UKGC Data Analytics Manager Jason Davies Explains the Changes to Regulatory Returns Submissions Required by Licensees

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has recently made a significant shift in regulatory reporting requirements for all licensed operators. Previously operators were obligated to submit regulatory returns annually, but under the new rules submissions will be required every quarter.

UKGC Data Analytics Manager, Jason Davies, explains the changes to regulatory returns submissions required by licensees.

“On 1 July 2024 the Gambling Commission updated Licence Condition 15.3.1 – General and regulatory returns of the Licence Conditions and Code of Practice (LCCP) to require all licensees to submit their regulatory returns on a quarterly basis within 28 days of the end of the reporting period. Quarterly returns support our aim to be a risk-based, evidence led and outcomes focused regulator and contribute towards our aspirations outlined in our Corporate Strategy 2024 to 2027 to use data and analytics to make gambling regulation more effective.

“As well as quarterly submissions for all licensees, we have introduced harmonised reporting periods which means all licensees submit data for the same time period, in the first instance for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024. This is important as more regular data, coupled with harmonised reporting periods will ensure the Commission can analyse changes in the market on a timely basis and manage our income more effectively. It will also mean we can publish this information more frequently, for those wanting to use our official statistics on the gambling market for their own work.

“Whilst we are aware that when we consulted on this change to regulatory returns there was a concern amongst some licensees about the increased frequency of reporting, we have tried to balance this out by removing a significant number of questions from regulatory returns across all return types. We’ve listed all of the questions we have removed within the Question removal section of Regulatory returns changes – effective from 1 July 2024.

“The transition to quarterly regulatory returns on the 1 July 2024 means that most licensees will have seen their last regulatory return (whether they were previously on an annual or quarterly cycle) changed to have an end date of 30 June 2024. We’ve had to do this to align licensees to the new reporting schedule from 1 July, but it means that most licensees will need to submit a partial return. These partial returns are due by the 28 July 2024 (for any licensees who previously completed a quarterly return) or 12 August 2024 (for any licensee who previously completed an annual return). You can log into eServices and complete this now.

“We’ve also updated the Regulatory returns guidance, so far we’ve removed any reference to fields which have been removed from regulatory returns from 1 July 2024 onwards and also added in definitions for fields which were previously automatically calculated within eServices.

“We have some more work to do on the guidance, acting on feedback that licensees shared with us in an early part of the regulatory returns project, where they told us that the guidance for some questions was unclear. We’ll be reviewing these and make sure they are updated by the end of August. Fundamentally we would not be changing what we are asking for, but we’ll try and add some more clarity.”