Gambling Commission to lean on data as part of three-year corporate strategy

The Gambling Commission (GC) is set to use “data and analytics to make gambling regulation more effective” as part of a five-point, three-year overhauled corporate strategy.

In the strategy document, ‘Gambling Regulation in a Digital Age’, the GC said the new plan would allow the regulator to improve the way it works and ensure gambling is fairer and safer.

The five-point list for the strategy, which will run through to 2027, includes using data for more effective regulation, enhancing core functions, setting “clear evidence-based” requirements for licensees, being proactive to address issues and regulating a successful National Lottery.

The first area of focus is using data more effectively will involve improving the regulator’s new data-gathering methodology, the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB). 

The GC initiated the development process for the GSGB in December 2020, with the new methodology leaving the development stage in February 2024. This was concurrent with the release of the wave one data set, which was collected from approximately 4,800 people aged over 18 between July and November 2023. That initial data set showed that 48% of respondents had gambled in the past four weeks. 

Alongside the first wave of data, the GC also published the findings of an independent review into the GSGB undertaken by Professor Patrick Sturgis from the London School of Economics. 

While Professor Sturgis found the survey to be “exemplary in all respects”, he also made a number of recommendations to address key unresolved issues, which deputy GC CEO Sarah Gardner said in March had been taken on board by the regulator and will be actively worked upon going forward. 

The second wave of data covering the period between November 2023 and March 2024 is set to be released in June, with the annual report covering the period between July 2023 and March 2024 set to be published in July 2024.

GC CEO Andrew Rhodes said at the GambleAware Conference in December that the GSGB will become the “baseline” for industry data.

Additionally, under the data-specific point of the strategy, the GC said it is aiming to increase its understanding of the market and consumer behaviour. 

As part of this process, the GC has said that it will use data science methods to improve the early identification of gambling-related problems and, therefore the regulator’s understanding of industry compliance. 

To reach this goal, the industry regulator will use advanced analytics to spot patterns and trends among its licensees, business models and sectors to better understand industry trends and behaviours. This will help to further understand operator risk through a wider range of linkable data sets, the GC said. 

The regulator believes this will prevent “sustained or significant failings going undetected”. 

To evaluate the success of these commitments, the GC will measure itself against the Government Data Maturity Framework, which is designed to help public sector organisations measure, improve and maintain the strength of their data ecosystems. 

In terms of improving core competencies, the GC said it was committed to increasing investment, resources and capacity to tackle illegal gambling, while also taking a digital-first approach and publishing KPI indicators.

Under the same strategy point, the GC will also publish its licensee compliance assessments in the interest of fairness, harm and crime prevention. 

The regulator said this would build and “initial benchmark” from which positive trends in compliance could be measured against.

On the third strategy point of setting requirements for licensees, the GC plans to communicate more effectively, including reporting progress in implementing white paper measures and reviewing communications between operators and the public to refine the process.

Penultimately, in regard to proactive regulation, the GC will invest in a program to better support licensees in the shape of clear information and guidance. The GC will also ramp up its efforts to better engage with the public on gambling.

Lastly, the GC has committed to assessing whether the benefits from the fourth National Lottery licence, which was awarded to Allwyn and commenced in February, are being realised. 

These includes monitoring returns to good causes, as well as ensuring the National Lottery’s performance “does not diminish under the operation of the new licensee”.

On the GC’s new three-year corporate strategy, Rhodes said: “I am proud of how far the Commission has come in the last few years. 

“We’ve tackled some of the critical issues facing operators and consumers, but the next cycle will involve delivering on some of the key decisions that we and the government have taken.

“Our objective is to be the authoritative voice on evidence and data, to tackle misinformation, delve into the facts, and help bring about improved outcomes for the public. Our Gambling Survey for Great Britain is one example of how we aim to embrace new data and intelligence.

“It is vital we maintain high standards for gambling consumers, working with the industry to resolve issues at the earliest opportunity. We will continue to work across borders to tackle common issues like illegal gambling, and to learn and share regulatory best practice,” he added.