting operators, all gambling operators in Britain are licensed by the Gambling Commission and must follow its regulations.
More information can be found at www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk
The National Lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission www.natlotcomm.gov.uk/
Spread betting is regulated by the Financial Services Authority www.fsa.gov.uk/
Operators are required to comply with the advertising codes of practice that apply to the form and media in which they advertise their gambling facilities and services. Advertising is subject to the CAP (non-broadcast) and BCAP (broadcast) codes which are administered by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) www.asa.org.uk/ .
CAP and BCAP cover content and placement of advertising and ensure that it is socially responsible. These codes forbid gambling advertising to target young people and aim to protect vulnerable people from exploitation and harm.
Operators should also follow the Gambling Industry Code for Socially Responsible Gambling which supplements CAP and BCAP and is monitored by the Review Group for Socially Responsible Advertising. The Gambling Industry Code was developed by the gambling industry and sets minimum standards in a number of areas not covered by CAP and BCAP, specifically:
It is important to be able to recognise the signs that you may have a gambling problem.
Manage your gambling better by learning more about how you spend your time.
There are various forms of counselling and treatment for problem gambling issues.
Click on the drop down to select an option.
