Independent Gambling Policy Commission Begins Full Review of Gambling Act 2005

The newly formed independent Gambling Policy Commission launched its comprehensive review on or around 9 November 2026 to examine whether the Gambling Act 2005 remains fit for purpose, and the assessment covers technological changes, evolving products such as prediction markets, AI applications, cryptocurrencies and gambling-like digital features, along with shifts in consumer behaviour, taxation structures, illegal gambling activity and associated harms.

Observers note that this review arrives at a moment when market data continues to emerge from the Gambling Commission, including updates on transaction volumes, spending patterns and enforcement actions against unlicensed operators, while recent adjustments to Machine Games Duty have already altered the tax landscape for certain sectors.

Scope of the Assessment

Those leading the review have structured the process around multiple interconnected areas, and the commission intends to gather input on how digital innovations have altered the way gambling products reach consumers, how taxation frameworks interact with both licensed and unlicensed markets, and how consumer behaviour has evolved since the original legislation took effect, whereas the evaluation also examines evidence of harm alongside enforcement challenges posed by offshore and illegal offerings.

Experts have observed that prediction markets and cryptocurrency-based platforms present distinct regulatory questions not fully anticipated in 2005, and AI-driven features raise additional considerations around personalisation, risk detection and responsible gambling tools, while the review seeks data that can clarify these developments without assuming prior conclusions.

Call for Evidence and Timeline

The commission opened a formal call for evidence shortly after the review announcement, and submissions must arrive by the closing date of 12 February 2027 to allow sufficient time for analysis and drafting, with the final report scheduled for publication in 2028 after stakeholders have had opportunity to contribute detailed information across the identified themes.

Researchers and industry participants have been invited to supply quantitative and qualitative material, and the commission has indicated it will consider submissions from regulators, operators, academics, treatment providers and consumer groups alike, whereas the timeline permits iterative data collection and cross-referencing with ongoing Gambling Commission publications.

Alignment with Tax Changes and Market Data

Recent increases in Machine Games Duty form part of the broader context that the review will address, and the commission has noted these fiscal adjustments alongside other taxation developments that influence operator behaviour and market structure, while parallel releases of Gambling Commission statistics continue to track gross gambling yield, participation rates and the scale of illegal gambling activity.

Data from the latest Gambling Survey for Great Britain, which now incorporates questions on illegal gambling, supplies additional reference points, and Gambling Commission publications released around early November 2026 provide further detail on enforcement outcomes and consumer trends that the review team can draw upon during its evidence-gathering phase.

Process and Stakeholder Input

Those coordinating the review have emphasised a structured approach that begins with the open call for evidence and proceeds through targeted analysis of submitted materials, and the commission expects to hold follow-up discussions with selected contributors where clarification or expansion of particular points becomes necessary, whereas interim updates may appear before the 2028 final report if significant findings emerge earlier.

People familiar with similar policy exercises note that the breadth of topics requires careful sequencing, and the commission has indicated it will prioritise areas where technological change has outpaced existing rules, including the growth of digital features that mimic gambling mechanics outside traditional betting or gaming categories.

Conclusion

The review represents a systematic effort to evaluate the Gambling Act 2005 against current market realities, and the commission's timeline extends through early 2027 for evidence collection before culminating in a 2028 report that will inform any subsequent legislative or regulatory adjustments, while ongoing data releases from the Gambling Commission continue to feed into the process.