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Plans to increase the fees paid by UK gambling licensees resurfaced on Tuesday after government papers briefly appeared online before being pulled down, with the page replaced by a notice saying the material had been “published in error.”
The documents, which industry sources described as laying the groundwork for a formal consultation, set out three broad options to lift annual operating licence fees, with changes targeted for October 2026.
Three options on the table, with different priorities
The leaked plans outline three routes.
One would raise annual fees by 30% across relevant bands, an approach described as the Gambling Commission’s preferred option.
A second would apply a 20% uplift.
A third option would also raise annual fees by 20%, with an additional 10% earmarked specifically for efforts aimed at the illegal market, an approach described as the government’s preferred route in the material that circulated.
The percentages would not be the same for every operator. The documents indicate fee changes would be determined by factors such as market share and regulatory risk, with some licence types treated differently and moved by a flat percentage based on current levels.
Application and personal licence costs could rise too
The proposals also show increases to application fees and the first annual fees paid by new licensees, as well as higher charges linked to personal licences and corporate changes, with the same 20% or 30% figures used depending on which option is chosen.
Reserves under pressure
According to the papers, and reports, there have been budget deficits since the last major fee review in 2021. Plus, the regulator is putting more resources into enforcement work, policy delivery tied to the government’s gambling reform programme, and upgraded data capabilities, all while inflation pushed costs up.
One example cited in reporting is that the Commission drew down millions from reserves in 2024–25, with further drawdowns forecast for 2025–26.
The warning, as described in coverage of the documents, is that without a fee uplift in 2026, reserves could be fully used up during the 2026–27 financial year.
Timeline: consultation to spring, changes targeted for October 2026
Although the papers were removed, reporting around them says the intent was to run a consultation with stakeholders through to late March, then have fee changes in place by 1 October 2026.
Including the already signalled jump in remote gaming duty from April 2026 and a higher general betting duty pencilled in for April 2027, this addition will really matter for operators. For one, it would add another cost line during a period when the wider UK gambling tax picture is also drastically shifting.
A high chance these proposals will resurface
The first question is whether these proposals resurface quickly in an official, properly launched consultation. And if so, what would the final design looks like once fee bands, licence categories, and the “ring-fenced” illegal-market spend are spelled out in detail.
The second is how the regulator and government justify the split between “core” supervision and extra enforcement spend, especially at a time when policymakers are leaning harder on the idea that stronger enforcement is needed to squeeze unlicensed operators out.
Even if the paperwork briefly vanished, it is evident that the UK Gambling Commission wants more headroom in its budget, and licence holders may be the ones asked to provide it.
Source: SBC News
