The UK Gambling Commission has announced changes to its licensing process.
In the news post on the Gambling Commission website, the organisation, which is responsible for the regulation of all gambling across the United Kingdom, confirmed that it would be stepping away from the current model, where gambling operators each have a dedicated account manager.
The change means gambling operators will no longer have an individual point of contact, as licensing will comprise of four sub-groups that are responsible for different areas of work.
First is the Operating Licence New Group, which is responsible for processing applications for new operator licences. Second is the Change Of Corporate Control Group, which is responsible for processing applications relating to changes of ownership and control for existing firms.
Then there’s the Operating Licence Vary Group, which is responsible for processing applications relating to changes to existing operator licences, and finally is the Personal Licence Group, which is responsible for processing all applications relating to personal licences.
A brief statement in the Commission’s announcement post revealed why the organisation is changing its process. It reads: “We are changing our working practices to make the best use of our resources.
“By working in this way, we hope to be able to process applications more quickly. We also hope to be able to resolve queries more efficiently and effectively.”
The news comes as the publication of the UK government’s gambling white paper draws closer, with changes expected to impact the Gambling Commission and the UK’s gambling industry as a whole.
It also comes after the Gambling Commission announced new rules to protect at-risk customers, shut down illegal Facebook lotteries, and after a Parliamentary group launched an inquiry into the Commission and its effectiveness and competence.
