Great Britain
91pts
Regulation 27/30
Taxation 17/20
Product 20/20
Integrity 14/15
Advertising 13/15
Market Summary
Robust regulation, moderate operator costs and taxation. Represents one of the earliest pieces of online gambling legislation and remains one of the best examples of regulation globally. Forecast to retain high operator numbers and channelling rate.
Channelisation:
99%
Regulatory framework
Land-based and online racing and sports betting is licensed and regulated in Great Britain (Northern Ireland has its own law) through the Gambling Act 2005, which established the Gambling Commission. Local authorities license the premises of the long-established land-based betting market.
Licensing numbers & costs
Unlimited land-based and online licences. 100+ online betting licences in operation with over 8,000 land-based betting premises (also licenced by local authorities). Licensing costs vary across betting products depending on GGR: online betting licence (no limitation on length) application fee is approx. £3k-£25.7k with an annual fee of approx. £3k-£500k.
Enforcement & player protection
Betting prohibited for under 18s. Licence conditions and codes of practice included detailed responsible gambling provisions to protect minors and vulnerable persons. This includes player self-exclusion (all online operators must participate in the gambling industry developed GAMSTOP scheme). AML is in place.
Betting tax & levies
Point of consumption tax. Online and land-based fixed odds and pool betting is 15% GGR. Sports spread betting is 10% GGR and financial spread betting 3% GGR. Exchange betting is 15% GGR on commission. 10% GGR levy on British horse race bets.
Other taxation
19% corporation tax in 2021. Gambling is exempt from value added tax (VAT).
Betting channels
Land-based and online racing and sports betting is licensed.
Types of betting
Fixed-odds, exchange, pool and spread betting permitted. The regulator has the power to impose restrictions on bet types and betting events, but no restrictions have been deemed necessary.
Betting integrity
Licensed operators are required to report suspicious betting to the regulator and sports. Detailed integrity policy guidance provided to operators. Britain has signed but not ratified the Council of Europe sports manipulation convention and is a member of its network of national platforms. The national platform includes the authorities, operators and sports.
Prosecution
Gambling Act offence of cheating (s.42) with up to two years’ imprisonment, plus bribery and fraud laws.
Advertising (incl. bonuses) & sponsorship
Licensees must comply with regulator and Advertising Standards Authority codes covering advertising and bonus promotion and aimed at protecting minors and other vulnerable people. The gambling industry also established its own responsible advertising code prohibiting TV betting adverts during sporting events. Sponsorship of sport is permitted, but gambling logos are not allowed on children’s sports shirts.
