The UK Gambling Commission is clamping down on operators that act outside of gambling laws with a new strategy that came into force today following a period of consultation.
The main changes are in the financial penalties the commission may impose on those breaching the law, in particular in cases of “systemic and repeated failings”.
The commission is also removing the current bias that favours reaching a settlement and instead sets all of the regulatory tools - including a review of licensing for both operators and managers - on an equal footing. It is also planning to use time-limited discounts to create better incentives for early settlement.
Sarah Harrison, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “We will use the full range of enforcement powers to ensure operators put customers first and raise standards.
“The industry can be assured that we will use our powers in a targeted way, and consumers and the public can be assured we will take robust and effective action when gambling companies don’t meet their obligations.”
