The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has reminded licensees and stakeholders to provide feedback on proposed amendments to the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP) by the close of 29 September 2025.
The consultation follows the introduction of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) 2024, a wide-ranging reform of UK consumer law. The Act replaces the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPUTR) 2008 and will also lead to the revocation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes Regulations (ADRR) 2015 when new provisions come into force in April 2026.
As older frameworks are still referenced in the LCCP, the Commission requires guidance on technical amendments to bring its rulebook into line with the new UK-wide legislation. The Commission stressed that the changes are not designed to impose additional duties but to ensure that references are consistent with the updated law. The Four proposals are under consideration:
- Fair and transparent terms: Amending Licence Condition 7.1.1 to replace references to the CPUTR 2008 with the DMCC Act in relation to “unfair commercial practices.”
- Marketing requirements: Updating Social Responsibility Code 5.1.9 so that definitions of misleading actions, omissions and “invitations to purchase” are drawn from the DMCC Act.
- Complaints and disputes: Revising footnote ‘a’ of Social Responsibility Code 6.1.1 to refer to DMCC accreditation rules, rather than the ADRR 2015.
- Removal of outdated list: Deleting footnote ‘b’ of Social Responsibility Code 6.1.1, which referred to a Commission-maintained list of approved dispute providers that is no longer relevant.
The Commission also plans to update its website and guidance documents to remove outdated references, though this element does not require consultation.
Stakeholders from across the sector – including consumers, charities, trade associations, gambling licensees and other regulators – are invited to respond either through the UKGC’s online survey.
The UKGC concluded: “These changes simply ensure the LCCP aligns with the modernised legislative framework under the DMCC Act 2024. Feedback from stakeholders will help us confirm that all necessary adjustments have been identified and correctly applied.”
Improving consumer redress in gambling was one of the principal conditions of the Government’s Gambling Review and its subsequent White Paper which endorsed establishing a ‘Gambling Ombudsman’ to strengthen consumer engagement and allow complaints and unfair practices.
Changes on online consent have been applied from 1 May. Online operators must “provide customers with options to opt in to the product types they are interested in receiving and the channels through which they wish to receive marketing.” Operators must give customers control over the direct gambling offers they wish to receive and ensure they do not receive marketing without their consent.
On the matter of consent, the White Paper further recommended that “the Commission work to strengthen consent for direct marketing for online gambling, with new and existing customers given more choice on what offers they want (including requiring consent to ‘cross-selling’ new products) and how marketing is sent to them.”
